Assistant Director of Development, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

The University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has a long history of providing outstanding care for patients, conducting leading-edge, collaborative research, and educating the next generation of ophthalmologists and vision science researchers.  At the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, the vision development team raises funds to support vision care, research, and education for UI's Department of Ophthalmology and the Institute for Vision Research. 

The development officer (DO) hired for this role will advance the University of Iowa (UI) by building a portfolio of major gift prospects and working collaboratively with their supervisor and other UI Center for Advancement fundraisers to move prospects through the steps of an established donor process. They will build relationships with campus partners and develop an understanding of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and funding priorities. A DO serves as a trusted philanthropic advisor, educating donors about giving opportunities that would enable them to achieve their desired impact on the University of Iowa and beyond. This position requires travel within Iowa and out-of-state to meet with prospective donors. The vision fundraising team includes an Executive Director, Associate Director, and administrative support staff.

*This position is eligible for hybrid work (telecommuting) which includes working on-site at our office in Iowa City.*

Job Responsibilities:

Identification

• Assist Prospect Management staff with identification of prospects (based on capacity, giving history, and affiliation) from pools that may include alumni, fans, patients, or other supporters of the university
• Complete significant volume of proactive outreach in order to secure face-to-face qualification meetings
• May assist with the planning and implementation of engagement events and referral programs designed to build long-term relationships and attract major gifts
• Conduct all activities, particularly those involving donor and patient data, according to established laws, policies, procedures, and standards

Qualification

• Build qualification pool of potential major gift prospects, with the goal of building a continuous pipeline of donors capable of making gifts of $50,000
• Learn and apply the processes of active listening and structured questioning to validate prospect’s capacity and inclination and to understand strength of affinity
• Use gathered information and input from colleagues to determine whether prospects should be disqualified or moved into the portfolio
• Serve as a trusted philanthropic advisor, practicing transparent communication and educating donors about the giving process

Cultivation

• Manage portfolio of active major gift prospects and work with supervisor to develop their readiness to advance
• Build travel plans that include qualification meetings, stewardship meetings, strategic meetings with active prospects, and opportunities to learn from colleagues
• Work with supervisor and colleagues to implement donor-centric cultivation strategies
• Manage deliberate sequence of interactions with each prospect, intended to build engagement and move them through the steps of an established donor engagement process
• Facilitate prospects’ decision-making process; help them understand next steps and articulate the link between their personal objectives and institutional priorities
• Build knowledge of funding priorities within and beyond assigned unit, consulting with UICA colleagues and campus partners as needed
• Build knowledge needed to facilitate solicitation of planned gifts; know when expert consultation is required

Solicitation

• Meet expectations for solicitations, gifts closed, and average gift size (goals established annually with the supervisor in alignment with organization-wide metrics)
• Know where prospects fall in the donor engagement process and plan next steps accordingly
• Identify meaningful ways for donor to achieve their desired impact while meeting funding needs
• Know how to employ communication and meeting preparation tools in order to achieve stated objectives for each step of the process
• Ensure documentation reflects donor intent and set expectations for recognition and stewardship

Stewardship

• Develop, implement and participate in appropriate stewardship activities (e.g., acknowledgement letters, publicity events) for donors as relevant, collaborating with stewardship liaison as needed
• Maintain integrity of constituent database through timely submission of stewardship plans and contact reports for all significant interactions

Constituent Management

• Develop strategies to identify donors and increase private gift support for the unit
• Build comprehensive understanding of programs and priorities and works to communicate them to others
• Attend programs and events to build knowledge and relationships and support special projects related to fundraising for unit priorities
• Cultivate working relationships with campus partners
• Collaborate with Corporate and Foundation Relations staff, as relevant, to identify and cultivate corporate and foundation gift prospects for assigned unit 

Education & Experience: 

Bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years of related experience required, preferably in a fundraising, nonprofit, or higher education setting.

Salary : $50,000