Director of Development

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

This is a full-time position reporting to the Senior Director of Development, Major Gifts, in University Advancement. Annual success metrics are determined from both the activities associated with fundraising and the actual donation results. The Director of Development is responsible for the discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of Western donors. In this ever-changing profession, multiple channels are utilized to connect with and cultivate donors, including face-to-face, phone and video, with a key success metric focused on substantial contacts. This position requires travel in and out of state with a heavy focus on the Puget Sound area.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Fundraising (70%) - Focus on strategically identifying, engaging, qualifying, cultivating prospects and then soliciting major gifts of $25,000 or more. Travel regionally and nationally to connect personally with constituents. Complete 70-125 substantial contacts and 18-24 major gift solicitations per year. Prepare written proposals, background reports, and other development materials for use during donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities. One Team, Our Team. Work collaboratively with members of the Annual Giving, Corporations and Foundation Relations, Donor Relations, Alumni Engagement, Communications, and Special Events teams in order to further the fundraising goals for the University. Design and implement a comprehensive development plan to increase philanthropic support for funding priorities established by the University and Academic Partners. Develop effective fundraising strategies in coordination and collaboration with the Senior Director of Development and members of the University Advancement team. Follow up with donors and prospects in a timely manner. Cultivate relationships with diverse communities and individuals that have not otherwise been approached. Steward donors by consistently and thoughtfully reporting on impact in creative and meaningful ways.

Prospect Management (20%) - In collaboration with the Director of Prospect Research, build, develop, and manage a portfolio of 100-150 major and principal gift prospects. Execute timely contact reports. Consistently record and track all activity using the University's prospect management and tracking system. Prioritize reporting activities and recording asks in the database. Follow up with donors and prospects in a timely manner.

Leadership, Philanthropic Strategy, and Planning (10%) - Collaborate with staff who provide support to college and department development efforts. Collaborate with other unit-based gift officers, the Corporate Relations and Foundations team and Director of Planned Giving to enrich the fundraising team, build cross-unit partnerships, and bring in multi-disciplinary gifts. Take time to continue to learn the fundraising profession, benchmark, and make professional connections. Utilize current engagement opportunities presented by the Alumni Engagement team, and in collaboration, create new engagement opportunities for constituents. Participate in and collaborate with the Alumni Association, Foundation, and unit-based Advancement Boards.

• Bachelor’s degree
• 3 years of experience in frontline fundraising or related field.
• Experience working with or for a non-profit
• Strong interpersonal skills and a customer service orientation. Poised, professional manner with the ability to express oneself clearly and empathetically in interactions with others including written and in-person.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using technology – Microsoft Office suite, Teams and Zoom.
• Ability to travel (including a valid driver’s license) at least once a week within Washington State, and outside the state for overnight travel. Ability to work occasional nights and weekends.

• Experience working on a campus in the higher education environment
• Experience with a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM)
• Proven success in face-to-face asks and the closing of gifts valued at $25,000 and above
• Experience working on a large-scale, organized fundraising campaign

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted if necessary, with notice provided beforehand.

For priority consideration, please apply by November 9, 2026; position is open until filled.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at student.life@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.