Major Gift Associate Jobs in Rhode Island (NOW HIRING)

Title: Senior Director of Development, College of Engineering

Department: Development

Reports to: Jeff Simon, AVP for Unit Development

Location: Kingston, RI

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Development leads, plans, and executes fundraising initiatives for the College of Engineering. The Senior Director cultivates and manages a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and donors with the inclination and capacity to make significant major gifts to URI. The Senior Director works closely and collaborates with the Dean and other Foundation staff to best support the University’s priorities and strategic initiatives through philanthropic giving. The Senior Director of Development will supervise a newly added major gift officer that supports fundraising for the College.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gift Fundraising & Donor Portfolio Management

• Develop and implement comprehensive qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for individual and some corporate prospects assigned. Work both independently and in concert with senior officers, other colleagues, and volunteers to implement strategies including direct solicitation of gifts.

• Manage and actively cultivate a portfolio of high-capacity prospects and donors capable of making $100,000+ gifts, guiding them through the full lifecycle of identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

• Develop solicitation and closure strategies of major gifts aligned with the College of Engineering and University fundraising priorities and campaigns, measured against the attainment of personal metrics associated with the position.

• Partner with the URI Foundation Gift Planning team to devise strategies for cultivating, soliciting and stewardship of planned gift donors.

• Partner with the Donor Relations team to ensure stewardship is provided to donors on existing endowment and current-use funds.

• Build strategic partnerships with the Corporations and Foundations team to enhance industry support for the university and the college.

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead and mentor the major gifts officer(s) to ensure they are prepared to meet the ongoing challenges of broadening and diversifying the College of Engineering’s philanthropic support.

• Demonstrate leadership to coordinate the efforts of the College of Engineering fundraising team, including overseeing productivity, fundraising priorities, and professional development. Delegate fundraising activities and ensure collaboration with central development and alumni relations.

• Maintain close collaboration on prospect strategies and activity with URI Foundation CEO and Associate Vice President of Unit Development.

• Work closely with the Deans and their Academic Leadership teams to clearly identify and communicate philanthropic priorities for the College of Engineering, and manage the Dean in their fundraising activity. 

• Advise the Deans on prospect management issues, challenges, and opportunities that affect the division’s effectiveness.

Prospect Strategy, Research & Pipeline Development

• Review and analyze the currently identified prospect pools to assess accuracy of research and amend and expand as appropriate.

• Respond quickly and effectively to strategic opportunities for increased prospect engagement.

Donor Engagement, Stewardship & Special Events

• Schedule appointments and oversee the preparation of necessary materials, including funding proposals, briefings for senior officers and board members when necessary, and scheduled stewardship reports, for all assigned prospects. Identify prospects to participate in specific events, committees, or other programs that promote the cultivation process.

• Provide support and guidance for development or advisory committees including the College of Engineering and the International Engineering Program, to ensure fundraising initiatives are aligned with Foundation fundraising expectations.

• Participate in signature events at the University that provide opportunities for strategic engagement with prospects and donors, including but not limited to Homecoming Weekend, Family Weekend, various award events, Golden Grad Weekend, and athletic events.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree.

• 5–7 years of progressive fundraising experience, with a proven record of securing gifts of $500,000+.

• Strong track record in managing donor pipelines and closing six- and seven-figure gifts.

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with science and engineering faculty, academic leadership, and external stakeholders.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Advanced degree.

• Leadership experience within a college’s dean’s team.

• Experience working with corporate partners.

• Experience with Salesforce, Workday, or comparable CRM/ERP systems.

• Knowledge of best practices in donor engagement, pipeline development, and campaign planning.

Salary: The anticipated hiring range for this position is $125,000 – $145,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications. We remain open to discussion with exceptional candidates.

Join the URI Foundation team!