Director of Development, School of Law

OVERVIEW
The University of St. Thomas invites qualified candidates to apply for a Director of Development, School of Law position within University Advancement.

The University of St. Thomas embraces diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all. Our convictions of dignity, diversity and personal attention call us to embody and champion a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment.  The University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer (EEO).  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, or other protected characteristic.  We are committed to building a skilled team that represents a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. This commitment is consistent with our mission: Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good.  A successful candidate will possess a commitment to the ideals of this mission.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

The University of St. Thomas offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program, which includes:

Up to 100% tuition remission for employees and dependents upon eligibility

Up to 50% tuition remission for spouses upon eligibility

A generous Employer retirement contribution of 9.4% of annual salary upon eligibility

Medical, dental, and vision options

Employer-paid disability, life, and AD&D benefits

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Development, School of Law, reports to the Vice President of University Advancement, is a member of the University Advancement (UA) division and works closely with the Dean of the Law School. The Director of Development advances relationships between prospective donors and the School of Law to secure major and principal gift commitments ($50,000 or more). The Director of Development directs and coordinates all major gift fundraising efforts and works with the Dean to develop a comprehensive strategy for School of Law fundraising. S/he works to identify and cultivate sources of funding by planning and implementing short, medium and long-term fundraising strategies and programs to meet the current and future needs of the School of Law. The Director of Development will help achieve the School of Law’s fundraising goal in conjunction with the University’s ten-year comprehensive capital campaign. In support of these objectives, the Director of Development will bring strategic and visionary leadership and the ability to innovate and adapt in a dynamic philanthropic environment. This position is physically located on the Minneapolis campus but some travel is required.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1.  Comprehensive Campaign

·  With the Dean, stakeholders, and UA staff, craft a compelling case for support for the unit’s campaign priorities, revising as needed

·  Develop and lead an effective campaign volunteer committee

·  Champion the campaign within the School of Law and among its external constituents to secure support from faculty, staff and other stakeholders as well as alumni, donors, law firms, members of the corporate community and other external constituents

·  Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to deliver coordinated external communications to enhance campaign objectives

·  Monitor and assess campaign progress and adjust strategies and tactics as needed

2.  Portfolio Management, Fundraising and Planning

·  Work with the Dean of the School of Law, the Vice President of University Advancement, other Development team members and other key stakeholders on the strategic development and execution of the school’s and university’s advancement plan to advance the objectives and goals of the comprehensive capital campaign; develop individual plans for the top law school prospects/donors and coordinate the execution of those plans with all identified team members connected to those prospects/donors. The goal is to build and provide leadership for a high-functioning team to advance philanthropic outcomes for both the law school and the university

·  Manage a portfolio of qualified major and principal gift prospects associated with Law School community and identify, qualify, and cultivate new prospects at the major and principal gift level; identifying, qualifying and cultivating new prospects is an important focus of this role

·  Solicit and close major and principal gifts ($50,000+), in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Dean, that meet or exceed individual and department gift goals set annually

·  Work closely with the Dean to strategically engage in relationship management and cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospects and donors. Help coordinate and facilitate the Dean’s fundraising efforts to ensure robust and excellent communication, partnership and follow-through with prospective and current donors.

·  With the Vice President of UA and Dean, lead the development of annual and multi-year planning, including articulating goals and objectives, setting fundraising targets and helping to integrate annual fund, alumni relations and events strategies at the Law School

·  In partnership with the Dean, build a conduit between the Law School and University Advancement, to partner on and support relationship management with donors and prospects, ensuring clarity of roles within the Law School/UA

·  Develop an annual work plan, including specific fundraising, prospect development and programmatic goals with an emphasis on achieving agreed-upon individual metrics and unit goals

·  Work closely with Prospect Development to identify and prioritize prospects to set achievable annual and multi-year goals based on the prospect pool

·  Partnering with the Law School, develop a deep working knowledge of School of Law philanthropic priorities and contribute to the development and articulation of a compelling case for support that positions the School for fundraising success

·  Bring advanced interpersonal skills to manage complex relationships with high-net-worth individuals, facilitating not just one-time gifts but fostering long-term philanthropic partnerships

·  Elevate stewardship to the highest levels; develop stewardship plans that pull forward a team-based approach both within UA and in partnership with UA and the Law School

3.  Development Partnerships

·  Work closely with the Dean, faculty, and staff of the School of Law, University leadership and other development staff to identify priorities and opportunities for new major gifts within the School of Law. Regularly communicate priorities to UA and development staff to enable them to effectively and convincingly present the School's case to prospects and donors.

·  Develop strategies and solicitation plans to engage projects through multiple coordinated points of contact for each prospect, leveraging partnerships to strengthen donor relationships with the University and Law School

·  Work collaboratively with UA and Law School partners in planning and executing strategic development activities, donor recognition programs, and events for the School

·  Work closely with the Dean and the Associate Dean for External Relations in the identification and stewardship of key law stakeholders, and prospects for the Law Board of Governors

·  Serve as a supportive resource and partner to the Law Board of Governors and the Law Alumni Board

·  Serve as a supportive resource and partner for law school staff on annual fund for law alumni, faculty and staff, the 3L class gift and philanthropic support in the $5K - $25K gift range

·  Serve as the chief point of contact for the School of Law for UA staff and other university stakeholders outside of law; ensure the School of Law is well represented in UA activities, communications and events

·  Collaborate with the VP of UA, Director of Alumni Engagement, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Director of Planned Giving and Associate Vice President of Principal Gifts, the Dean and other stakeholders at the School of Law to develop a plan for seeking corporate and foundation support, planned gifts, and principal gifts for Law

·  Collaborate with individual gift officers and other UA leaders who have prospects with interest in Law. Where appropriate, engage the School’s leadership, faculty and staff, senior administration and other members of St. Thomas community.

·  Work with Prospect Development to identify new prospects for future gift opportunities within the School

4.  Reporting, Data Management and Technology

·  Use Salesforce to complete and file timely contact reports and maintain accurate and relevant records within the database

·  Ensure that donor contacts by the Dean and other university leaders are accurately documented in the database to achieve coordinated communication with all stakeholders in the relationship-building process

·  When partnering on cultivation or solicitation, prepare strategy documents that articulate the engagement plan and purpose of interaction

·  Focus on data-driven decision making in developing fundraising strategies and assessing progress toward goals, including expertise in using Salesforce

·  Incorporate digital tools and platforms in fundraising strategies to expand reach, engagement and impact; collaborate with Marketing and Communications and other university units to meet these objectives

5.  Supervision

·  As appropriate and depending on staffing needs, supervise one or more development officers or support staff; establish their performance metrics; oversee the development of their annual work plans; work with Prospect Development on the composition of their portfolios (for front-line fundraisers); and integrate their work into the overall strategy for the unit

·  Clearly outline specific duties and expectations for direct reports

QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Minimum of five years of development experience, including major gift solicitation experience

Demonstrated ability to solicit and close major ($50,000+) gifts

Preferred Qualifications

Familiar with Higher education and/or law and familiarity with the characteristics of a comprehensive university

An equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable skills and knowledge have been acquired may be substituted.

HOW TO APPLY

All interested candidates must apply online at https://www.stthomas.edu/jobs/. Follow the instructions to complete an online application which includes creating or updating an applicant profile, uploading a resume, and completing a job specific application.

In light of its commitment to create and maintain a safe learning and working environment, employment with the University of St. Thomas requires consent and successful completion of a background screening.

Official job posting is available at www.stthomas.edu/jobs.