Senior Director of Principal Gifts

Job Description

The University of Connecticut is a top-ranked national university and health-system with its flagship campus located in idyllic Storrs. Designated a Carnegie Research 1 institution, UConn is the state land- and sea-grant university focused on education, research, and service to the state of Connecticut and beyond. The University serves over 33,000 students across seven campuses, 8,550 first-in-family students, and boasts numerous national championships. UConn Health is a top-ranked health provider that delivers groundbreaking medical education, research, and hospital and clinical services to over one million patients each year. In addition, UConn has nearly 300 scientists who are in the top 2 percent of researchers investigating everything from cancer to AI.

UConn continues its meteoric rise as a top public University with a record number of applications, continued investment in student success, health, and wellness, recruitment of top faculty, innovation in research, and top-tier athletic programs focused on the health and financial literacy of student-athletes. This includes the men's and women's basketball teams, which have brought home three consecutive NCAA National Championship trophies in the last three years. UConn is proud to have 26 national championships across all sports.

Guided by the public launch of our most ambitious campaign in history, Because of UConn The Campaign for UConn Nation, we are moving boldly into the future. The $1.5B comprehensive campaign spans all schools, colleges, campuses and UConn Health and focuses on four pillars designed to make education more affordable and elevate UConn among its national peers.

• Students First : making transformative investments in financial aid, student health, career readiness, and life skills to improve time-to-degree and career outcomes.
• Academic & Innovation Excellence : driving investment in top faculty and graduate fellows and building the innovation ecosystem of the state and beyond.
• Health & Wellness of People & Planet : focusing on patient care, medical research, and development of life-changing technologies that improve healthcare outcomes.
• Husky Pride : investing in athletic excellence and supporting a thriving UConn Nation that includes more than 290,000 alumni worldwide.

Because of UConn will have a profound impact on the University. It will double the number of named scholarships, fund scientific breakthroughs and advanced lifesaving therapies, and engage UConn Nation in the life and mission of the University like never before.

We seek the top talent in the country to join Husky Nation and help us drive our mission and UConn into the future. We are committed to a caring and supportive work culture, professional and leadership development, and flexibility for high achievers with a passion for higher education.

We're looking for dedicated professionals to drive success and excellence and exemplify our values.

The UConn Foundation is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. We celebrate different perspectives and are committed to a welcoming environment that values your unique experiences and identity. As an organization, we strive for continued growth each and every day.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Director of Principal Gifts leads a team of principal gift fundraisers and supports the principal gift program management through direct partnership with the Vice President of Principal Gifts. The Senior Director is responsible for growing fundraising from UConn alumni parents and friends of the university within the $1M and $5M+ gift bands. They will collaborate with the unit-based gift officers, alumni relations colleagues and university leaders to support engagement in the area and grow a culture of philanthropy among constituents. They are committed to successfully advancing the campaign and raising crucial funding that aligns with the campaign pillars. The Director is responsible for setting and executing ambitious personal fundraising goals and growing the pipeline of relationships. The Senior Director regularly collaborates with the Deans, University, and Foundation colleagues to achieve goals and elevate the profile of the University This position will partner closely with the Vice President for Principal Gifts to align on strategy and collaborate on the programming and administrative needs of the principal gift team, ensuring its effective operation and long-term success

Primary Responsibilities

Principal Gift Fundraising

Demonstrate the ability to personally solicit gifts of $5M and above.

Potential Donor Discovery

Collaborate with the Prospect Management and Research team to increase and grow the major gift pipeline and overall fundraising success of the unit.

Engagement

Collaborate with Stakeholder Engagement to steward donors, engage with alumni, and support events specific to your unit.

Leadership

Provide visible leadership across the entire organization by engaging in organization-wide activities such as development management meetings, all-staff meetings, and staff events.

Experience and Skills

Key Competencies

Education & Experience

Salary :

The expected salary for this position is $165,000+. It will be commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also placing an emphasis on internal equity.

Benefits :

Benefits start from day one. We offer medical, dental, and vision plans and will make an annual contribution to your health savings account if enrolled in one of the high-deductible health plans offered by the Foundation.

In addition, there are a few other perks to being a UConn Foundation employee :

Please inform a Human Resources Representative if you need any assistance completing any forms or participating in any part of the application process due to a disability.