The Catholic University of America

The Director for Advancement serves as the lead advancement officer for a designated academic unit at The Catholic University of America. This individual is responsible for managing all fundraising-related activities, including the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of annual, major, and planned gifts from alumni, friends, and institutional donors.

The Director partners closely with both the academic leadership of the assigned unit and the central University Advancement team to set philanthropic strategy, align with University-wide priorities, and meet fundraising goals.

This role involves direct collaboration with faculty and volunteer leaders to support the school or program’s academic priorities through philanthropic investment. The Director also oversees school-specific alumni engagement efforts and communicates the unit’s mission, vision, and achievements to external stakeholders.

The Director reports dually to the Associate Vice President for University Advancement and the Dean or senior leader of the academic unit. They will supervise advancement staff assigned to the unit and coordinate the work of University Advancement colleagues to advance fundraising and engagement goals in support of the unit.

The projected salary or hourly pay range for this position which represents the full range of anticipated compensation is $104,000 to $110,000.

• Advancement Program Management: Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of the annual advancement plan for the assigned school or program. Serve as the primary liaison between the academic unit and University Advancement.

• Individual Goals: Build and manage a portfolio of major gift suspects, prospects, and donors with a focus on gifts of $100,000 and above. Conduct at least 85 prospect visits annually, solicit and close 10–20 major gifts, and
  engage an equal number of new prospects. Meet or exceed personal fundraising goals (e.g., $1.5M annually, depending on unit size and potential).

   

   

• Annual Giving & Collaborative Efforts: Coordinate annual fund efforts for the school or program in partnership with the central Annual Giving team. Collaborate across University Advancement on planned giving, stewardship, donor relations, corporate and foundation engagement, and alumni programs.

   

• Management of Volunteer Leadership: Engage and support volunteer leadership groups such as Boards of Visitors or Advisory Councils. Recruit new members and steward their contributions to increase engagement and flexible support for the academic unit.

   

• Administrative Leadership and Oversight: Supervise advancement staff assigned to the academic unit. Provide direction, mentorship, and performance evaluation.

• Faculty Engagement: Develop strong relationships with faculty leading academic and research priorities. Guide them through the fundraising process, assist with proposal development, and encourage ongoing involvement in advancement activities.

• Event Management: Plan and execute events designed to cultivate donors, engage alumni, and promote the visibility and priorities of the academic unit.

   

• Budget and Gift Management: Partner with the unit’s administrative staff and University Advancement finance team to align gift accounts and manage operational budgets. Ensure transparency and accountability in donor fund usage.

   

• Advancement Division Support: Support the broader goals of the Division of University Advancement through cross-functional collaboration, campaign participation, and alignment with University-wide strategies.

• Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible development/advancement experience within a large, highly complex non-profit business environment, with Higher Education experience strongly preferred;
• Demonstrated track record of developing, soliciting, and securing large gifts
• Experience managing volunteer leadership groups for philanthropic purposes (board management)
• Experience with capital campaigns, especially soliciting and closing lead gifts, developing solicitation materials, case statements, etc.
• A mission and values that align with The Catholic University of America.
• Must have at least 3 years staff management experience.
• Skill in using development-related database systems.
• Possession of current and valid U.S. driver’s license appropriate to the type of university vehicle and an acceptable Motor Vehicle Driving Record (MVR) as stipulated in the Vehicle Guidelines and Procedures Manual administered through the office of Environmental Health and Safety.
• Annual clearance of MVR check through the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
• Must be polished, passionate and have exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Must possess the ability to lead and obtain results from professional colleagues and exceptional ability to communicate verbally and in writing.
• Must have effective planning and organization skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google suite of applications.
• Familiarity with generally accepted office procedures, and ability to utilize the internet for research-related duties.
• Skills in planned giving and/or wealth management desirable.
• Skill in using development-related database systems, preferably Raiser's Edge.