Oklahoma State University Foundation ยท 6 hours ago
Director of Development, OSU Agriculture
Stillwater, OK
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
5+ years expOklahoma State University Foundation is dedicated to transforming the university through the power of generosity. They are seeking a Director of Development to build long-term philanthropic partnerships that advance the mission and strategic initiatives of OSU Agriculture, focusing on major gift fundraising and donor engagement.
Fundraising
Responsibilities
Solicit and secure major gifts to OSU Foundation with a focus on gifts of $50,000+ with a particular focus on qualifying and disqualifying OSU Agriculture prospects
Manage a portfolio of 60+ major gift prospects with giving capacity for major gifts to OSU Foundation
Conduct a minimum of 150 personal visits with donors, prospective donors, and their advisors to solicit planned gifts and major gifts, creating individual cultivation strategies
Complete 15+ major gift solicitations annually, closing a minimum of 60% of solicitations at a major gift level of $50,000+
Responsible for annual production of $1M+ for the OSU System
Report and track fundraising progress through the use of contact reports, prospect management and other communication tools to ensure efficient and effective communication
Manage relationships with key academic Deans and faculty, understanding and articulating areas of fundraising priorities, focused on OSU Agriculture
Facilitate relationships between potential and current donors and the OSU Foundation Development team on behalf of Oklahoma State University and actively engage faculty and administrators in fundraising opportunities
Serve as liaison between OSUF and respective units served, articulating fundraising priorities, engagement opportunities and points of collaboration
Develop and engage volunteer groups, advisory boards, donors and colleagues in productive long-term relationships
Provide strategic assistance and leadership for OSU Agriculture donor stewardship and key engagement events alongside the Constituents Relations Associate
Develop and execute engagement and stewardship plans for specific assigned prospects alongside the Constituent Relations Associate
Participate as an active member in all top priorities of OSU Foundation
Collaborate effectively with other colleges and units to increase donor support
Assist in leading in the annual fundraising goal of OSU Agriculture
Other duties as assigned
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business, marketing, or related field required
5+ years of experience in the agricultural industry preferred
5+ years in fundraising or related experience preferred
Experience in a higher education setting preferred
Proven sense of humor and ability to have fun
Effective Communication: Proactively ensures effective communication throughout the organization; makes relevant contributions to discussions and meetings, giving clear and concise explanations and sticking to the point; chooses language and communication method to suit the audience, reframes and articulates to help others understand; asks questions to check understanding when disseminating information
Execution & Initiative: Motivates self and others to achieve the best results, displaying energy, drive and a desire to succeed; enlists the support of others as necessary to overcome resistance; supervises cross-functional project team execution on tasks to meet stated objectives; helps other employees' gain the skills and experience they need to contribute; pro-actively outlines milestones, outcomes and deliverables and effectively communicates them to internal and external stakeholders
Teamwork/Interpersonal Skills: Develops and nurtures formal & informal relationships with a wide circle of people beyond those involved in current activities, including potential donors, stakeholders, and information links; encourages collaboration among colleagues, departments and entire organization to achieve results; compromises, handles conflicts, seeks common ground, articulates own and others goals; stays focused on positive win-win outcomes; seeks input on how to leverage existing processes to improve the donor experience; translates ideas into action
Problem Solving/Judgment: Gains understanding of how to apply approved policies and procedures; when and why escalation of issues is needed and to whom and communicates decisions and desired outcomes to others; anticipates the outcome of a single decision; recognizes problems in advance, systematically gathers information to define the root cause, breaks down complex information into component parts, develops alternatives, seeks input from others, selects and recommends the best solution
Adaptability/Flexibility: Embraces complex or first time problems as opportunities to learn and incorporate new skills; flexes style based on immediate needs; accepts responsibility for implementing change; evaluates and manages resources needed to implement change; personally supports (in words and actions) organizational direction and change agenda
Courage & Conviction: Takes responsibility for individual & project outcomes regardless of success and learns from all results; encourages candid responses, feedback, new ideas and conflicting opinions
Donor Centered: Takes time to actively learn about the stated needs by asking questions, exploring how to unite the donors and university's passions and priorities; anticipates customer needs and proactively makes recommendations
Must use a computer terminal and view a computer screen for extended periods of time
Must talk in person or by phone (frequently and sometimes for extended periods) to people on campus and across the country
Must constantly use visual acuity to check printed and designed materials of various types
Must be able to navigate within the OSU Foundation
Typical office working conditions
Ability to travel regionally and nationally
Preferred
Master's degree preferred
Company
Oklahoma State University Foundation
As the private fundraising organization for Oklahoma State University, the OSU Foundation exists to unite donor passions with university priorities to elevate the impact of OSU.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageCompany data provided by crunchbase