Assistant Director for Leadership Gifts, Division of Student Affairs
Commonwealth of VA Careers, Virginia, MN, United States
Job Description
The Division of Student Affairs is seeking a motivated, results-oriented fundraiser to be part of our highly collaborative Student Affairs Advancement team. A successful Assistant Director for Leadership Gifts is organized, collaborative, and impact-driven. In this role, the Assistant Director for Leadership Gifts builds constructive and effective relationships with alumni and friends that will translate to a long-term base of support for the University.
Responsibilities
Support leadership gift fundraising for Student Affairs, aid in parent qualification, and assist with fundraising activities for colleges and programs, within designated time frames.
Travel, on average, five to ten days per month to cultivate, solicit, steward, and identify prospects for colleges and programs.
Manage a primary portfolio of 50 and a secondary portfolio with 250+ prospects.
Develop typical solicitation ranges of $5,000 to $100,000.
Close $500,000 per year using a three-year rolling average.
Establish strong working relationships with central advancement, fellow gift officers, and the college and program staff to foster a productive work environment.
Ensure compliance with the University, state, and federal laws, policies, regulations, and the CASE Donor Bill of Rights. Treat all information and data within the scope of the position with appropriate confidentiality and security.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree with related fundraising or relevant experience, or a Master's degree.
Ability to build relationships with volunteers and donors, self-motivated, and embrace the concept and attitude of teamwork in a complex organization.
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to articulate the importance of higher education and understand the critical role and priorities of the university and the advancement division.
Demonstrate experience in fundraising, sales/marketing, advertising, public relations, client relations, communications, or cold calling.
Demonstrate experience in relational database manipulation.
Experience with office software applications such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook, or similar programs.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in higher education fundraising, ideally in Student Affairs.
Proven success in building productive relationships with senior administrators, key business leaders, faculty, staff, institutional boards, volunteers, and/or donors.
A basic understanding of the concepts and principles of fundraising is beneficial—previous annual giving experience.
Additional Information
Unable to Sponsor Work Visas.
Safe Driving Record.
Regional and national travel required for the purposes of conducting field research, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, which may include overnights and weekends.
Must have ability and willingness to travel utilizing standard, commercial and/or personal modes of transportation.
Ability to work nights and weekends, and participation in college or university programs when possible.
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
Other Information Overtime Status: Exempt – Not eligible for overtime.
Appointment Type: Regular
Salary Information: $50,000 - $55,000
Hours per week: 40+
Review Date: March 30th, 2026
Equal Opportunity Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact
Advancement HR
at
advhr@vt.edu
during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Responsibilities
Support leadership gift fundraising for Student Affairs, aid in parent qualification, and assist with fundraising activities for colleges and programs, within designated time frames.
Travel, on average, five to ten days per month to cultivate, solicit, steward, and identify prospects for colleges and programs.
Manage a primary portfolio of 50 and a secondary portfolio with 250+ prospects.
Develop typical solicitation ranges of $5,000 to $100,000.
Close $500,000 per year using a three-year rolling average.
Establish strong working relationships with central advancement, fellow gift officers, and the college and program staff to foster a productive work environment.
Ensure compliance with the University, state, and federal laws, policies, regulations, and the CASE Donor Bill of Rights. Treat all information and data within the scope of the position with appropriate confidentiality and security.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree with related fundraising or relevant experience, or a Master's degree.
Ability to build relationships with volunteers and donors, self-motivated, and embrace the concept and attitude of teamwork in a complex organization.
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to articulate the importance of higher education and understand the critical role and priorities of the university and the advancement division.
Demonstrate experience in fundraising, sales/marketing, advertising, public relations, client relations, communications, or cold calling.
Demonstrate experience in relational database manipulation.
Experience with office software applications such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook, or similar programs.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in higher education fundraising, ideally in Student Affairs.
Proven success in building productive relationships with senior administrators, key business leaders, faculty, staff, institutional boards, volunteers, and/or donors.
A basic understanding of the concepts and principles of fundraising is beneficial—previous annual giving experience.
Additional Information
Unable to Sponsor Work Visas.
Safe Driving Record.
Regional and national travel required for the purposes of conducting field research, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, which may include overnights and weekends.
Must have ability and willingness to travel utilizing standard, commercial and/or personal modes of transportation.
Ability to work nights and weekends, and participation in college or university programs when possible.
The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.
Other Information Overtime Status: Exempt – Not eligible for overtime.
Appointment Type: Regular
Salary Information: $50,000 - $55,000
Hours per week: 40+
Review Date: March 30th, 2026
Equal Opportunity Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact
Advancement HR
at
advhr@vt.edu
during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
#J-18808-Ljbffr