Director of Development

Department: Schar School Policy and Government

Classification: Administrative Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Arlington, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government (Schar School) prepares undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders and managers who solve problems and advance the public good in all sectors and levels of government—in the United States and throughout the world.

Advancement's mission is to build strong, lifelong relationships with George Mason University's alumni and constituents, while matching their philanthropic interests with the university aspirations and priorities. The division is committed to serving the needs of the university, our alumni, and the greater community by providing access to quality education and lifelong learning. Respect, service, integrity, collaboration, diversity, transparency, and creativity are the values that guide our work and culture.

About the Position:

The Director of Development is the dedicated fundraising officer for the Schar School. This position is active in all aspects of fundraising for the Schar School, including the successful discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors, with the goal of increasing giving to the school.

The Director's primary responsibility is to work closely with the Dean and Sr. Associate Dean as well as with key stakeholders in the Schar School and across the George Mason campus to solicit Principal ($1M and above) and other gifts to the Schar School. Position will engage current donors and develop relationships with new donors, including people not already on the School’s radar. Position will make solicitations, join the Dean and Sr. Associate Dean and other school leaders in making solicitations, and train/prepare others to make solicitations. The goal of this position is to increase giving to the school.

The Director of Development will also write clear and compelling fundraising plans and proposals and track and present data in such a way that it is useful to the school’s leadership.

Responsibilities:

• Writes compelling development plans and proposals;
• Develops productive relationships with current donors as well as identifies and builds relationships with new donors, including those not already in the school’s pipeline;
• Several times per month, provides Dean with the name(s) of potential donors who have been vetted and whom it is now time for the Dean to reach out to;
• Builds productive relationships with colleagues in the Schar School, across the Mason campuses, and outside of Mason that helps position to implement development strategy;
• Coordinates with Central Advancement;
• Coordinates fundraising with other departments and utilizes services as appropriate;
• Ensures consistent and adequate communication between School/Unit and Central Advancement;
• Works closely with Central Advancement services including, but not limited to, Planned Giving, Annual Giving, Parents and Family Philanthropy, University Priorities, Alumni Relations, Communications, Systems, Operations, Donor Relations, Gifts and Records, etc.;
• Carries and maintains a portfolio of 75 to 90 Prospects that are being moved through the donor;
• Works with the engagement process culminating in, MAJOR or PRINCIPAL gifts;
• Solicits gifts either independently or in conjunction with School and university leaders;
• Makes sufficient number of fundraising visits and asks to achieve goals of development plan;
• Tracks and presents data in a way that enables school leaders to achieve their goals; and
• Other relevant duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously and meeting continuous deadlines;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and experience with documenting appropriate information in a donor management database system;
• Candidate must possess ability to be entrepreneurial, goal-oriented, collegial and collaborative;
• Ability to identify donors; skills for cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies of said donors;
• Ability to interact successfully with high achieving individuals;
• Ability to write fundraising plans and proposals and to track and clearly present data;
• Ability to take creative approaches to involve and solicit major donor prospects;
• Ability to motivate; and
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Experience demonstrating sound judgment necessary for interacting with donors, prospects, trustees, faculty and staff;
• A demonstrated record of successful major gift solicitations and experience designing and executing donor identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies; and
• Possess understanding and the ability to articulate the accomplishments and goals of a complex organization.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Director of Development at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: February 13, 2025

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  March 13, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes