Director of Development

Advancement & Partnerships:

Join our dynamic and growing Advancement & Partnerships team as we work together to power partnerships and transform lives through philanthropy. 

Together, we can unleash the potential of people and ideas to positively change the world. Your efforts on our team will help us to build the University for the Future.

The Opportunity:

The University of Central Florida is seeking a dynamic and results-oriented Director of Development to join our Advancement & Partnerships division. This role plays a pivotal role in advancing the university's mission and fundraising efforts by identifying, cultivating, and soliciting individuals for major gifts.

The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker, persuasive communicator, and relationship builder with a track record of securing major gifts.

UCF is seeking to fill multiple roles. Candidates for this job posting will be considered for additional vacancies in this department.

Positions will be located in:
College of Sciences (COS)
College of Arts & Humanities (CAH)

Responsibilities:

Prospect Identification & Cultivation:

• Identifies, cultivates, and manages an assigned portfolio of prospective donors for major gifts. Builds and maintains strong relationships with donors and prospects through regular communication and engagement.

Solicitation & Stewardship:

• Creates and executes individualized solicitations and solicitation plans for donors, leveraging philanthropic interests to effectively solicit and close a defined number of major gifts within a specified time frame for specific schools, colleges, or units on campus. Collaborating with Donor Experience team to ensure timely and meaningful recognition.

Partnership & Relationship Building 

• Works closely with leaders to identify funding priorities and opportunities aligned with college programming and the the vision, mission, and values of the University, division and UCF Foundation. Identifies and facilitates opportunities for university leaders and colleagues to support the cultivation and solicitation of prospective donors, promoting engagement and fostering a culture of philanthropy.

Strategic Fundraising Activities:

• Works closely with the Development team to create and implement strategic fundraising activities focused on acquiring major gifts, including the development and execution of comprehensive fundraising strategies. Collaborates with gift officers in other units and on regional campuses, as appropriate, to maximize engagement.

Leveraging Resources: 

• Develops strong relationships with Advancement & Partnerships leadership, staff, and departments.

• Leverages available tools and resources and stays ahead of industry trends and best practices in fundraising to integrate them into daily work and enhance fundraising strategies.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's or Master's degree and 6+ years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219. Click here for more information

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven track record of successfully cultivating and soliciting gifts of $50,000 and above from individuals, corporations, or foundations.

• Experience in fundraising, nonprofit, or higher education setting. 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with an ability to engage and inspire donors.

• Experience with CRM systems such as Blackbaud CRM or Raiser's Edge and technology.

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.

• Knowledge of fundraising best practices and philanthropic trends.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

We will accept applications for this position through January 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM. The University of Central Florida is closed for holiday break from Thursday, December 19, 2024, through Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Our search efforts will resume after the university closure, with interviews anticipated the first two weeks of January 2025.

Advancement and Partnerships values the unique contributions that each team member brings to our division. The determination of a successful candidate's starting salary will vary based on several factors, including education and relevant experience. The anticipated pay scale indicated for this position generally applies to candidates who meet the minimum requirements and several of the preferred qualifications outlined above.

UCF is seeking to fill multiple roles. Candidates for this job posting will be considered for additional vacancies in this department.

Classification Title: Development Director I

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 13 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks!  UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program 

• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays

• Retirement savings options 

• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions 

• Education assistance 

• Flexible work environment 

• And more…For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide.

Dive into our Total Rewards Calculator to discover the diverse selection available to you, giving you a glimpse into the benefits that together shape your comprehensive rewards package at UCF.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Central Florida is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including Disabled/Vets.  Click on UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement to view the President’s Statement.

The UCF affirmative action plans for qualified individuals with disabilities and protected Veterans are available for inspection in the Office of Institutional Equity, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., upon request.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request. 

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.