University-Wide Philanthropy Officer - Liberal Arts

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced University-Wide Philanthropy Officer - Liberal Arts at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education. Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.

Essential functions (job duties):

Job Purpose
Responsible for implementing external fundraising strategies and initiatives that encourage philanthropic support to promote the mission, priorities and values of Wayne State University with a specific focus on arts, humanities and social sciences. Cultivate, solicit and steward donors to strengthen relationships, increase philanthropy and meet established fundraising goals. This position reports to the Director, University-Wide Philanthropy - Arts.

Essential Functions
(Essential functions are the primary duties/major job responsibilities that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. The essential functions are listed in order of importance.)

Collaborate with director, faculty, staff and fellow development professionals to identify fundraising needs and priorities; assist in the development of fundraising action plans and strategies; create opportunities that will generate foundation grants; establish and meet realistic and achievable timelines. Provide expertise to advance interests by researching and identifying sources of support, seeking opportunities to generate new proposals based on funder guidelines and interests, and maintaining strong communication ties with potential funders.

Responsible for achieving annual fundraising goal and assisting in meeting unit and division goals: allocating and prioritizing time and resources to achieve the greatest return on investment. Performance and productivity will be measured on the following metrics as determined annually:
Dollars raised toward unit fundraising goal
Number of proposals submitted
Number of proposals secured
Number of visits with external funders

Collaborate with director and development professionals to strategically identify foundation funding opportunities. Develop and submit related proposals and assist in cultivating and soliciting support to secure and increase foundation philanthropy. Increase the number and quality of funder prospects in collaboration with Prospect Development team.

Manage a portfolio of foundation prospects; schedule and host program officer visits on and off-campus. Conduct one-on-one solicitations; secure personal visits to build and enhance funder relationships. Maintain knowledge of trends in foundation giving and philanthropy in general.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Unique duties:

Qualifications:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

ANALYTICAL AND PRESENTATION SKILLS: Ability to evaluate, interpret, and present complex information effectively in professionally prepared documents or presentations. Must possess a demonstrated attention to detail in order to achieve a high degree of accuracy. Proposes and evaluates alternative solutions to achieve organizational goals.

COLLABORATION: Exhibit a willingness to partner with units across the university with integrity and high character to reach unified goals. Possess the ability to navigate difficult situations with grace and understanding.

COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS: Ability to communicate clearly, concisely and professionally both orally and in writing. Strong interpersonal skills are a must. Demonstrates the ability to plan and deliver oral and written communications that are impactful and persuasive including presentations to university management and committees.

LEARNING AGILITY: Independent and innovative self-starter who displays an ability to learn quickly and easily adapts to changing situations. Experience researching topics to gain knowledge and understanding when information gaps exist.

PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION: Ability to manage several projects simultaneously, prioritize and plan work activities while meeting respective deadlines. Strong organizational and time-management skills required. Maturity, sound judgment and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a deadline-oriented environment.

TEAMWORK: Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues within the division and other units to gain full understanding of the project and desired outcome; ability to produce high quality and consistent results with assistance of team members; provide support to teammates when tackling complex projects.

TECHNICAL SKILLS: Proficient in the use of complex administrative systems software, preferrably in the higher education environment. Proficient with Microsoft Office suite, especially Word, Excel and Teams. Ability to understand and translate complex concepts into lay terms.

Preferred qualifications:

School/College/Division:

H86 - Development & Alumni Affairs

Primary department:

H86 - Development

Employment type:

Regular Employee
Job type: Full Time
Job category: Staff/Administrative

Funding/salary information:

Compensation type: Annual Salary
Hourly rate:
Salary minimum: $60,000
Salary hire maximum: $70,000

Working conditions:

Normal office environment. Hybrid schedule. Adhere to confidentiality and data usage policy for the division. This position requires a high level of commitment and enthusiasm. Due to travel requirements, evening meetings and special events, etc., candidate must be willing to work extended hours as needed.

Job openings:

Number of openings: 1
Reposted position: No
Reposted reason: None (New Requisition)
Prior posting/requisition number:

Background check requirements:

University policy requires certain persons who are offered employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal history check, before starting work. If you are offered employment, the university will inform you if a background check is required.

Wayne State University

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University-Wide Philanthropy Officer - Liberal Arts