School of Arts & Sciences Director, Advancement

As a community, the University of Rochester is defined by a deep commitment to Meliora - Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability. Together, we will set the highest standards for how we treat each other to ensure our community is welcoming to all and is a place where all can thrive. Job Location (Full Address): 300 East River Rd, Rochester, New York, United States of America, 14623 Opening: Worker Subtype: Regular Time Type: Full time Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Department: 100006 Ofc Sr Vice Pres Advancement Work Shift: UR - Day (United States of America) Range: UR URG 114 Compensation Range: $86,482.00 - $129,723.00 _The referenced pay range represents the minimum and maximum compensation for this job. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range, and will be determined by considering factors including, but not limited to, market data, education, experience, qualifications, expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations._ Responsibilities: The School of Arts & Sciences Director, Advancement serves as a senior fundraising strategist and frontline major gift officer for the School of Arts & Sciences. Reporting to the Executive Director of Advancement u2013 School of Arts & Sciences, this role advances the University of Rochesteru2019s strategic plan and Ever Better campaign by developing and executing coordinated philanthropic strategies that drive transformational support for the School of Arts & Sciences and Mount Hope Family Center (MHFC). The director will manage a robust portfolio of major gift prospects. Extensive domestic travel is required to appropriately cultivate, solicit and steward these prospects. S/he will carry a portfolio of approximately 100 prospects and will be considered a 75% major gift officer, with the remaining 25% focused on leadership of programmatic aspects of advancement for the school. The Director leads strategy for the identification, engagement, and advancement of donors for Mount Hope Family Center as a key campaign growth segment, building a sustainable pipeline of major gift prospects. In partnership with leadership, the Director translates institutional priorities into compelling, mission-driven opportunities that inspire philanthropic investment and engagement. Operating within a matrixed Advancement model, the Director leads collaborates across central and unit-based teams to align prospect strategy, coordinate moves management across shared portfolios, and maximize philanthropic outcomes for the School of Arts & Sciences and Mount Hope Family Center. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Fundraising: Major Gift Portfolio Management + Manage a portfolio of approximately 100 major gift prospects, closing major gifts exceeding $100,000. + Develop and execute long-term cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies aligned with University and campaign priorities. + Advance prospects through a disciplined moves management framework, ensuring coordinated strategy across shared prospects and portfolios. + Identify, qualify, and shape new opportunities in collaboration with Advancement partners to optimize portfolio composition and institutional impact. + Achieve performance metrics with emphasis on qualifications, pipeline growth, proposal volume, and stage progression. Specific metrics are set by the Executive Director of Advancement u2013 School of Arts & Sciences. Strategic Planning: Campaign & Pipeline Management + Lead and manage strategic efforts to identify, engage, and advance cultivation of prospects rated $1u20135M, aligning regional, unit, and central Advancement partners to execute cohesive strategies that advance prospects toward major gift commitments. + Lead strategy to identify, engage, and advance prospect cultivation for Mount Hope Family Center as a key campaign growth segment, building a sustainable pipeline of prospects. + Serve as a primary Advancement liaison to the Director of Mount Hope Family Center, as well as the chairs of assigned departments, and Dean of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs, aligning fundraising strategies with priorities and opportunities. + Partner with the Deanu2019s Office, including Associate Deans, to integrate campaign priorities and philanthropic opportunities into deans, director, and chair meetings, presenting as needed. + Translate institutional and academic priorities into compelling, mission-driven cases for support that resonate with prospects and align with campaign priorities. + Monitor and drive performance across the Mount Hope Family Center pipeline, ensuring strong pipeline health, strategic movement, and measurable growth in high-capacity prospects. + Lead cross-functional alignment with central and unit-based Advancement teams to execute integrated engagement, cultivation, and stewardship strategies that advance shared prospects through the pipeline. Leadership: Academic Partnership & School-Based Strategies + Serve as a primary liaison to assigned departments, developing deep knowledge of academic priorities, faculty research, and funding needs, including Mount Hope Family Center. + Advancement leadership partner with department chairs, faculty, and Associate Deans and director of MHFC to identify, shape, and advance philanthropic opportunities aligned with campaign priorities. + Lead coordination with the Deanu2019s Office to ensure Advancement and campaign priorities are integrated into department chair meetings, faculty forums, and school-wide planning discussions. + Align department-level priorities with institutional goals, ensuring cohesive donor engagement across units and programs. + Provide strategic counsel to the Executive Director of SAS Advancement, Deans, and Director of MHFC on donor engagement, portfolio strategy, and campaign positioning. Prospect & Volunteer Management + Holds chief responsibility for coordinating and managing relationships with leadership volunteers for SAS, Mount Hope Family Center and graduate alumni within the campaign structure, and key internal stakeholders (faculty, academic leadership), positioning them for maximum influence on philanthropic outcomes and departmental advocacy. + Leads prospect management strategy for assigned prospects and strategic advisor to Advancement colleagues, guiding cultivation, solicitation strategy, and positioning for SAS departments and Mount Hope Family Center, ensuring coordinated moves, clear ownership, and alignment with campaign priorities. + Own and advance cross-portfolio prospect strategy for the Mount Hope Family Center, strengthening pipeline development and major gift outcomes. + Serve as Advancement liaison to department-led advisory councils (e.g., History Alumni Advisory Council), aligning volunteer engagement with prospect strategy and campaign priorities to drive pipeline growth. + Advise and prepare senior leadership (Dean, Associate Deans, department chairs, facultyu2014including Director of MHFC) for high-impact donor strategy and solicitation decisions. Advancement Execution & Delivery + Translate prospect strategies into coordinated execution plans, ensuring timely and aligned follow-through across Advancement partners. + Partner across Advancement functions (events, communications, donor relations, regional teams) to deliver integrated donor engagement experiences. + Ensure accurate and strategic use of CRM systems (Ascend, Oasis) to document moves, track progress, and maintain visibility across shared portfolios. + Coordinate execution of key donor engagements, including briefings, proposals, and stewardship follow-up, in partnership with leadership. + Contribute to a collaborative, high-performing Advancement culture aligned with campaign goals. Other duties as assigned MINIMUM EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE + Bacheloru2019s Degree required + 7 years development experience including experience soliciting gifts, or closely related experience required; comparable combination of experience and education will be considered. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES + Evidence of ability to work effectively with faculty and distinguished major prospects required. + Excellent skills in written and oral communication required. + Strong collaborative skills required. + Sufficiently well-organized to deal effectively with donor stewardship issues and u201cmovesu201d to advance donors according to a plan required. The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the Universityu2019s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create u2013 and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Characteristics). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates, for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law. Notice: If you are a Current Employee, please log into myURHR to search for and apply to jobs using the Jobs Hub. Your application, if submitted using this portal, cannot be moved forward. Learn. Discover. Heal. Create. Located in western New York, Rochester is our namesake and our home. One of the worldu2019s leading research universities, Rochester has a long tradition of breaking boundariesu2014always pushing and questioning, learning and unlearning. We transform ideas into enterprises that create value and make the world ever better. If youu2019re looking for a career in higher education or health care, the University of Rochester may offer the perfect opportunity for your background and goals. At the University of Rochester, we are committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture and are united by a strong commitment to be ever betteru2014Meliora. It is an ideal that informs our shared mission to ensure all members of our community feel safe, respected, included, and valued.

Created: 2026-04-29