Boston University (BU) seeks a collaborative and entrepreneurial Director of Leadership Annual Giving (Director) to implement and lead strategies designed to deepen and expand the University’s donor pipeline through direct donor solicitation, giving society programming, and stewardship initiatives. Overseeing a team of three and personally managing a portfolio of prospects and donors, the Director will play a key leadership role at an exciting time of growth and momentum toward an ambitious multi-billion-dollar campaign.
BU has charted a stellar ascent in recent years. Now ranked #41 by U.S. News and World Report, the University comprises 17 Schools and Colleges, including highly ranked graduate schools such as the School of Law, School of Business, School of Education, and College of Engineering. Founded in 1839, BU has always been a hub for innovation. As one of the largest independent nonprofit universities in the country, it was the first university to open all divisions to female students in 1872. BU created one of the first study abroad programs, and, today, about one third of the University’s 36,809 students come from countries outside the United States. This diversity is one of the greatest institutional strengths of the University, underpinned by its commitment to empowering students, staff, and faculty to cultivate diverse communities across a large, urban campus and around the world.
Sustaining strong, vibrant alumni networks is among the visionary initiatives President Brown has outlined in the new Strategic Plan for 2030, which will form the foundation for an upcoming comprehensive campaign. The five guiding university priorities are: ensuring a vibrant academic experience; diversity, equity, and inclusion; producing research that matters; creating community, big yet small; and fostering global engagement.
This is an exciting opportunity for an enterprising leader in leadership annual giving to join an institution at the outset of a comprehensive fundraising and engagement campaign that will propel ever-more ambitious achievement. In partnership with the Executive Director of Annual and Leadership Giving and the Senior Director of Annual Giving, BU’s next Director of Leadership Annual Giving will create cutting-edge strategies that engage and cultivate the next generation of leadership and major gift donors at BU.
The ideal candidate will possess a minimum of eight years of experience, a keen understanding of best practices in annual giving, experience managing a team, and a demonstrated record of accomplishment in developing successful fundraising strategies in a complex university. The successful candidate will have hands-on experience managing within an annual giving program, with expertise in cultivating and soliciting gifts of $1,000 – $49,999 and managing stewardship programming and giving societies. The next Director should have a collegial, team-building style with a demonstrated ability to cultivate productive, collaborative relationships with colleagues across the University, utilizing the creativity, energy, and political savvy needed to introduce and champion new ideas. In accordance with its core values and mission, BU is especially interested in recruiting members of diverse communities and individuals with a commitment to multiculturalism.
Application Instructions
Boston University has partnered with Talent Citizen to assist in this recruitment. Please contact President Tracy D. Welsh and Senior Associate Rachel K. Partin to share your resume and cover letter via email at: bu-dlag@talentcitizen.com.
Boston University is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. BU is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to complete the employment application process, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at 617-353-6474 or druckman@bu.edu.
Please note all newly hired staff and faculty, will need to be in compliance with Boston University’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster Requirement within 30 days of date of hire. You must upload your vaccine documentation or request a medical or religious exemption (instructions). For further information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please visit the Back2BU site.
