Boston University (BU) seeks a collaborative and entrepreneurial Senior Director, West & Midwest Regions (Senior Director) to lead a seasoned team of major gift fundraisers working with a vast swath of the University’s alumni and an abundant number of engaged and committed families and friends. This is an exciting opportunity for an enterprising leader in major gift fundraising to join an institution at the outset of a campaign that will propel ever-more ambitious achievement.
The BU community is alive with excitement as President Melissa Gilliam, a medical doctor, MacArthur-grant winning researcher, and adolescent health advocate assumed the university presidency on July 1, 2024. One of the largest nonprofit universities in the country, Boston University comprises 17 Schools and Colleges. Founded in 1839, BU has always been a hub for innovation. 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 37,557 students come from countries outside the United States. This inclusivity is one of the greatest institutional strengths of the University, underpinned by the University’s commitment to making BU affordable for all qualified students through initiatives like the Century Challenge. This unique philanthropic tool greatly increases scholarship support and provides access to the best and brightest students around the world. By participating in the Century Challenge, a donor establishes an endowed scholarship fund of $100,000 or more, and the University matches the income distributed from that fund for scholarship purposes for 100 years.
Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Major Gifts, the Senior Director will be responsible for leading a donor-centric fundraising program and ensuring their team collectively surpasses ambitious annual fundraising goals and activity benchmarks. This position functions as a thought leader of the major gifts fundraising effort for the University and provides oversight, direction, and advice for the West and Midwest regions. Working closely with University leaders, the Senior Director will spearhead fundraising strategies for several of the most critical markets for the University nationally. Leading by example, the Senior Director will manage a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects.
The ideal candidate will possess a minimum of ten years of development experience, a keen understanding of best practices in fundraising, at least five years of managerial experience, and a demonstrated record of accomplishment in developing successful fundraising strategies in a complex university. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of personally identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major and principal gifts. The successful candidate must have extraordinary communication skills with a collegial, team-building style and a demonstrated ability to motivate staff as well as to cultivate productive, collaborative relationships across campus. The next Senior Director will foster a professional work environment that rewards individual and collective success, builds confidence, and promotes diversity in all its forms. In accordance with its core values and mission, BU is especially interested in recruiting members of diverse communities and individuals who will promote and uphold the values embodied within the University’s Diversity Statement.
Application Instructions
Boston University has partnered with Talent Citizen to assist in this recruitment. Please contact President Tracy D. Welsh, Managing Associate Rachel K. Partin, and Associate José Cisneros to share your resume and cover letter via email at: bu-sdwmmg@talentcitizen.com.
Boston University is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. Boston University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
