Director of Principal Gifts

Southern Oregon University

Position Number: A00549

Rate: $100,000 to $110,000

Position Summary:
Southern Oregon University seeks an experienced and collaborative Director of Principal Gifts to cultivate long-term relationships with donors who have the capacity to make transformative gifts, while leveraging the relationships and vision of university leaders to secure support for strategic university priorities and initiatives. The Director will be a seasoned and exceptional team-oriented fundraising professional with a demonstrated successful track record in securing multi-million-dollar philanthropic gifts. The Director of Principal Gifts reports to the Vice President of University Advancement. The individual will provide creative and visionary leadership and coordination of fundraising endeavors for university-wide programs. They will convene campus partners and advise on the development of coordinated strategies aimed to maximize the life-time engagement and support of a portfolio of high-net-worth households. They will help assemble key university members together with prospects around cross-cutting strategic funding priorities. This role has three defining dimensions:

• The disciplined management of approximately 50-75 relationships with consistent focus and high-touch engagement, cultivation and stewardship that leads to successful solicitation strategies.
• The ability to work closely with academic leaders, fundraising colleagues, faculty, and volunteers to shape compelling ideas that will attract transformational gifts based on institutional initiatives.
• The ability to work in tandem with colleagues in University Advancement and with leaders in SOU's academic and student support programs to coordinate cultivation and solicitation of prospects where there are multiple interests.

The Director of Principal Gifts must be a highly energetic, organized and enthusiastic professional with a demonstrated track record of closing gifts, working collaboratively and strategically, with a strong knowledge of principles, ethics and practices of successful fundraising. Willingness and ability to travel frequently throughout Oregon and across the United States.

Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelors degree. Eight to ten years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in higher education fundraising; ability to listen and understand the needs and interests of principal gift donors in order to develop and strengthen relationships and partnerships. Interest in and a passion for all aspects of education and a dedication to promoting the universitys fundraising priorities for the benefit of the campus.

A deep understanding of and commitment to an integrated advancement program. Experience working to sustain strong working relationships with staff, donors, faculty, volunteers and academic leadership is imperative. A strong ability to develop sincere, productive relationships and to build trust both with internal colleagues and external constituencies is a must. Clear and effective written and oral communication and presentation skills, including individual and large groups. Keen sense of requirements necessary to foster a team-centric culture and environment. Superior interpersonal and listening skills and exceptional negotiation skills and proven ability to make independent decisions.Ability and willingness to travel extensively throughout the United States.

Preferred Qualification :
Experience with high-net-worth individuals, planned giving or wealth management, work in corporate and foundation relations highly valued. Experience managing a major/principal gift portfolio utilizing metrics, systems, and relationship building skills to maximize strategic cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of $5 million plus donors and transformational gifts. Proven success at developing and implementing creative solicitation strategies for transformational philanthropic gifts in a team-oriented and collaborative environment. Experience working with Raisers Edge fundraising database.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Ability to work under pressure in a thorough, organized, calm, and detail-oriented manner. Understanding of the confidential nature of fundraising and donor information. Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism to effectively handle a broad range of sensitive interpersonal situations. Ability to work with a high level of productivity and accuracy/attention to detail. Excellent organizational and time management skills. Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in and outside the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds. Ability to adapt to and work effectively in a heavily bureaucratic environment which requires regular interaction with a number of levels within the organization. Working knowledge, or ability to quickly learn, university infrastructure, policies and procedures.

Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner, both verbally and in writing.

Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism to effectively handle a broad range of sensitive interpersonal situations.

Demonstrated ability to interpret and consistently apply a wide variety of complex policies and procedures where specific guidelines may not always exist.

Ability to work with frequent changes in policies and procedures, under pressure of deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Strong analytical and research skills; ability to gather, evaluate, and to develop well-reasoned conclusions and recommendations.

Ability to proactively assess work operations and anticipate potential problems; ability to develop and implement strategies for preventing/resolving problems.

Ability to effectively perform work of a highly sensitive and confidential nature that requires access to information. Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion, tact, and diplomacy.

Initiative in independently planning, organizing, and performing work assignments within broadly defined parameters.

Ability to work with a high level of productivity and accuracy/attention to detail.

Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.

Excellent computer skills and proficiency with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, online systems, social media platforms, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.

Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in and outside the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.

Ability to adapt to and work effectively in a heavily bureaucratic environment which requires regular interaction with a number of levels within the organization and multiple outside agencies.

Working knowledge, or ability to quickly learn, university infrastructure, policies and procedures.

Provides training and direction to student assistants.
Demonstrated Service Excellence.

Teamwork. Demonstrated ability to work effectively as a team player; and coordinate several functions and determine the relative importance of each; ability to work with a high level of productivity and accuracy/attention to detail.

Knowledge. Advanced computer skills and proficiency with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, online systems, social media platforms, internet as well as online calendaring and email. Demonstrated office operations or project management experience.

Accountability. Demonstrated ability to interpret and consistently apply a wide variety of complex policies and procedures where specific guidelines may not always exist. Ability to work with frequent changes in policies and procedures, under pressure of deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Ability to manage stressful situations with tact and diplomacy and to use sound judgement and discretion, particularly as it relates to handling sensitive and/or confidential information.

Quality Service. Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines. Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism to effectively handle a broad range of sensitive interpersonal situations.

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Each applicant is required to provide (as attachments to the online application) the following supplemental documents: (1) letter providing some detail of the applicants qualifications and interest in the position; (2) current resume/CV; (3) the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three professional references. If you are unable to attach the supplemental materials to the online application please email: hrs@sou.edu

For inquiries and additional information, please contact: Human Resource Services via email at hrs@sou.edu or by phone at (541)552-8553

To view SOUs offers very generous benefits and pension programs available to eligible positions, please visit: https://inside.sou.edu/assets/hrs/Benefits/2021_Employee_Benefits_Overview.pdf
Our benefits package is an important complement to the offered salary and our Total Compensation Calculator, https://inside.sou.edu/hrs/comp-calc.html , demonstrates our value and commitment to our employee.

Special Conditions
Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
Must be able to work additional hours and adjust working hours to meet special jobs. May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.
Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment background check.

Under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA):

• Position classification defined as "exempt" are not subject overtime

The person holding this position is considered a "mandated reporter" under the Oregon Revised Statues and is required to comply with the requirements set forth by the Oregon department of Human Services.

Notice to Prospective Employees
Section 485 of the Higher Education Act, and The Federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (now referred to as the "Clery Act"),requires that prospective employees be notified of the availability of SOUs Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. The report provides the annual statistics and campus policies for the reporting of and responding to campus crimes and fires; access to campus facilities; conduct code and campus policies on use, possession and sale of drugs/alcohol; and educational/information programs to inform the campus community about campus security procedures and crime prevention.

An electronic copy of the Annual Security Report (ASR)can be accessed at the following link:
https://inside.sou.edu/assets/security/AnnualCrimeReportFinal.pdf. A physical copy of the ASR is available at no charge upon request. To request a copy please visit the Campus Public Safety Office at 382 Wightman Street, Ashland OR 97520. For more information call 541-552-6258, or email clerycoordinator@sou.edu.

This position is gift/grant funded and renewal of appointment is contingent upon continued funding. When a gift/grant experiences a loss in funding, employees whose appointments are funded by that gift/grant may be terminated without notice.

All applicants must apply online at https://jobs.sou.edu/postings/11512 .

Diversity Statement
Southern Oregon University is a welcoming community committed to inclusive excellence and the celebration of diversity. Without diversity, our educational process is diminished. Working together in support of our commitment to diversity, we strengthen and enrich our role as learners, educators and members of a tightly connected global community. We encourage those who share in our commitment to diversity, to join our community and we expect all our employees to demonstrate an ability and desire to create an inclusive campus community.

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