Mitchell College seeks a dynamic, relationship-driven, and strategic advancement professional to serve as Executive Director of Philanthropy and Advancement. This leadership position plays a critical role in strengthening philanthropic support for the College by overseeing major gifts, annual giving strategy, grant management, donor engagement, and institutional fundraising initiatives.
Reporting directly to the President, the Executive Director will advance the College’s mission by building meaningful relationships with donors, alums, foundations, corporations, and community partners. The ideal candidate will possess a passion for higher education, strong interpersonal and organizational skills, and a proven track record in fundraising and philanthropic leadership.
The Executive Director will play a key leadership role in cultivating a culture of philanthropy across the institution and advancing transformational opportunities that support student success, innovation, workforce development, and Mitchell College’s continued growth and impact.
Key Responsibilities
Major Gifts and Donor Engagement
-
Develop and manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors.
-
Cultivate, solicit, and steward leadership-level and major gift contributions in support of institutional priorities.
-
Develop individualized cultivation and stewardship strategies that strengthen long-term donor engagement.
-
Engage alums, parents, community leaders, foundations, and corporate partners to build philanthropic support for Mitchell College.
-
Partner with institutional leadership, faculty, alums, and volunteers to advance donor engagement opportunities.
-
Support comprehensive campaign planning and execution, including leadership giving initiatives and special fundraising priorities.
Annual Fund Leadership
-
In partnership with the Director of Advancement and Annual Fund, oversee the planning, execution, and growth of the College’s annual giving program.
-
Develop multi-channel annual fund strategies, including digital campaigns, direct mail, leadership annual giving, and participation initiatives.
-
Strengthen alums, parent, employee, and friend engagement to increase donor participation and retention.
-
Analyze annual giving performance metrics and recommend strategies for growth.
Grant Management and Institutional Funding
-
Coordinate institutional grant strategy, including identification, proposal development, submission, stewardship, and reporting.
-
Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders to align grant opportunities with institutional priorities.
-
Maintain systems and processes for grant tracking, compliance, and reporting requirements.
-
Support foundation and corporate partnership development initiatives.
Strategic Advancement Leadership
-
Assist in developing and implementing comprehensive fundraising and advancement strategies aligned with institutional goals and priorities.
-
Utilize fundraising data, analytics, and donor insights to guide decision-making and maximize philanthropic outcomes.
-
Contribute to advancement communications, donor impact reporting, and stewardship initiatives.
-
Represent the College at institutional and community events.
-
Work closely with the President, advancement leadership, board members, and key stakeholders to support institutional fundraising priorities and strategic initiatives.
-
Support efforts to strengthen a campus-wide culture of engagement and philanthropy.
Reporting and Portfolio Management
-
Maintain accurate donor and prospect records within the College’s CRM system.
-
Monitor and analyze fundraising metrics to assess the effectiveness of fundraising strategies and donor engagement efforts.
-
Provide regular reports on fundraising progress, donor activity, and strategic initiatives.
-
Develop and execute individualized engagement plans for donors within the assigned portfolio, ensuring timely follow-up and stewardship activities.
Required Qualifications
-
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
-
Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive experience in higher education advancement, nonprofit fundraising, or philanthropic leadership.
-
Demonstrated success securing major gifts and managing donor relationships.
-
Experience overseeing annual fund initiatives and fundraising campaigns.
-
Experience with grant coordination, proposal development, and stewardship reporting.
-
Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
-
Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with diverse stakeholders.
-
Experience utilizing donor databases, fundraising software, and CRM systems.
-
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Preferred Qualifications
-
Experience in higher education advancement.
-
Familiarity with campaign strategy and comprehensive fundraising programs.
-
Understanding of donor stewardship, prospect research, and fundraising analytics.
-
Experience engaging corporate and foundation partners.
Desired Leadership Characteristics
The ideal candidate will be:
-
Mission-driven and student-centered
-
Entrepreneurial and strategic
-
Highly relational and externally focused
-
Collaborative across campus constituencies
-
Organized, data-informed, and results-oriented
-
Skilled at balancing strategy with execution
Working Conditions
Travel is required for donor visits, engagement activities, conferences, and institutional events. Evening and weekend work may occasionally be necessary to support fundraising and donor engagement initiatives.
