Colorado Nonprofit Association

Director of Development, Gift Planning

About the University of Denver

The University of Denver (DU), a private university, is the oldest independent university in the Rocky Mountain region, with approximately 12,900 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. DU is classified as an R1: Doctoral University – very high research activity as a Doctoral/Research University. Financial Times Higher Education, U.S. News, and The Princeton Review have consistently ranked DU among the nation’s top 100 universities and among the top three universities in the state of Colorado.

The University of Denver embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery that define our region and our history. With nationally recognized academic programs, a history of widespread influence, a forward-looking vision for a 21st-century education, and a deep commitment to promoting inclusion, we open a world of opportunity to students and empower Pioneers to make a difference around the world.

About DU Advancement

The University of Denver is building an advancement enterprise that mirrors the excellence and innovation of our great institution. DU Advancement, which includes alumni relations, development, and student and alumni career services, is building and fostering a culture of deep engagement and philanthropy in support of our bold vision.
In April 2024, we launched DU’s most ambitious campaign yet: The Denver Difference. As we seek to raise $1B in support of DU’s top priorities, this campaign marks a dramatic shift in conventional thinking about what the university experience can and should be. DU is setting the bar with our approach to higher education, developing and preparing students to be successful in life in every way.

The University of Denver and DU Advancement deeply value inclusive excellence, recognizing that its success is dependent on how well it values, engages, and includes the rich diversity of constituents. As a part of that effort, we continue to grow a team of inclusive, collaborative, inquisitive, innovative, ethical, and transparent advancement professionals who possess deep mutual respect for one another and our shared profession.

Position Summary

The University of Denver is seeking a driven, knowledgeable and passionate fundraiser to join our Advancement team as the Director of Development, Gift Planning. This is a unique opportunity for a talented fundraising professional to join a dynamic, growing and purposeful enterprise united around a compelling mission charted by Chancellor Jeremy Haefner and Senior Vice Chancellor for Advancement Val Otten.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director of Gift Planning, the Director of Development is a key fundraising professional for the University of Denver. This position is responsible for cultivating and soliciting a full range of planned gifts from DU alumni and friends in Colorado and nationally. Such gifts include outright gifts of appreciated assets, life income gifts such as charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts, and testamentary gift plans such as bequests and life insurance gifts.

The Director will manage a portfolio of gift planning donors and prospects while partnering with a campus-wide network of academic leaders, fundraising professionals, and other key partners to advance the University’s top priorities. The Director of Development will develop and mature their assigned portfolio of planned gift donors. This will include managing top prospects in pursuit of individual fundraising goals set annually in collaboration with the Executive Director and the Associate Vice Chancellor for University Development. The Director will serve as a close partner and key resource for other advancement professionals to solicit and close planned gifts. The campus-wide Advancement team is highly collaborative, and the Director is expected to build and foster extensive value-added relationships with their campus partners.

The successful candidate will possess a strong capacity for developing relationships with gift planning prospects and their advisors and family members to cultivate and close complex gift plans and conceive and implement customized strategic cultivation and solicitation plans for each prospect. They must possess excellent communication and relationship-building skills, a deep commitment to a rigorous, holistic educational experience, and a demonstrated ability to galvanize support to advance this cause.

Essential Functions

The Director will develop meaningful and productive relationships with a portfolio of planned gift donors, including alumni, friends, and parents.
This position is responsible for engaging philanthropic support for the University of Denver, and they will work primarily with planned gift donors assigned to their portfolio.
The Director will achieve an annual fundraising goal of $1 million+ from their portfolio of prospects and in collaboration with Advancement colleagues.
The Director will partner with gift officers across campus to effectively design and execute strategies for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding complex major gifts.
Educate colleagues and peers across campus on complex gift planning techniques and support colleagues in structuring and successfully closing gifts involving complex assets.
Engage in the advancement goal-setting process for gift planning metrics.
Effectively and responsibly steward budgetary and other resources to advance the University of Denver.
Serve as an active and collaborative partner to all academic departments and functions, central and unit-based advancement functions, and other campus colleagues to foster strategic, effective, and collaborative fundraising practices.
Model One DU leadership.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Demonstrated ability to close major gifts ($50,000+) in a relationship-based culture.
Knowledge of gift planning techniques and best practices and familiarity with the long-term and complex nature of gift planning.
Demonstrated ability to form and fully leverage cross-functional teams of colleagues, volunteers, and academic/administrative leaders toward closure of transformational gifts.
Strong written and oral communication skills. Ability to represent the University of Denver and its major initiatives and units in a variety of capacities.
Proven ability to work with high independence, maintain confidentiality, prioritize assignments, and manage time effectively.
Demonstrated interpersonal skills to foster and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, donors, volunteers, and University Officials.
Ability to interact effectively with diverse groups that have competing interests and priorities within the University and community.
Demonstrated cultural competency and ability to understand and appreciate cultural differences and to communicate effectively across cultures.

Required Qualifications

Bachelors degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience (Veterans with equivalent combination of military certification/education and experience may substitute for the degree qualification).
5 years of paid fundraising experience, working within the full spectrum of development, including cultivation, gift solicitations, stewardship, and donor recognition.
Experience securing gifts with complex assets.

Preferred Qualifications

Graduate degree in business, law, non-profit management, or a related field of study.
Experience working in a University setting or similarly complex non-profit environment.

Working Environment

Standard open office environment.
Noise level is quiet to moderate.
Eligible for hybrid work.
Travel responsibilities to meet with donors.

Physical Activities

Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period.
Ability to travel as needed (estimated 6-8 times/year).
Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs. with assistance.

Work Schedule
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; some nights and weekends as required. Eligible for hybrid work. Travel responsibilities to meet with donors.

Application Deadline
For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) October 18, 2024.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 13.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $95,000 – $110,000.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker’s Rights (“POWR”) Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver’s Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.