Director of Athletics Development/Associate Director of Athletics

Director of Athletics Development/Associate Director of Athletics

Dev Investment Fund Initiative, Lincoln Center, Rose Hill

Fordham University

Fordham University has an excellent reputation as a dynamic institution located in New York City.  Founded in 1841, Fordham enrolls more than 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students in its 9 Colleges and Schools. 

• Fordham University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to its employees, which includes medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.

• We offer tuition remission for employees and their dependents 

• A generous employer match towards a 403(b) retirement plan.

• As a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), Fordham is considered a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, a federal program designed to forgive student loan debt for employees of certain public and certain nonprofit employers.

• As part of its work-life balance program, the University provides generous PTO including 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 2 personal days, 6 summer Fridays, and holidays that include paid time off between Christmas and New year.  

• University employees have access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP provides no-cost, professional, and confidential services, to help employees and family members address a variety of personal, family, life, and work-related issues.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Senior Director of Athletics Development/Senior Associate Director of Athletics, the Director of Athletics Development/Associate Director of Athletics works closely with colleagues within DAUR and Athletics Departments to maximize philanthropic support and nurture a healthy pipeline for Fordham Athletics. Fostering a culture rooted in care for the whole person (cura personalis), this position utilizes reflective discernment to lead the identification, qualification, cultivation, and solicitation of individual annual gift and leadership annual gift prospects.

This position requires travel as well as evening and weekend hours.

Essential Functions        

• Manages and executes athletic fundraising via direct marketing and events, building an inclusive community that brings prospective annual, leadership annual, and major gift donors closer to Fordham Athletics.

• Develops and executes annual fundraising plans for the Athletics Department and each component team, ensuring alignment with the University’s mission to advance the broader common good.

• Builds and maintains a portfolio of approximately 100 leadership annual gift and annual gift prospects.

• Utilizes reflective discernment to devise sophisticated, individualized engagement strategies for each prospect in their pool. Builds enduring relationships rooted in a mutual vision between donors and the University to solicit annual gifts and/or multi-year gift commitments at the $25,000+ level with specific solicitation goals to be determined in an annual goal-setting process.

• Ensures annual giving solicitations and stewardship marketing pieces are compelling, inclusive, and capture the athletics program’s commitment to magis. Collaborates with the Fordham Fund to plan and execute athletic-specific Giving Tuesday and Fordham Giving Day opportunities.

• Collaborates with the SDAD, director of athletics, coaches, and staff to determine and prioritize fundraising opportunities for the department and individual teams, translating athletic needs into compelling narratives of shared purpose.

• Collaborates with DAUR colleagues to plan and execute cultivation, fundraising, and stewardship events and works closely with the Alumni Relations team to plan and execute events in conjunction with games both in New York and throughout the U.S.

• Applies the principle of cura personalis to staff development, balancing ambitious goals with genuine care for team members’ well-being and professional growth.

Essential Functions Note

This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

The University may assign additional related duties as necessary.

Management Responsibilities  

Supervises individual contributors (admin, clerical, maintenance) and, based on scope, occasionally other managers. Handles hiring, training, development, performance management, and corrective action, with significant input on compensation decisions.

Additional Functions      

• Supports team-specific volunteer groups such as the Hall of Fame Committee and Rebounders Club.

• Ensures that Athletics has a meaningful presence at regional events, reunion events (Jubilee), and Homecoming, fostering community and a deep sense of shared purpose among attendees.

Required Qualifications: Education and Experience        

• Bachelor’s degree.

• Minimum of 6 years of professional fundraising experience, including demonstrated success in raising annual and leadership annual gifts.

• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory experience.

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills     

• Demonstrated success in personally securing five-figure commitments by connecting donor passions with institutional values.

• Exceptional communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to articulate Fordham’s Jesuit identity to ignite confidence and enthusiasm across diverse audiences.

• Excellent judgment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, grounded in ethical discernment.

• Strong time management and organizational skills, with the ability to navigate a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities while consistently striving for magis.

• Proven ability to build and maintain authentic, positive relationships with diverse constituencies. Excellent active listening skills with a proven ability to engage colleagues, donors, and stakeholders with genuine respect, fostering an inclusive environment.

• Demonstrated receptivity to constructive feedback and a commitment to continuous professional growth. Ability to use reflective discernment to internalize guidance, continuously refining skills.

• High degree of adaptability and resilience in an evolving environment. Navigates unexpected challenges and shifting priorities gracefully, relying on thoughtful discernment to adjust strategies without losing momentum toward ambitious institutional goals.

• Proven ability to approach problem-solving with curiosity and as a lifelong learner, proactively seeking out new ideas and asking insightful questions to understand complex challenges deeply.

• Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Plus Delta certification.

• Fundraising experience in intercollegiate athletics.

• Solid command of database and CRM tools (Ellucian CRM Advance).

Minimum Starting Salary: $95,000

Maximum Starting Salary: $115,000

Note: Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills.

START DATE: ASAP

APPLY HERE: https://careers.fordham.edu/postings/12003

ABOUT FORDHAM

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its 9 colleges and schools.  It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom. 

Fordham University is committed to excellence through diversity and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.

Fordham is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories