Director of Development, Athletics Advancement

Reporting to the Assistant Athletics Director, Athletics Advancement, the Director of Development, Athletics Advancement, will manage a portfolio of major and philanthropic gift donors ($25,000+) to raise funds for strategic priorities of the University of Oklahoma Athletics Department. This role will have a significant and direct role in securing philanthropic support for all Athletics Department priorities, including but not limited to the West Side renovation of Gaylord Family–Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, known as The Palace Project.

The Director of Development will be responsible for the effective solicitation and procurement of major and philanthropic gifts, including but not limited to facility, program, planned, scholarship and premium seating commitments. This professional works closely with other members of the Athletics Advancement team, OU Foundation colleagues, and Athletics Department leadership to develop and implement fundraising strategies that achieve aggressive fundraising goals and advance OU Athletics’ long-term vision.

SPECIFIC DUTIES INCLUDE:

• Engage in daily outreach to current donors and prospects to cultivate and solicit philanthropic commitments and donations to support OU Athletics, focusing specifically on contributions of $25,000 or greater with an annual goal of $3 million.

• Manage an active portfolio of philanthropic gift prospects in all aspects of the development cycle. Solicit and secure private gifts from individuals, businesses and other entities.

• Record and report to the Assistant Athletics Director, Athletics Advancement, on a consistent and regular basis (i.e., weekly) about philanthropic gift metrics such as meaningful contacts, in-person donor visits, solicitations, dollars raised and other activities related to these metrics.

• Collaborate with athletics advancement colleagues to recommend and coordinate the implementation of cultivation strategies that will increase the number of philanthropic gift solicitations.

• Collaborate with the athletics Stewardship, Donor Engagement and Communications team to ensure cultivation and stewardship strategy and plans are developed and executed. 

• Assist in receiving and maintaining ticket requests that are tracked and filled based on the priority point system.

• Collaborate with multimedia partners on corporate philanthropy opportunities as needed.

• Assist in all athletics advancement activities including event preparation, management, and execution.

• Ensure that donor inquiries are answered in a timely manner.

• Maintain a standard in-office working schedule to accommodate in-person visits with current and prospective Sooner Club members.

• Conduct out-of-the-office meetings with donors focused on all Sooner Club activities, including discovery, cultivation, qualification, solicitation and stewardship.

• Develop and manage an individual business travel schedule within the budget and policies of the OU Foundation. Travel availability 25%.

• Work with confidential donor information, document donor interactions and solicitations in the prospect management system and update donor information as needed. 

• Build strong relationships with athletic department leadership and staff to creatively connect department needs with opportunities for support from individual donors.

• Create donor agreements in coordination with OU Foundation policies.

• Actively and continuously learn about the practices of fundraising through internal and external professional development opportunities, relationships and independent study.

• Ensure all interactions and activities align with the mission, core values and brand standards of Oklahoma Athletics and the OU Foundation.

• Promote and support the student-athlete experience through positive donor engagement and hospitality initiatives.

• Maintain knowledge of and adherence to NCAA and SEC rules and regulations; report any concerns to compliance staff as appropriate.

Perform related responsibilities as required or assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Ability to develop, maintain and grow interpersonal relationships with university alumni, donors and friends, administrators, faculty, students and staff.

• Demonstrated ability to solicit gifts.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to make effective presentations to large and small groups. 

• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills. Ability to handle multiple projects and deadlines. 

• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and the ability to learn customized online software applications and conduct basic data analysis. 

• Ability to effectively evaluate projects/programs and produce comprehensive reports. 

• Understanding of ethics as described in the Association of Fundraising Professionals Code of Ethical Standards.

• Ability to travel to in-person meetings in various U.S. cities.

• Ability to travel independently, by car, to multiple locations for work that may be significant distances from one another.

• Occasional weekend or evening work is required.

Equivalent Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline.

• Five or more years of experience in fundraising, sales, nonprofit, higher education and/or communications.

Salary Range:

• Salary commensurate with experience.