Assistant Athletic Director, Major Gifts

The University of Connecticut is a
top-ranked national university and health-system with its flagship campus
located in idyllic Storrs. Designated a Carnegie Research 1 institution, UConn
is the state land- and sea-grant university focused on education, research, and
service to the state of Connecticut and beyond. The University serves over
33,000 students across seven campuses, 8,550 first-in-family students, and
boasts numerous national championships. UConn Health is a top-ranked health
provider that delivers groundbreaking medical education, research, and hospital
and clinical services to over one million patients each year. In addition,
UConn has nearly 300 scientists who are in the top 2 percent of researchers
investigating everything from cancer to AI.

UConn continues its meteoric rise as
New England's top public University with a record number of applications, continued
investment in student success, health, and wellness, recruitment of top
faculty, innovation in research, and top-tier athletic programs that also focus
on the health and financial literacy of student-athletes. This includes the
men's and women's basketball teams, which have brought home three consecutive
NCAA National Championship trophies in the last three years. UConn is proud to
have 26 national championships across all sports.

Guided by a new strategic plan and the
public launch of its most ambitious campaign in history, Because of UConn
The Campaign for UConn Nation, UConn is moving boldly into the future. The
$1.5B comprehensive campaign spans all schools, colleges, campuses and UConn
Health. The Campaign focuses on four pillars that will drive UConn, the state
of Connecticut and the world forward. The Campaign pillars support UConn's
10-year Strategic Plan, designed to make education more affordable and a UConn
degree more valuable by elevating UConn among its national peers.

• Students First: making transformative investments in financial aid, student health,
  career readiness, and life skills to improve time-to-degree and
  career outcomes.
• Academic & Innovation Excellence: driving investment in top
  faculty and graduate fellows and building the innovation ecosystem of the
  state and beyond.
• Health & Wellness of People & Planet: focusing on patient care,
  medical research, and development of life-changing technologies that
  improve healthcare outcomes.
• Husky Pride: investing in athletic excellence and supporting a thriving UConn
  Nation that includes more than 290,000 alumni worldwide.

Because of UConn will
have a profound impact on the University. It will double the number of named
scholarships, fund scientific breakthroughs and advanced lifesaving therapies,
and engage UConn Nation in the life and mission of the University like never
before.

We seek the top talent in the country
to join Husky Nation and help us drive our mission and UConn into the future.
We are committed to a caring and supportive work culture, professional and
leadership development, and flexibility for high achievers with a passion for
higher education.

We're looking for dedicated
professionals to drive success and excellence and exemplify our values of
integrity, empathy, kindness, accountability, collaboration, transparency, and
a commitment to embracing the differences that make us stronger together.

The UConn Foundation is an equal opportunity,
affirmative action employer. We celebrate different perspectives and are
committed to a welcoming environment that will value your unique experiences
and identity. As an organization, we strive for continued growth each and every
day.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Assistant Athletic Director of Development is a frontline fundraiser who identifies, cultivates, solicits and stewards major and principal gift donors. The Assistant Athletic Director will help plan and provide direction on capital project initiatives and endowed scholarship support. This position will also assist in the management and sales of all premium seating opportunities for football, basketball, and ice hockey.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage a prospect portfolio of 75-100 prospects rated at $100K+.
• Raise $1M - $5M per year.
• Conduct 20-40 qualification meetings at the $100k+ level; 15+ solicitations at the $100K level; and 100-125 meaningful meetings per year.
• Develop engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for former student-athletes.
• Responsible for all fundraising activities for assigned sports. Work with coaches and programs to plan and execute fundraising strategy.
• Participates in the strategic planning for Division of Athletics as it relates to major gift fundraising. Works with the Associate AD for Development as well as other athletics leadership team members to identify fundraising needs and help establish goals.
• Provides direction to execute events designed to increase giving and generate revenue working with specific sports on solicitation appeals.
• Provide management and leadership to the Associate Director of Development, Major Gifts.
• Collaborate closely with donors, volunteers, and University leaders to identify new prospects.
• Perform administrative duties related to advancement work Including documenting activity, writing proposals, inputting engagement plans in relationship management database, and adhering to Foundation policies.
• Contribute to the overall productivity and efficiency of the Division/Department's development staff, by meeting or exceeding goals in a metrics-driven environment.
• Develop and support clearly defined and strategic fundraising priorities within the campaign and articulate compelling cases to advance these priorities.
• Model and articulate the Foundation's organizational core values at all times.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Major, Leadership, and Principal Gift Fundraising

Demonstrate the ability to personally solicit gifts of $100,000 and above, while advancing the number and quality of principal ($5 million and above) gift conversations in partnership with the principal gifts team.

Potential Donor Discovery

Collaborate with the Prospect Management and Research team to increase and grow the major gift pipeline and overall fundraising success of the unit.

Engagement

Collaborate with Advancement Services to steward donors, engage with alumni, and support events specific to your unit.

Leadership

Provide visible leadership across the entire organization by engaging in organization-wide activities such as development management meetings, all-staff meetings, and staff events.

Key Competencies

• Champion for inclusion and diversity both internally and externally.
• High level of motivation, as well as an ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, tact, and diplomacy.
• The ability to build productive, beneficial relationships with a broad range of constituencies.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, including ability to effectively communicate University priorities to donors and prospects, and to positively represent the University and Foundation.
• Familiar with the use of computers and information management tools, such as CRMs (Blackbaud).
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, to assess and order priorities, and to track details in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to engender trust and confidence of donors and prospective donors and to maintain confidentiality of donor information; ability to represent the UConn Foundation to prospects, donors, faculty, administrators, and others.
• Ability to work to the demands of the position, which may exceed a 40-hour work week.
• Attention to and concern for others.
• Must be willing to travel extensively. Reliable personal transportation is required for this position.
• Must possess a valid driver's license issued from the state in which the employee resides. Employees must maintain at their expense, automobile liability insurance coverage in the minimum amount of $500,000 or a combination of umbrella and automobile liability insurance coverage of $500,000. A certificate of automobile insurance evidencing the limit, must be provided to the Foundation at hire and annually thereafter.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree, advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in athletic fundraising, ticket sales or higher education development.
• Demonstrated ability to personally generate revenue through a fundraising/ticket sales cycle.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite and donor management systems.
• Knowledge and understanding of Division I athletics and NCAA rules and regulations.

Salary:

The expected salary for this position is $92,000+. It will be commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also placing an emphasis on internal equity.

Benefits:

Benefits start from day one. We offer medical, dental, and vision plans and will make an annual contribution to your health savings account if enrolled in one of the high-deductible health plans offered by the Foundation.

In addition, there are a few other perks to being a UConn Foundation employee:

• We offer a generous contribution to your 403(b)-retirement plan to help you plan for retirement.
• We place an emphasis on work/life balance. In addition to a hybrid schedule, you will receive thirteen paid holidays, five weeks of paid time off per calendar year, and additional sick time.
• We invest in your professional development. Aside from opportunities to participate in various trainings, committees, and conferences throughout the year, you will also be eligible for tuition reimbursement after one year of employment.

Please inform a Human Resources Representative if you need any assistance completing any forms or participating in any part of the application process due to a disability.