Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the Director of Development for Major Gifts also works closely and collaboratively with the Senior Director of Development. The Director of Development for Major Gifts is a vital member of the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations team and maintains an active role in implementing the comprehensive fundraising and friend-raising plan for alumni, donors, and other constituencies in order to meet and exceed departmental goals. Specific duties include responsibility for identifying prospects, building relationships, cultivating gifts, and working with an assigned portfolio of prospects.

Duties and Responsibilities

The overall chief duty is to develop relationships and actively solicit gifts from a portfolio of current and prospective major gift level donors, based on the philanthropic goals of the College, and includes (but is not limited to) the following:

• Develop personalized engagement strategies for assigned portfolio prospects to cultivate and solicit gifts for the College;
• Execute qualifying discussions with prospective donors to identify and define philanthropic aspirations and capacity to give;
• Develop strategies to retain and increase levels of support, including increased giving and multi-year commitments;
• Actively seek leadership level unrestricted gifts and pledges for the College’s unrestricted annual fund;
• Plan, schedule, and complete travel throughout West Virginia, the surrounding region, and nationally (when necessary), to cultivate prospects and donors;
• Develop strategies to visit all assigned current donors on an annual basis;
• Collaborate with the College’s leadership as well as colleagues and members of the Wesleyan Community to develop strategies to link donor interest with College priorities;
• Collaborate with the Director of Stewardship to execute stewardship plans and processes for donors and prospects;
• Provide programmatic support, as needed, for the Wesleyan Society and fundraising appeals including related events and activities such as the 1890 Challenge and WVWC Giving Day;
• Maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of the College, including mission, vision, history, and current fundraising and friend-raising priorities ensuring effective representation of all opportunities and priorities for philanthropic support of the College; and
• Other duties as assigned and requested by the Vice President for Advancement and President of the College.

Minimum Job Requirements and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree with 2-3 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities outlined above;
• proactive with ability to meet deadlines;
• articulate with excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills;
• thorough knowledge and use of personal computers and related software applications, including ability to accurately and efficiently enter data into a database;
• ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies and diverse communities; and,
• ability to travel and work flexible hours.

To Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume and names and contact information of three references to wvwcjobapp@wvwc.edu.  On the subject of the email, please enter:  ##16## – Director of Development for Major Gifts. The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.