Job Details

Principal Director for Institutional Fundraising

Position Number: 6366474
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Position Type: Development and Fund Raising

Principal Director for Institutional Fundraising

Job Summary

Reporting to the Chief Philanthropy Officer, the new role of Principal Director for Institutional Fundraising strategically guides and provides senior leadership support to University Advancement's comprehensive annual and planned giving initiatives and programs across the breadth of constituent units comprising both our main and health campuses.

In the annual giving space, this includes oversight of the leadership role for the area who works with a team of 14 staff currently focused on delivering a comprehensive suite of annual, leadership annual, parent, faculty/staff, and grateful patient engagement, acquisition, renewal, and upgrade initiatives using multi-channel strategies for donor gifts up to $50,000.

In the planned giving arena, the position also provides strategic oversight of the lead role in legacy giving who in turn supervises a team of three additional legacy giving specialists deployed to maximize the identification, engagement, solicitation, and stewardship of a full portfolio of deferred gift vehicles (bequests, trusts, charitable IRA rollovers and other retirement assets, gift annuities, and insurance, to name a few) in support of prospective donors seeking to invest in the University of Utah either utilizing these tools or perhaps coupling these along with outright gifts they may be willing to consider directing in support of their area(s) of passion at the University of Utah.

Additionally, and when appropriate to the maturation of and enhancement to University Advancement's overall strategy supporting major gift portfolio productivity, it is anticipated that this role will help develop, support, and coordinate with key advancement leadership of both campuses on efforts to ensure the focused and intentional philanthropic engagement and solicitation of prospects capable of considering and making major charitable gifts from $50,000 to $1 million.

Key to the success of this role is an overarching commitment to expanding and enhancing the philanthropic achievement possible from the programs, initiatives, and efforts captured via the three arenas of annual, planned, and major gift acquisitions throughout University Advancement. In particular, it will be imperative that this work seamlessly extends greater levels of operational support into and throughout the constituent schools, colleges and other units partnered with the One U Advancement effort.

Responsibilities
In concert with appropriate University Advancement leaders and among other responsibilities, the role will strategically guide and support:

Annual Giving

Existing leadership within the annual giving program to continuously evaluate, refine, or best align operational resources and processes in order to maximize annual fundraising achievement outcomes across University Advancement. This role will be key to a newly integrated and comprehensive vision for an annual giving program intent on utilizing all available resources and tools (including an internal call center staffed by some 50 student callers and an outsource entity used in grateful patient engagement), techniques, and best practices to achieve growing and sustainable levels of outright, annual support benefiting the U and its many schools, colleges, departments, programs, clinical and other areas of the institution who benefit from philanthropy.

Optimization of all annual giving programs and initiatives of University Advancement in the pursuit of annual philanthropic achievement through solicitation appeals to alumni and friends, parents, grateful patients, and faculty/staff target audiences.

Advocating and leading efforts to develop an integrated approach to leadership annual giving as an engine for major gift pipeline development activities across University Advancement.

Planned Giving

In concert with the existing lead in legacy giving, development of and migration to appropriately sized prospect and donor portfolios and performance metrics for a team of four legacy giving staff members.

Assessing the various efforts and strategies currently being used to identify and market to planned gift prospects, how the U stewards existing legacy gift donors via the Park Society and other means, as well as developing and implementing new ways to expand the quantity of documented legacy gift plans. Critical to the success of this role will be ensuring effective integration and alignment with frontline major gift staff throughout University Advancement.

The possible creation, engagement, and maintenance of a philanthropic advisors council with an objective of activating and harnessing a select group of allied, individual donor professionals willing to provide advice, counsel, and assistance as they support their local or regional clients who may also be prospects or current donors with whom the U would benefit from engaging either initially or further.

Overall, the position will strategically guide and support:

The appropriate levels of planning necessary for the broad activation of annual, legacy, and major gift strategies in support of an anticipated multiyear, multi-billion dollar fundraising campaign benefiting the U.

The collaborative development of both a sustained process and organizational discipline to coordinate broad and sustained engagement and solicitation activity within both the annual and planned giving spaces, in concert with senior advancement expectations.

The development and utilization of appropriate planning and performance metrics for all teams and individuals driving fundraising productivity in both annual and legacy giving. This will be done in tandem with annual and legacy giving leadership and in alignment with performance management activities underway in University Advancement, but which could be refined and enhanced for the unique work of both annual and legacy giving professionals.

A One U Advancement mindset in furtherance of the service agreements in place with the various constituent colleges, schools, and other units participating in the One U Advancement initiative now or who will in the future.

Building and actively managing an appropriately sized portfolio of leadership annual, legacy, and major gift prospects as a front-line fundraiser while managing, monitoring, and mentoring the position's direct reports.

Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in related area, or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience); nine years of progressively more responsible management experience; and demonstrated leadership, staff management, and effective communications skills required.

Masters degree in Business Administration, Health Care Administration, or related Area preferred.

This position has no responsibility for providing care to patients.

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

Highly Preferred Qualifications
It is preferred that the Principal Director is an experienced development professional with significant leadership experience in major gift fundraising, preferably in higher education or academic healthcare settings. The Principal Director ideally has a successful track record as a major and/or principal gifts fundraising professional and as a builder of teams and programs. The Principal Director also possesses the interpersonal and communication skills necessary to establish strong and effective relationships and partnerships, both internally and externally. The Principal Director has proven comprehensive campaign fundraising experience, with managing oversight of annual, planned, and major gift programs and personnel.

Ten or more years of progressively responsible fundraising experience in higher education, with demonstrated accomplishment in major and principal gift fundraising and advancement.

Experience managing and training frontline fundraisers, as demonstrated by successfully advancing their careers and providing the support necessary for them to be successful.

Professional credibility, integrity, intellectual depth, maturity, wisdom, and collaborative skills to garner the trust and confidence of advancement staff and donors as well as advancement staff and donors.

Demonstrated mastery of written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, as part of a team.

Demonstrated analytical and strategic thinking capabilities; ability to embrace challenges and thrive in a fast-paced team-oriented environment.

Ability to adapt to changing circumstances in a complex environment.

Deep understanding of and appreciation for the philanthropic process and individual giving behaviors combined with direct major gift solicitation experience.

Working knowledge of planned giving, financial and/or estate planning concepts is preferred.

Preferences

Special Instructions

Requisition Number: PRN42401B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary: Typically, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm, with appointments, including travel, outside of those hours (as needed). The job duties of the Principal Director are predominately performed in an in office/in person work environment.
Department: 00289 - Development
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: 190000 to 220000
Close Date: 10/3/2025
Open Until Filled:

To apply, visit https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/185149