Executive Director of Regional Giving

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 a 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 focused 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 the public launch of our most ambitious campaign in history, Because of UConn The Campaign for UConn Nation, we are moving boldly into the future. The $1.5B comprehensive campaign spans all schools, colleges, campuses and UConn Health and focuses on four pillars designed to make education more affordable and elevate 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.

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

POSITION SUMMARY

As a key driver of the Because of UConn campaign, the Executive Director oversees regional fundraisers who cultivate meaningful relationships with alumni, parents, and friends nationwide. Acting as both strategist and coach, they ensure the team maximizes opportunities in key markets, strengthens donor connections, and expands the campaign's reach.

Based in Storrs, the Executive Director collaborates closely with colleagues across the Foundation-including our schools and colleges, UConn Health, Athletics, prospect management, and donor relations-to align efforts and translate university initiatives into compelling philanthropic opportunities.

This leader manages a personal portfolio of major, principal, and planned giving prospects, developing tailored strategies to engage donors and advance campaign priorities. They provide vision, mentorship, and strategic direction to the regional team, integrating their efforts into the Foundation's broader fundraising goals. The incumbent will be responsible for growing the team by recruiting top talent to our efforts.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage a prospect portfolio of 50-75 prospects rated at $500K+ with a strong emphasis on $1M+.
• Raise $3M-7M per year.
• Conduct 10 qualification meetings at the$500K+ level; 12+ solicitations at the $500K+ level; and 100 face-to-face, meaningful meetings per year.
• Establish and refine processes and standards for best practices that encourage the highest levels of quality in all collaborations across the Foundation for regional interactions with current and prospective donors.
• Establish realistic, yet challenging performance metrics for frontline fundraisers; mentors, trains, supervises, and evaluates staff.
• Ensure that gift opportunities within the team align with current university priorities and campaign pillars
• Drive emphasis on gift opportunities for need based scholarships, faculty and fellowship giving and support for Athletics and UConn Health.
• Develop and manage an aggressive outreach plan to strategically engage and qualify prospects identified from recent comprehensive prospect research and screening in target cities.
• Create documented strategic action plans for best prospects with the intent of deepening relationships that lead to increased comprehensive giving including major, principal, and deferred gifts.
• Coordinate with deans, department heads, university program directors and members of the faculty and staff to manage donor and prospect activity and translate university priorities into fundraising plans and goals.
• Develop and clarify processes and procedures that support performance metrics: work with Prospect Research to guide caseload assignments; track, analyze and report on progress against goals; conduct regular performance reviews; and recommend training and enhancements as needed.
• Assemble and engage collaborative teams of staff and volunteers to implement engagement and solicitation strategies.
• 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 $500,000 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 inclusive priorities 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
• 12+ years of experience as a major gift fundraiser and/or relevant transferrable skills.
• Competence in Microsoft Office suite and donor management systems.

Salary:

The expected salary for this position is $175,000+. 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.