Career Opportunities: Associate Director of Development, Duke University School of Law (New York City) (249700)

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

                                                                                         DUKE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW

ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

Associate Director of Development

OCCUPATIONAL SUMMARY    

            The Associate Director of Development will identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward existing and potential donors to the Law School for significant gifts to fund institutional priorities. The Associate Director of Development’s portfolio primarily will consist of individuals in the greater New York City region of the country, with certain additional regions as determined by the Associate Dean for Alumni & Development. The Associate Director of Development will work closely with the Associate Dean for Alumni & Development and the Dean of the Law School to create innovative, comprehensive and sustainable major gift and planned giving fundraising strategies and gift opportunities for alumni and friends of the Law School, both in connection with annual fundraising goals and with campaigns and other initiatives.

            This is an exclusively remote position based in or within commuting distance to New York City. The incumbent will be expected to travel to Durham occasionally to participate in key alumni and development activities such as alumni weekend, reunion, and board meetings, as well as certain special Alumni & Development Office, Law School or University-wide events.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES

• Maintain a portfolio of up to 150 prospects and an active cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship schedule with prospects and donors, involving administration, faculty, and volunteers as appropriate. The focus will be on major gift prospects (donors with $100,000+ capacity), in addition to cultivating relationships with lower-capacity prospects for pipeline development and advancement of prospects. Solicit donors verbally and through written proposals. (60%)

• Ensure the Dean and Associate Dean are effectively deployed in the New York region by way of prospect meetings, development events, law firm visits, and cultivation activities, with the goal of collaborating to close six, seven and eight figure commitments, while also growing the pipeline and uncovering the next generation of major gift donors who are passionate about Duke Law. (5%)

• Direct the nature and number of contacts that prospects receive, involving and informing staff, and coordinating with colleagues in schools/units across the University as solicitation, cultivation, and stewardship activities warrant. Track and report on progress regarding various fundraising efforts, including those relating to campaign priorities, through the University’s constituent database, Excel spreadsheets, Tableau dashboards, campaign tracking and other reporting tools (including timely tracking of moves and solicitations in DADD). (15%)

• Understand and effectively articulate the Law School’s goals, objectives, and needs to prospective donors.  These include, but are not limited to, financial aid, clinical legal education, faculty support, and a variety of interdisciplinary centers and programs. Understand and represent to donors the full array of gift vehicles available, including outright gifts, pledges, trusts, bequests, and gifts of stock or property. Serve as the planned giving resource and primary point of contact for the Law School’s Alumni & Development Office. (15%)

• Coordinate with alumni relations staff to identify and cultivate volunteers, including potential nominees to the Law School’s volunteer leadership boards.  Coordinate with annual giving staff to incorporate annual fund, reunion, and law firm giving solicitations into regional and major gift strategies.  Coordinate with stewardship staff to report on the impact of donor gifts. Other projects as assigned.  (5%)

REQUIREMENTS

Education

Work requires communications, analytical and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program.

Experience

Work requires seven years’ experience in alumni affairs, public relations, fund raising, sales and promotions, marketing or a related field in order to acquire skills necessary to administer, coordinate and/or participate in general fundraising activities and proposal development. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Preferred Education and Experience

The preferred candidate will have multiple years of experience successfully fundraising in higher education for institutional priorities and other major initiatives. Experience with fundraising at a top Law School and with campaign fundraising highly desired. Completion of an advanced degree is also preferred. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to strategically develop and implement a fundraising plan, which supports effective fundraising, preferably in a complex university environment.

• Strong collaboration and analytical skills are necessary to be successful in this position. Demonstrated organizational and excellent communication skills (oral and written), as well as an ability to work with, motivate and engage other development professionals and volunteer board members. A high level of creativity, initiative and self-motivation.

• An in-depth understanding of donor constituent database systems is required.

• An ability to travel frequently (on average, twice a month) and willingness to work nights and weekends, as required.
   
• Knowledge of Duke University and/or experience in the legal profession or legal education is desirable.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.