Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
Full-time
Education
Posted on April 4, 2024
Summary:
The Senior Associate Director of Athletics will serve as a strategic fundraising partner for the Vice
President and Director of Athletics and will work with the Athletics Development team and
Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) colleagues across the division to achieve Virginia
Commonwealth University's (VCU) philanthropic goals by designing, executing and measuring annual
and long-range fundraising plans tied to the strategic needs of the Athletics program. The successful
candidate will have at least seven years of demonstrated ability to plan, execute, secure and steward
six-, seven-, and eight-figure gifts through individual effort by identifying, qualifying and soliciting
annual, major and principal gift prospects. The Senior Associate Director of Athletics coaches and
manages the team of fundraising professionals tasked with securing philanthropic support for the VCU
Athletics program.
Primary Responsibilities
● Serve as an active philanthropic thought partner and fundraising participant for the Director
of Athletics;
● Develop and implement an annual operating plan for Athletics fundraising, focused on
generating $4 million of annual fund philanthropic revenue in FY25 and raising capital gifts for
VCU's future Athletic Village through a combination of individual, foundation and corporate
support; design and measure annual and long-range fundraising plans tied to the strategic needs
of the program;
● Manage (identify, engage, cultivate, solicit, steward) a portfolio of approximately 60-100 top
individual and corporate prospects with a focus on those with a giving capacity of $50,000 or
greater; engage in additional high-level prospect discovery work to build donor pipeline;
● Grow the number of donors giving to Athletics through the Ram Athletic Fund or capital gifts
by consistently each year while retaining the current donor base;
● Supervise, coach, motivate, and evaluate fundraising and development staff (three to four
development officers and two graduate assistants) to support their individual success and goal
achievement.
Expectations of the role
● Serve as a member of the Vice President and Director of Athletics' senior leadership team,
maximizing their participation in fundraising and engagement efforts through strategic planning
and good time management;
● In partnership with the Vice President and Director of Athletics and DAR, define and design
athletic philanthropic priorities; collaborate with the marketing team in producing campaign
documents and cases for support;
● Integrate coaches, athletic staff, students and alumni into development activities where
most appropriate and effective;
● Serve as Lead Development Officer for University Athletics in relationship with the Office of
Development and Alumni Relations, to ensure alignment with policies and procedures of the
university's fundraising structure and to optimize training and professional development
opportunities.
● Collaborate and coordinate with DAR operations (CSU/MPAR teams as well as central teams
including planned giving, CFR, principal gifts, university development, and alumni engagement))
to develop donor-centric strategies to leverage and maximize giving and engagement; engage
with colleagues for joint cultivation/solicitation/stewardship efforts when needed;
● Ensure accurate documentation of all donor activity and major gift solicitation plans in the
university's prospect management system (RADAR);
● Manage time and activities to support annually established metrics on prospect/donor
engagement and fundraising efficacy;
● Audit internal operations to develop standardized procedures per DAR and university
policies.
As a team member, you will:
● Demonstrate appreciation for the mission and aspirations of VCU, VCU Health and VCU
Athletics;
● Display a strong commitment to organizational success and delivering on individual
responsibilities as a university citizen;
● Demonstrate a commitment to the pursuit of excellence, high achievement and ongoing
professional development by proactively seeking opportunities to develop new capabilities,
skills and knowledge;
● Establish, cultivate and maintain collaborative working relationships with internal partners;
● Demonstrate a commitment to the highest quality service to internal and external
communities;
● Demonstrate an open-minded approach to understanding people from all backgrounds,
identities, abilities, perspectives and experiences;
● Ensure work is completed accurately and within the deadline. Set high standards, exhibit a
positive attitude, maintain strict confidentiality and show exemplary work ethic;
● Reflect the core purpose and values of VCU and VCU Athletics;
● With positivity and appreciation, build a donor-centered culture of philanthropy for the
Athletics program based on relationships and a focus on the student-athlete;
● Reflect the core purpose and values of VCU and VCU Athletics.
Minimum hiring standards include:
● Bachelor's degree or the equivalent experience
● Significant professional experience fundraising in an athletics or higher education
setting or similar complex environments
● Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff and student
environment or commitment to do so as a university professional at VCU
● Demonstrated ability to plan, execute, secure and steward six-, seven- and eight-figure
gifts through individual effort
● Sound judgment, strong interpersonal skills and professional credibility required to
develop relationships of trust and respect with a diverse range of constituents, including donors
and prospects, coaches, faculty, health care providers, senior administrators, volunteers and
stakeholders, and development colleagues
● Emotional intelligence, empathy and ability to relate to individuals impacted by health
experiences
● Highest ethical standards, attention to confidentiality and a willingness to fully comply
with VCU's interpretation of HIPAA law as it relates to fundraising
● The ability to work independently, meet deadlines and consistently achieve goals while
also driving and supporting team success in a matrix environment
● Demonstrated experience managing fundraising staff
● High level of initiative, strong orientation to teamwork and the ability to work effectively
in complex environments
● Attention to detail and the ability to use a database to maintain and review records and
reports such as donor data, prospect contacts, solicitations and proposals
● Working knowledge of tax laws affecting charitable giving
● Ability to travel via car and/or an airplane (overnight and long-distance travel will be
necessary)
● Excellent listening, written and oral communication skills
Preferred hiring standards include:
● Master's degree or work experience at a level that equates to an advanced degree
● Ten years or more of demonstrated success identifying, qualifying and soliciting annual
and major gift prospects, preferably in higher education and/or an athletics setting. Experience
fundraising for capital projects is a plus.
● Knowledge of and demonstrated experience in major and planned giving concepts and
strategies, as well as significant experience in creating and implementing major gift plans
(campaign experience strongly preferred)
● Past or current ties to the Richmond community
● Deep appreciation for the mission and aspirations of VCU, VCU Health, and VCU
Athletics, with a desire to play a meaningful role in the life of VCU and in the Richmond
community
● Strong management capabilities and a commitment to mentoring gift officers
● Collaboration skills consistent with bringing out the best in a matrix team, instilling pride
in a team effort
● Commitment to the fundraising industry as evidenced through work ethic and aspiration
to best practices
● The ideal candidate will possess extroverted tendencies, a disrupter mentality and a
servant-leader ethos.
Job Specific Physical and Cognitive Requirements
Light lifting (<20 lbs) - Essential
Moderate lifting (20-50 lbs) - Marginal
Standing - Essential
Sitting - Essential
Repetitive Motion - Essential
Walking - Essential
Extreme heat/cold/noise/vibrations - Marginal
Fast & Average Pace - Essential
Multiple Stimuli - Essential
Intense Customer Interaction - Essential
Frequent Change - Essential
Memory, Reasoning, Hearing, Reading, Analyzing, Logic - Essential
Verbal and Written Communication - Essential
Salary Range: commensurate with experience
Position Details:
Department: Athletics
Employment Type: UF - University Employee FT
Restricted Status: No
FTE: 1
Exemption Status: Exempt
Contact Information:
Contact Name: Grace Blevins
Contact Email: gablevins@vcu.edu
Contact Phone:
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