Director of Advancement

Job Title: Director of Advancement – Major Gifts and Planned Giving

Division: Advancement and Alumni Relations

Department:   Advancement

Reports To:      Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations

Supervises:      N/A

Status: Exempt, Full-time

Date: Dec 18, 2025

The Director of Advancement – Major Gifts and Planned Giving is an experienced fundraising professional responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major and planned gifts in support of the University's mission and strategic priorities. This role manages a portfolio of donors with giving capacity in the $10,000–$100,000 range and plays a key role in advancing philanthropic support for the University's annual operating fund and institutional campaigns.

The Director works collaboratively across the Advancement division and the University to build strong donor relationships, ensure thoughtful stewardship, and achieve fundraising goals.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gifts Fundraising

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors with giving capacity in the $10,000–$100,000 range
• Develop and implement individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies
• Personally solicit and close major gifts in support of the University's annual fund and campaign priorities
• Ensure timely follow-up, donor engagement, and relationship progression

Planned Giving

• Support and advance the University's planned giving efforts by identifying and cultivating planned gift prospects
• Engage donors in planned giving conversations aligned with their philanthropic goals and the University's needs
• Collaborate with Advancement Services and external advisors to support documentation and stewardship of planned gifts

Cultivation & Stewardship Engagement

• Actively participate in donor cultivation, stewardship, and engagement events to help acquire new donors and deepen relationships with existing supporters
• Use events and engagement opportunities strategically to increase donor commitment, upgrade giving, and identify new major gift prospects
• Partner with Advancement colleagues to align event participation with portfolio and fundraising goals

Donor Stewardship & Gift Management

• Maintain accurate records of donor interactions, strategies, and gift intent in the University's fundraising database
• Demonstrate an understanding of gift designation and donor intent, including restricted and unrestricted giving
• Partner with Advancement Services and Finance to support accurate gift processing, reporting, and stewardship
• Assist with donor impact reporting and ongoing communications

Collaboration & Institutional Engagement

• Work collaboratively with Advancement colleagues, University leadership, faculty, and volunteers to support fundraising efforts
• Participate in events, donor meetings, and engagement activities as appropriate
• Contribute to a positive, donor-centered culture within the Advancement division

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required
• Minimum 5 years of successful major gifts fundraising experience, including planned giving
• Demonstrated ability to close gifts in the $10,000–$100,000 range
• Understanding of donor development best practices and relationship-based fundraising
• Working knowledge of gift designation, donor intent, and restricted vs. unrestricted funding
• Experience using fundraising databases and CRM systems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education or a complex nonprofit environment
• Familiarity with major gifts campaign fundraising
• Ability to work effectively with senior leaders, faculty, and diverse stakeholders

About the University

Dominican University of California is committed to academic excellence, social justice, and community engagement. The University values diversity, equity, and inclusion and encourages applications from candidates who share these commitments.

Dominican University of California is an independent, international, learner-centered university, offering both undergraduate and graduate programs. Dominican has a 1:10 teacher-to-student ratio, an average class size of 16, with a small-town feeling in a park- like campus. We blend interdisciplinary core courses, real-world studies, and small classes with close and supportive academic advising and mentoring

Dominican University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to excellence through diversity and takes pride in its multicultural environment. We are committed in thought, word, and deed to recruiting and retaining a workforce that values the diversity of its student body. The University actively promotes an institutional culture that practices equity and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from members of all under-represented groups in higher education

Dominican University of California participates in E-Verify, an online system used to verify the employment eligibility of all new hires in accordance with federal law.