Description: About the University of Denver

The University of Denver (DU), a private university, is the oldest independent university in the Rocky Mountain region, with approximately 12,900 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. DU is classified as an R1: Doctoral University - very high research activity as a Doctoral/Research University. Financial Times Higher Education, U.S. News, and The Princeton Review have consistently ranked DU among the nation's top 100 universities and among the top three universities in the state

The University of Denver embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery that define our region and our history. With nationally recognized academic programs, a history of widespread influence, a forward-looking vision for a 21st-century education, and a deep commitment to promoting inclusion, we open a world of opportunity to students and empower Pioneers to make a difference around the world.

About DU Advancement

The University of Denver is building an advancement enterprise that mirrors the excellence and innovation of our great institution. DU Advancement, which includes alumni relations, development, and student and alumni career services, is building and fostering a culture of deep engagement and philanthropy in support of our bold vision. In April 2024, we launched DU's most ambitious campaign yet: The Denver Difference. As we seek to raise $1B in support of DU's top priorities, this campaign marks a dramatic shift in conventional thinking about what the university experience can and should be. DU is setting the bar with our approach to higher education, developing and preparing students to be successful in life in every way.

The University of Denver and DU Advancement deeply value inclusive excellence, recognizing that its success is dependent on how well it values, engages, and includes the rich diversity of constituents. As a part of that effort, we continue to grow a team of inclusive, collaborative, inquisitive, innovative, ethical, and transparent advancement professionals who possess deep mutual respect for one another and our shared profession.

Position Summary

The University of Denver is seeking a driven, knowledgeable and passionate fundraiser to join our Advancement team as the Director of Development, Gift Planning. This is a unique opportunity for a talented fundraising professional to join a dynamic, growing and purposeful enterprise united around a compelling mission charted by Chancellor Jeremy Haefner and Senior Vice Chancellor for Advancement Val Otten.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director of Gift Planning, the Director of Development is a key fundraising professional for the University of Denver. This position is responsible for cultivating and soliciting a full range of planned gifts from DU alumni and friends in Colorado and nationally. Such gifts include outright gifts of appreciated assets, life income gifts such as charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts, and testamentary gift plans such as bequests and life insurance gifts.

The Director will manage a portfolio of gift planning donors and prospects while partnering with a campus-wide network of academic leaders, fundraising professionals, and other key partners to advance the University's top priorities. The Director of Development will develop and mature their assigned portfolio of planned gift donors. This will include managing top prospects in pursuit of individual fundraising goals set annually in collaboration with the Executive Director and the Associate Vice Chancellor for University Development. The Director will serve as a close partner and key resource for other advancement professionals to solicit and close planned gifts. The campus-wide Advancement team is highly collaborative, and the Director is expected to build and foster extensive value-added relationships with their campus partners.

The succes ful candidate will possess a strong capacity for developing relationships with gift planning prospects and their advisors and family members to cultivate and close complex gift plans and conceive and implement customized strategic cultivation and solicitation plans for each prospect. They must possess excellent communication and relationship-building skills, a deep commitment to a rigorous, holistic educational experience, and a demonstrated ability to galvanize support to advance this cause.

Essential Functions

• The Director will develop meaningful and productive relationships with a portfolio of planned gift donors, including alumni, friends, and parents.
• This position is responsible for engaging philanthropic support for the University of Denver, and they will work primarily with planned gift donors assigned to their portfolio.
• The Director will achieve an annual fundraising goal of $1 million+ from their portfolio of prospects and in collaboration with Advancement colleagues.
• The Director will partner with gift officers across campus to effectively design and execute strategies for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding complex major gifts.
• Educate colleagues and peers across campus on complex gift planning techniques and support colleagues in structuring and successfully closing gifts involving complex assets.
• Engage in the advancement goal-setting process for gift planning metrics.
• Effectively and responsibly steward budgetary and other resources to advance the University of Denver.
• Serve as an active and collaborative partner to all academic departments and functions, central and unit-based advancement functions, and other campus colleagues to foster strategic, effective, and collaborative fundraising