Director of Development for University Priorities
- 10004351
- Fairfax, VA
- Administrative or Professional Faculty
- Opening on: Aug 19 2026
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Department: Advancement and Alumni Relations
Classification: Administrative Faculty
Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)
Location: Fairfax, VA
Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible
Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship
Salary: Salary starting low $130k; commensurate with education and experience
Criminal Background Check: Yes
About the Department:
The University Advancement division is a comprehensive development and alumni relations enterprise with a staff complement of approximately 135 FTE. Functional units within Advancement include development/fundraising, alumni relations, stewardship and donor relations, advancement communications, special events, gift processing, research, prospect management, gift planning, corporate and foundation relations, information systems and management, and infrastructure services.
Advancement''s mission is to build strong, lifelong relationships with George Mason University''s alumni and constituents, while matching their philanthropic interests with the university aspirations and priorities. The division is committed to serving the needs of the university, our alumni, and the greater community by providing access to quality education and lifelong learning. Respect, service, integrity, collaboration, diversity, transparency, and creativity are the values that guide our work and culture.
About the Position:
The Director of Development for University Priorities is responsible for identifying and implementing strategies for success in securing significant philanthropic support for university priorities. This position cultivates meaningful relationships with potential and current Major Gift ($25,000+) level donors to the university. Manages a portfolio of donors and prospective donors and is responsible for facilitating all phases of the gift cycle, including initiating contact, cultivating and moving potential donors to solicitation and closure, creating solicitations, writing proposals, and stewarding donors. The Director of Development works collaboratively with key volunteers, school leadership and faculty, Advancement staff, and other school representatives to cultivate and solicit donors for university priorities.
Responsibilities:
Maintains Personal Portfolio and Supports Comprehensive Fundraising Program:
- Carries and maintains a portfolio of 75 to 100 prospects that are moved through the donor engagement process culminating in MAJOR or PRINCIPAL gifts (as defined by George Mason's Advancement team);
- Actively engages each prospect in their portfolio to ensure prospect movement and portfolio penetration annually;
- Minimum of 50% portfolio penetration working toward 75% portfolio penetration;
- Submits 2-4 "Asks" per month for a total of a minimum of 24 per year;
- Meets or exceeds all metrics and expectations set by Central Advancement;
- Supports successful execution of a comprehensive fundraising program that appropriately partners with and leverages resources from the Central Advancement team to accomplish objectives;
- Develops strategies and implementation of major and principal gifts for the school, in concert with Central Advancement and Alumni Relations;
- As appropriate, is personally responsible for the direct solicitation of gifts and for preparing the Dean, members of school advisory boards, members of the school's Advancement team, faculty, staff, and other members of the school and/or university to make solicitations;
- Coordinates the efforts of those who can assist in fundraising; tracks contacts, asks, and funds raised; drafts proposals and pledge agreements for potential donors; and proposes and coordinates appropriate cultivation and stewardship activities;
- Travels as necessary for donor outreach and cultivation;
- Works with offices across campus to coordinate related activities that further the university's mission and achieve fundraising goals;
- Finds new and creative ways to engage donors that will enrich the donor experience and add value to the academic life of the university;
- Works with staff to engage all alumni to advance the percentage of active involvement and increase alumni donations;
- Engages a wide range of colleagues, alumni, donors, prior faculty and staff, and individuals who might be able to assist in pursuing/winning major gifts;
- Seeks the assistance of a wide range of people in identifying prospects who might make major gifts in the future;
- Assists in overseeing the school's portfolio of donors and potential donors, both individually and through management of the team to maximize unit revenue from philanthropic giving;
- Communicates and executes the advancement and alumni relations agenda with the school's volunteer boards and alumni affinity groups;
- Assists with planning and implementation of school efforts to raise individual, corporate, and foundation funds;
- Conducts discovery visits with prospective donors as identified by Central Advancement Research and will also hand-off or disqualify individuals from their portfolio based on an unwillingness to connect, lack of affinity, or philanthropic interest in another aspect of Mason;
- Works with staff to engage all alumni to advance the percentage of active involvement and increase alumni donations and meets or exceeds fundraising goals;
- Regularly updates supervisors as to any fundraising and relationship-building activities taking place in the school;
- Strategizes about which major gifts would have the greatest value to and impact on the school and prioritizes said gifts. Works with donors to try to interest them in gifts that have the greatest value to and impact on the school. Understands certain gifts will transform the school more than others, and takes responsibility for pursuing and capturing more valuable gifts; and
- Although this position does not have responsibility for cultivating and securing gifts under $5,000, the position proactively, and in any way possible, helps team members in the school who are responsible for securing these annual and leadership annual gifts.
Coordination with Central Advancement/Schools, Colleges, and Units (University Priorities):
- Coordinates fundraising with other departments and utilizes services as appropriate;
- Ensures consistent and adequate communication between school/unit and Central Advancement; and
- Works closely with Central Advancement services including, but not limited to, Planned Giving, Annual Giving, Parents and Family Philanthropy, University Priorities, Alumni Relations, Communications, Systems, Operations, Donor Relations, Gifts and Records, etc.
Supervision of Staff:
- Responsible for setting goals for performance and deadlines in ways that comply with the university's plans and vision and communicate them to subordinates;
- Organizes workflow and ensures employees understand their duties or delegated tasks;
- Monitors employee productivity and provides constructive feedback and coaching;
- Receives complaints and resolves problems;
- Maintains timekeeping and personnel records;
- Passes on information from upper management to employees and vice versa;
- Prepares and submits performance evaluations;
- In coordination with leadership, decides on rewards and promotions based on performance;
- Hires and trains new employees; and
- Ensures adherence to legal and university policies and procedures and undertakes disciplinary actions if the need arises.
Other Duties as Assigned:
- Performs other duties as required or assigned, which are reasonably within the scope of duties in this job classification.
Required Qualifications:
- Master's degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
- Significant (generally, six - nine years) successful professional advancement and/or fundraising-related experience or any equivalent combination of education and/or experience;
- Significant record of successful major gift solicitations and experience designing and executing donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies;
- Demonstrated experience with successful collaboration with teams or stakeholders;
- Some (generally, one or more years) supervisory experience;
- Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously and meeting continuous deadlines;
- Experience documenting appropriate information in a donor management database system;
- Experience interacting with a wide variety of constituents, such as donors, prospects, trustees, and faculty and staff;
- Excellent research skills;
- Demonstrated written and oral communication skills;
- Demonstrated skill in CRM fundraising software;
- Possess the ability to solicit and engage major donor prospects; and
- Possess an understanding and ability to articulate the accomplishments and goals of a complex organization.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Significant (generally, six - nine years) experience in major gifts fundraising, preferably in higher education;
- Skill in Salesforce; and
- Skill in MicroStrategy, or similar reporting platform.
Instructions to Applicants:
For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Director of Development for University Priorities at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information (one of which must be a current supervisor), and provide a cover letter and resume for review.
Posting Open Date: August 19, 2026
For Full Consideration, Apply by: September 8, 2026
Open Until Filled: Yes