Director of Institutional Support

Director of Institutional Support

Location

St. Davids

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

1137

Department

Advancement

Opening Date

07/13/2026

• Description
• Benefits

Join our vibrant community of dedicated faculty and staff who work to create a transformative educational experience rooted in faith, reason, and justice.

Eastern University is a nationally-recognized Christian university enrolling approximately 9,000 students in a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, professional, and seminary programs. The university's main campus is located in St. Davids, PA, with many programs also offered online. Eastern's core values of Faith, Reason, and Justice are woven into all of its educational offerings. Through dynamic programs, a vibrant campus community, and meaningful service learning opportunities, Eastern University is committed to providing students with transformative, accessible, and affordable education.

Position Description

Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the Director of Institutional Support is responsible for the development of a comprehensive program for strategically engaging philanthropic institutions and partners to generate support for the University's priorities. The Director will work closely with administrators, faculty, and program staff to help identify, solicit, and steward institutional prospects and donors including the preparation of foundation, corporate, government and church funding proposals. S/he will possess the strategic ability to elevate outcomes from the Universitys grants programs in order to significantly impact our programs and priorities.

Position Responsibilities

Strategy: Design, implement, and manage a comprehensive proactive development plan focused on expanding and enhancing key relationships by directing and coordinating activities related to obtaining support from institutions such as foundations, corporations, government and churches. Develop high value corporate alliances and identify, evaluate, cultivate and solicit five- and particularly six figure (and larger) philanthropic commitments to support the mission and goals of the University. Assist in determining annual giving goals for grant funding and build strategic and tactical plans for achieving these goals in partnership with the Vice President for Advancement and the Associate Vice President for Advancement.

Generation: Manage a prospect pool of institutional funders and prospects with annual goals for visits, solicitations and giving outcomes. Develop highly competitive proposals and manage institutional relationships in support of university goals and priorities. Maintain a rigorous strategy of awareness building with institutional representatives, creating moves management plans, compelling presentations and comprehensive fundraising proposals. Monitor proposal deadlines, write/edit proposals, and manage proposal/LOI applications averaging a minimum of four monthly submissions.

Research: Work closely with Advancement colleagues, faculty, staff, and administration to uncover opportunities and significantly expand fundraising relationships among corporate and foundation constituencies. Identify key alumni within corporations/foundations/churches and keep current on foundation trends and corporate profiles that suggest potential relationships because of common interests.

Stewardship: Maintain a high-quality stewardship process for active institutional donors. Ensure that stewardship and reporting requirements are met with excellence and timeliness in order to transform programmatic support into successful, long-term philanthropic partnerships.

Replication: Engage faculty, administrators, and staff and prepare them for involvement in the grant-seeking process. Initiate opportunities for faculty, administrators, and deans to interact with institutional prospects and interpret corporate and foundation interests to university constituencies. Work directly with the campus deans/faculty to develop grant applications and to initiate the cultivation/fundraising process.

Administration: Supervise the daily operations, including budget. Submit plans, maintain progress reports and manage budgets to track revenue and expenses. Ensure Vice President & AVP for Advancement are briefed on all aspects of progress, challenges, and successes. Coordinate with the Finance Office to ensure the timely and thorough use of funds for purposes outlined by the funding source, and communication of proposed variances to use of funds as necessary. Collaborate with Finance and Institutional Research on the collection and analysis of budget information for cost applications as well as grant reports.

Leadership & Supervision: Coach, mentor, and directly lead a growing team that includes the Assistant Director of Institutional Support and additional hires that may occur over time. Provide appropriate direction, feedback, and instructions so employees under the Director's supervision feel supported, have clarity about responsibilities, and are held accountable to deliver on them in a timely manner while adhering to the highest standards of quality and ethics.

Status: Staff, full-time, salaried, exempt, 40 hours per week, 12 months per year.

Qualifications

Work Conditions and Additional Position requirements:

• This position requires the incumbent to engage institutional donors and prospects throughout the region; some travel will be necessary.
• Work venues vary from office, to virtual, to networking events, to presentations, to large and small meetings and interactions with individuals, involving a variety of environments.
• Evening/weekend work may be required on occasion.
• Limited physical exertion is involved.
• The ability to coordinate a variety of tasks simultaneously and manage to retain a positive attitude within a goal-oriented environment is required.

Required:

• Enthusiastic support for the distinctive mission and vision of Eastern University.
• Three (3) to five (5) years of advancement experience with evidence of progressive responsibility and success in developing relationships and securing funds.
• Bachelors degree required.
• Demonstrated record of success in generating significant levels of financial support from institutional sources preferred.
• Knowledge of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and techniques, particularly in the area of institutional fundraising.
• Demonstrated ability in proposal writing for a variety of institutional priorities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of methods for obtaining information about the giving programs of corporations, foundations, and government programs.
• Understanding of local, state, federal government systems as they pertain to higher education.
• Ability to maintain a high level of poise and professionalism in all circumstances.
• Ability to initiate and build relationships with prospective institutional donors, and interact via zoom, phone, and in person with institutional representatives.
• Demonstrated ability to take primary responsibility for a diverse number of projects and to complete them in a timely manner with limited supervision.
• Self-motivation and discipline to regularly set and achieve work goals.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and networking skills with both groups and individuals are essential.
• Embody values of caring and compassion, justice and integrity, competence and affirmation.
• Seeks to treat each member of the campus community with fairness, dignity and respect seeking a spirit of unity and harmony as we join together to achieve our common mission.
• Familiarity with fundraising software systems preferred, such as Raisers Edge, Wealth Engine, and Foundation Search.
• Experience in an academic setting preferred, with an understanding of and appreciation for a private, liberal arts education.

About Eastern University

Eastern University is a Christian university of the arts and sciences that integrates faith, reason and justice for students in its undergraduate, graduate, seminary, urban, professional and international programs. Applicants should have a Christian commitment compatible with its mission and be willing to support the mission and vision of the university. The university complies with federal and state guidelines of nondiscrimination in employment; members of protected classes encouraged to apply.

Background Checks

Standard University employees are required to complete the background clearance process. Employment is contingent upon the successful results of an employment background screening. The employment background screening may include but is not limited to your consumer credit history (for positions that work with the university finances or alumni funds only), verification of education and professional credentials, criminal history, driving history, residency, immigration status, performance, references, and other qualities pertinent to your qualifications for the following position.

Youth Clearances are required for positions with direct contact with children and essential personnel positions. Employees working with or around minor age children are required to complete the youth clearance process which includes the following four child protection clearances:

1) Affidavit;

2) FBI Criminal Record Check;

3) Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance and;

4) Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check.

In accordance with state laws, Act 73 of 2007, Act 153 of 2014, Act 168 (relating to the Child Protective Services Law), school employees of Eastern University who will have "direct contact with children" must complete the background check process prior to employment. Results must be submitted within ten days of receipt.

Description Disclaimer

This description is intended to describe the general level and nature of work performed by the person/people assigned to this position. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities of the person/people so assigned.

For all positions: Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Statement of Non-Discrimination

Eastern University is committed to the principles of equal opportunity as defined under federal and state law, and does not discriminate unlawfully on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, color, creed, disability, national/ethnic origin, age, disabled veteran/Vietnam-era, Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), or veteran status in its admission policy, program, or activities, educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other University-administered programs, or employment practices and programs.

We offer a complete benefits package to full-time faculty and staff including healthcare coverage, retirement plan contributions, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, tuition remission and tuition exchange participation as well as an extensive holiday, summer hours and paid time off leave schedule.

Part-time Regular staff who are scheduled 30-36 hours per week over the course of a year, receive a full benefit package based on their part-time scheduled hours. Healthcare coverage is based on the ACA medical coverage guidelines. Affiliate faculty receive a benefit package as outlined with their covenant. Adjunct faculty may be eligible for medical coverage under the ACA after an annual one year lookback review.

Part-time staff who are scheduled to work less than 30 hours per week schedule are eligible for employer contribution towards the retirement plan after one year of employment. Eligibility rules apply. Adjunct faculty may make employee deferral contributions towards the retirement plan.

Part-Time Graduate Assistant Coaches are eligible for participation in the Tuition Remission Coaches Program.

Temporary, Contractors and Seasonal Employees: Individuals in this status are scheduled on an as-needed-basis and are not eligible for participation in the University's benefits programs.

Detailed information regarding our benefits program and eligibility is provided once hired or you can contact Human Resources with any questions.

Employer Eastern University

Address 1300 Eagle Road

St. Davids, Pennsylvania, 19087

Phone 610-341-5986

Website http://www.eastern.edu