Senior Development Officer for Athletics Giving

• Manage a portfolio of alumni athlete prospects, giving highest priority to establishing and maintaining donor relationships through personal visits and contacts. Develop innovative strategies for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding new prospects as well as existing donors.
• In conjunction with the prospect researcher and members of the athletics department, identify new prospects through personal visits, athletics events and other activities.
• Provide volunteer management leadership, including identification, recruitment, communication and support for the Athletics Advocacy Council; with the Director of Athletics plan, organize and lead meetings/events with the goal of engaging and raising money from alumni athletes.
• Coordinate with the Director of Athletics major athletics fundraising efforts, including golf tournaments or other initiatives and events.
• With the Director of Athletics, develop a comprehensive fundraising plan for the athletics department and individual teams.
• Generally improve the understanding among alumni athletes of the college’s need for financial support and focus appropriate actions and attentions on those who can provide annual, major and planned gifts.
• Support the president, vice president, director of athletics, trustees and other key volunteers in the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of prospects and donors through briefings, strategy development and regional donor-focused events.
• Provide direction and support in aspects for the individual in the role of Assistant Director of Athletics Giving.
• As appropriate, this position may be assigned to staff fundraising projects and initiatives outside of the scope where alumni athletes are a significant identified audience.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
The Senior Development Officer for Athletics Giving will work most closely and collaboratively with the offices of Major and Planned Giving, Annual Giving, Athletics, Corporate, Foundation and Sponsored Research Support, and Alumni and Constituency Engagement. Additionally, the position strategically interacts with a wide range of individuals, including members of the Communications Office, the President, faculty, other administrative staff, alumni, trustees, donors, prospects, parents, students and friends of the college.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Two or more years of fundraising or transferable experience, preferably within a liberal arts college. Transferable experience includes: marketing, client services, admissions, public relations, alumni relations, trust officer or sales experience.
• Bachelor’s degree; comprehensive knowledge and understanding of significant issues in higher education and their application in a liberal arts college setting.
• Previous collegiate athletics playing and/or coaching experience.
• Previous volunteer management skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail, including the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Creativity, flexibility, originality and a sense of humor.
• Must have successful completion of criminal record, driving record and reference checks.
• Must possess a valid Wisconsin Driver’s License and complete campus safe driving training session before driving any university owned or rented vehicles.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
This position requires travel and some evening and weekend hours. Approximately forty to fifty percent of the time is devoted towards making in-person calls on donors and prospective donors nationally and locally.