Director of Development

Compensation

$93,439.00 Annual

Job Description Summary

The application deadline for this position is 11:59pm EST on September 25, 2025.

The Office for Advancement provides leadership and coordination in developing activities and external support associated with gifts to enhance student recruitment/retention and create institutional impacts through philanthropic support. This includes cultivating philanthropic partnerships and individual giving; planning and directing fundraising campaigns; promoting annual giving; planning and coordinating comprehensive and capital campaigns; coordinating planned and deferred gifts; promoting employee and Alumni stewardship; and facilitating donor recognition events. Additionally, the Office for Advancement provides administrative support to the Foundation, which encourages and sustains long-term relationships with compassionate alumni, friends and businesses with generous hearts. SF’s generous donors support the mission and vision of the college, and as such bring about tranSFormational change throughout our communities.

The Director of Development plays a vital role within the Office for Advancement, building and sustaining relationships with key stakeholders, including the SF Foundation, Board of Trustees, alumni, and donors. As a fundraising professional, the Director is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individuals and organizations who support the college’s mission and vision. This position focuses on securing philanthropic gifts by aligning donor interests with institutional priorities, such as scholarships, art donations, and other strategic initiatives. Additionally, the Director provides direct supervision and mentorship to development staff ensuring alignment with strategic fundraising goals and professional growth within the team.

This position works collaboratively with the Vice President (VP) for Advancement, college leadership, Advancement staff, faculty, alumni, trustees, and volunteers to develop and execute major gift solicitation strategies. The Director also serves as a representative of the college at on-campus and community events to deepen donor engagement and expand the major gifts portfolio. Due to the nature of this role, regular travel and attendance at evening and weekend events, meetings, and donor visits are required.

Job Description

Responsibilities and Duties Include:

• Serves as a senior leader within the Office for Advancement and the Foundation, assisting with overall organizational management and strategic planning to advance fundraising, donor engagement, alumni relations, and policy development.

• Supervises and supports direct reports, providing guidance, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities to enhance team effectiveness and donor engagement.

• Works collaboratively with the VP in short- and long-range strategic planning objectives including campaigns to create and implement fundraising goals and objectives.

• Establishes and maintains collaborative working relationships with the SF Foundation, Board of Trustees, development colleagues, senior leadership, volunteers, and constituent groups to maximize the college’s total annual and campaign gift revenue.

• Promotes inclusive engagement and a sense of belonging among donors, alumni, and community partners, ensuring that fundraising efforts reflect the values of the college and its community.

• Conducts research to identify and qualify prospects; develops strategies to align donor interests with campaign goals, college priorities, and the overall mission; and engages key stakeholders, including SF Foundation colleagues, board members, college leadership, faculty, and staff.  

• Identifies, solicits, and stewards major gift donors and prospects, including individuals, corporations, and foundations through visits, direct outreach, and collaborative engagement in alignment with goals established in collaboration with the VP and SF Foundation, ensuring effective stewardship and donor support.  

• Prepares and reviews written proposals for major gift arrangements for prospective donors, clearly presenting the benefits and available giving options to encourage donor support.

• Works collaboratively with the Special Events Manager to plan workshops, seminars, and campus visits for key donor prospects designed to inform alumni, friends, and professional groups about the importance of their support and the positive impact their contributions have on the college. 

• Develops and implements initiatives to establish the alumni association and enhance its visibility with internal stakeholders and the broader community, and coordinates volunteer fundraising committees and alumni ambassadors to support campaign initiatives and donor engagement.

• Collaborates with the Marketing and Communications team to implement digital fundraising strategies, including online giving platforms and social media outreach.

• Maintains records and utilizes the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database to ensure accurate gift tracking, generate reports, support targeted donor segmentation and outreach, and create periodic summaries of activities, costs, and other results for college leadership to inform strategic decision making.

• Develops and reports on key performance indicators to measure fundraising effectiveness, donor engagement, and campaign success using insights from CRM data and records.

• Ensures Advancement staff work closely with the Financial Aid Office to correctly award Foundation scholarships in accordance with donor gift agreements and to support timely and accurate stewardship reporting to donors.  

• Upholds and models ethical fundraising practices through oversight of gift acceptance policies, donor intent, and risk mitigation.

• Participates in professional development opportunities and maintains engagement with industry associations such as CASE and AFP.

• Complies with all published College Rules, procedures, guidelines, and laws/regulations governing public employees, including but not limited to those related to document retention and destruction, FERPA, and confidentiality.

• Strictly honors the privacy, security, and confidentiality of donor records and other sensitive information according to appropriate state, federal, and college regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Provides service excellence through courteous, informed, accessible, and professional engagement.

• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Reports to: Vice President for Advancement and Chief Philanthropy Officer

QUALIFICATIONS

Requirements: A bachelor’s degree in business management, higher education, and/or related areas with five (5) years of experience in fundraising, major gifts, prospect management, campaign management, nonprofit experience, and/or related fields. Prior supervisory experience is required. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered based on individual qualifications.  Must have the ability to travel and work evenings and weekends as needed.
Additional Requirements: A criminal background check will be conducted. Applicants must have a valid Florida Class E Operator (driver’s) license and be authorized to drive for the college.
Preferred: A master’s degree with experience in higher education or academic settings. Demonstrated success in securing major gifts and managing donor relationships, as well as familiarity with donor database systems.

General Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to work successfully in a multi-cultural environment.

• Adaptability to Change – able to be flexible and supportive, able to positively and proactively assimilate change in rapid growth environment.

• Analytical Aptitude & Problem Solving - able to analyze information, problems, situations, practices and/or procedures, collect and interpret data, reason logically, establish facts, identify and define existing and potential issues, recognize the interrelationships among elements, draw valid conclusions, develop recommendations, as well as alternative courses of action, select appropriate course, follow up, and evaluate.

• Communication – able to effectively communicate in a professional, diplomatic, empathetic, and tactful manner using preferred method and level as applicable to the job.

• Critical Thinking & Judgement - able to make well-reasoned, sensible, and timely decisions based on careful, objective review and informed analysis of available information, considerations, and other factors.

• Customer Service – ability to respond promptly and courteously to all questions from students and faculty, demonstrating patience and persistence when helping students with little or no computer skills.

• Ethics – able to demonstrate integrity, professionalism, civility, and a high degree of ethics in all job-related actions.

• Leadership – has demonstrated success as an entrepreneurial, high energy, driven, hands-on leader.  Possess expertise in selecting, training, developing, coaching, mentoring, and retaining a highly motivated workforce.

• Organization & Time Management – able to plan, schedule, and organize tasks related to the job to achieve goals within or ahead of established time frames.

• Problem Solving – proven skills in identifying issues, determining their cause, developing creative solutions, and following through with implementing resolutions.

• Team Orientation & Interpersonal — highly motivated team-player with ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with all levels within and external to the organization.

• Relationship Management – able to personally provide high level of interactive service to others, building relationships and addressing identified needs.

• Results Orientation – proven ability to set and exceed established targets.

• Systems & Software - proficient level of knowledge of Microsoft Office and/or relevant position software programs.

• Detail Oriented - Proven accuracy and attention to detail.

• Multi-task - Ability to expeditiously organize, coordinate, manage, prioritize, and perform multiple tasks simultaneously to swiftly assess a situation, determine a logical course of action, and apply the appropriate response.

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.

Santa Fe College (SF) is committed to maintaining a work and educational environment that embraces diversity and where no member of the college community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subject to discrimination in any college program or activity based on: their race, ethnicity, national origin, color, religion, age, disability, sex, pregnancy status, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, political opinions or affiliations, or veteran status. This commitment applies to employees, volunteers, students, and, to the extent possible, to third parties, applicants for admission, applicants for employment, and the general public. sfcollege.edu/eaeo
 
Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies or concerns about discrimination or harassment, including concerns about sexual harassment or sexual violence under Title IX, should be directed to: equity.officer@sfcollege.edu

Santa Fe College reserves the right to extend deadlines and/or not to offer advertised positions. Preference will be given to eligible veterans and spouses of veterans.