Penn State is currently seeking a top frontline fundraiser in the role of Assistant/Associate Director of Development to engage alumni and friends as partners in supporting the College of the Liberal Arts, considered one of the leading public liberal arts colleges in the U.S. As a member of the College of the Liberal Arts and the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, you can play an integral role in Penn State’s future and contribute to one of the most successful fundraising and alumni relations operations in the country.
The University is committed to ensuring that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are central to the success of a world-class research institution. We are dedicated to fostering an institutional culture supporting the University’s core values, with inclusion being a fundamental strength and an essential element of our public service mission: equity.psu.edu/equity-at-penn-state/resources. The University’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is mirrored in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations’ own ongoing work in these spaces: raise.psu.edu/diversity-equity-and-inclusion.
Reporting directly to the Senior Director of Development and working closely with the college’s dean and academic leadership, as well as other partners and central development offices, this Assistant/Associate Director of Development will:
- Identify and cultivate a prospect pool of graduates and other key constituencies;
- Articulate Penn State’s needs, ambitions, and values, including diversity, equity, and inclusion, through excellent informal and formal communications, including written proposals;
- Plan and execute solicitation strategies leading to major gifts;
- Travel extensively throughout the region and across the country to pursue these strategies and build enduring relationships, tracked to a fixed and appropriately aggressive set of fundraising metrics;
This position will be filled as a level 1 or 2 depending upon the successful candidate’s competencies, education, and experience. It typically requires a bachelor’s degree or higher plus one year of related experience for a level 1. Additional experience and/or education and competencies are required for higher level jobs. The successful candidate will also have:
- A track record of success in securing major gifts and meeting fundraising goals;
- A dedication to and understanding of the skills required to build relationships with diverse communities;
- Demonstrated knowledge of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education;
- Exemplary interpersonal and communication skills;
- A proven ability to self-motivate and work both independently and as part of a team;
- A commitment to professional development, learning, and being mentored;
Operation of a motor vehicle as part of the position’s duties and a valid driver’s license are required. Successful completion of a motor vehicle records check, in addition to standard background checks, is also required.
DDAR is supportive of flexible work arrangements when aligned with the ability to meet the needs of the unit and the essential duties of the position. Questions related to flexible work arrangements should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.
The College of the Liberal Arts
Philanthropy will have a special impact in the College of the Liberal Arts, whose extraordinary success has been built upon support from alumni and friends. The College of the Liberal Arts is a national leader in education and research and an exciting community of ambitious students and acclaimed scholars. Our degree programs combine traditional liberal arts values of communication, analytical thinking, ethical decision making, civic engagement, and appreciation for other cultures and other times, with 21st century skills in digital fluency and rich preparation for a global world. Our faculty are outstanding teachers and researchers who have elevated our departments to national leadership positions and who have enhanced both undergraduate and graduate education at Penn State: http://www.la.psu.edu
Penn State’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations
If you believe in the power of higher education—and philanthropy—to shape the public good, you’ll excel right here in Penn State’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations (DDAR). Our organization includes more than 500 professionals engaging a community of more than 700,000 alumni who believe in the power of giving back. Across our interdisciplinary teams of fundraisers, alumni relations professionals, communicators, event planners, financial experts, and more, there is a place for you to make a difference in the lives of students and faculty while taking your own career to new heights. Learn more about us at raise.psu.edu and explore the success of our most recent campaign at greaterpennstate.psu.edu.
Building a Career and a Life at Penn State
Across twenty-four campuses and an online World Campus, our 100,000 students and 17,000 faculty and staff know the real measure of success goes beyond the classroom—it’s the positive impact made on communities across the globe. Penn State consistently ranks among the top academic and research universities in the world: psu.edu/this-is-penn-state/facts-and-rankings
Penn State is a diverse and exciting institution that embraces individual uniqueness, fosters a culture of inclusion that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of diversity in society and nature, and engages all individuals to help them thrive: equity.psu.edu
This position is based at the University Park campus, located in State College, Pennsylvania. State College is ranked among the lowest-stress and safest small cities in the country, with excellent public schools, beautiful parks and other natural assets, and a broad range of cultural and athletic events and venues: statecollegepa.us and statecollege.com
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