Director of Development

Director of DevelopmentThe George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government invites applications for the position of Director of Development. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason's academic and culturally inclusive environment.About the Position:The Director of Development will serve as the chief fundraising officer for the school and will work closely with the Dean and the Senior Associate Dean to develop and implement a strategic plan for solicitation of principal and major gifts on behalf of the school. The Schar School seeks to raise $25 million over a 6 year period, and the Director of Development will play a leading role in the success of this initiative. The position will be responsible for all activities related to the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of principal and major gifts. It will also oversee relationships with smaller donors who have the potential to grow into principal and major donors over time.About George Mason University:George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in both academics and research. Mason was named the top young university in the United States in the Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings. Mason is currently the largest and most diverse university in Virginia, with students and faculty from all 50 states and over 135 countries studying in over 200 degree programs at campuses in Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William.George Mason University Values:Our students come first - Our top priority is to provide students with a transformational learning experience that helps them grow as individuals, scholars and professionals;Diversity is our strength - We include and embrace a multitude of people and ideas in everything we do and respect differences;Innovation is our tradition - We strive to find new and better ways to deliver on our mission while honoring time-tested academic values;We honor freedom of thought and expression - We protect the freedom of all members of our community to seek truth and express their views;We are careful stewards - We manage the economic and natural resources entrusted to us responsibly and sustainably;We act with integrity - We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards as educators, scholars, students and professionals;We thrive together - We nurture a positive and collaborative community that contributes to the well-being and success of every member.About the Schar School of Policy and Government:The Schar School serves more than 2,000 students at the Ph.D., Master's, and undergraduate levels. It is one of the most intellectually diverse policy/government schools in the nation, with degrees in public policy, public administration, international security, biodefense (global health security), political science, global commerce, and organizational development. The School rose by an extraordinary 9 slots in the most recent USNWR rankings and aspires to reach the top 20 within the next four years. Over the past two years, Schar has more than tripled its grant expenditures to almost 15M/year. It is committed to hiring 12 tenure-line faculty over a four-year period and has launched four undergraduate Learning Communities in the past 12 months. The School also has several centers with national reach and name recognition.Responsibilities:The Director of Development will report to the Senior Associate Dean of Administration of the Schar School, with a dotted line to the Associate Vice President of Development for Schools and Colleges in the Mason Office of Advancement. The Director will provide vision and counsel on advancement strategies to the Dean, faculty and other senior leaders and collaborate closely with the central University Advancement team. They will build productive relationships with current and new donors, including with individuals not already in the School's pipeline. The incumbent will be responsible for soliciting gifts individually and/or in conjunction with School leaders and for preparing/training others to solicit gifts. The Director of Development will need to be able to write compelling development plans and proposals and to track and present data in such a way as to help School leaders to achieve their goals.To achieve the above objectives, the Director of Development will need to build relationships and work collaboratively with colleagues in the Schar School, across the Mason campuses, and across the country. The position will have access to the School's senior leadership, as well as to campus leaders, alumni, faculty, and staff.The successful candidate will be one who is excited and passionate about creating a transformative development operation with the opportunity to expand the development team and the related management responsibilities in the years to come. The position will be based on the Arlington campus, approximately 20 minutes from the Capitol. This location helps to attract top-tier faculty who want to impact policy discussions and provides faculty, staff and students with unusual access to decision-makers.Required Qualifications:Possess a Master's degree, or a bachelor's degree and equivalent work experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience;Demonstrated record of successful major gift solicitations and experience designing and executing donor identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies;Ability to determine, execute, and measure the effectiveness of fundraising strategies;Understanding of best practices in the advancement field;Ability to work collaboratively and to inspire others, particularly those who are not direct reports;Effective oral and written communication skills;Ability to write fundraising plans and proposals and to track and clearly present data;Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously and meeting deadlines;A creative approach to engaging and soliciting major donor prospects; andProficiency in Microsoft Office suite and experience with documenting appropriate information in a donor management database system.Preferred Qualifications:Significant experience (generally six (6) years +) in major gifts fundraising, preferably in higher education.

For full consideration, applicants must apply at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information.

"Great Careers Begin at Mason! George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in both academics and research. Mason holds a top U.S. News and World Report "Up and Coming" spot for national universities and is recognized for its global appeal and excellence in higher education.Mason is currently the largest and most diverse university in Virginia with students and faculty from all 50 states and over 135 countries studying in over 200 degree programs at campuses in Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William, as well as at learning locations across the commonwealth. Rooted in Mason's diversity is a campus culture that is both rewarding and exciting, work that is meaningful, and opportunities to both collaborate and create.If you are interested in joining the Mason family take a look at our current opportunities and catch some Mason spirit at jobs.gmu.edu/!George Mason University, Where Innovation is Tradition."