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Senior Director of Development, College of Natural Science and Lyman Briggs College
Michigan State University seeks a Senior Director of Development, College of Natural
Science and Lyman Briggs College to serve as the chief development officer for the
College of Natural Science, overseeing the fundraising programs for both the College
of Natural Science (NatSci) and Lyman Briggs College (LBC). This blended position
is a unique opportunity for a seasoned fundraiser to lead comprehensive fundraising
strategies for two distinct units at MSU, serving on the leadership teams of both
colleges and driving fundraising results for both programs. The Senior Director will maximize each college’s philanthropic potential and serve
as a player-coach to frontline fundraisers in both units. In this capacity, the Senior
Director will manage a personal portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and
employ a rigorous, strategic moves management program to ensure that prospects are
consistently engaged and moved through the development pipeline. The Senior Director
will work with senior administrators and department chairs to ensure alignment with
strategic priorities and foster a culture of philanthropy. As MSU prepares to launch
the public phase of its next campaign, the Senior Director will assume a pivotal role
in shaping the campaign priorities of both colleges. This includes leading efforts
to assess program needs, recruiting and training volunteers, developing case statements,
identifying and cultivating prospects, and soliciting contributions from alumni. A
particular focus will be placed on identified prospects with major and principal gift
capacity. The Senior Director also will coordinate both colleges’ administrative and
operational activities related to fundraising, working to increase private sector
contributions through a targeted and integrated approach. The Senior Director will
ensure the strategic recruitment and training of alumni and volunteers, conducting
thorough needs assessments, developing and reviewing proposals, and actively soliciting
contributions to support both colleges’ ambitious goals in science education and research.
Michigan State University was established in 1855, and by 1862 it stood as the nation’s premier land-grant university. Over the decades, the university has continued to be a model of what a land-grant university can and should do. As a university of, for, and by the people, Michigan State University began a long tradition of empowering people through educational opportunity. Every day, Spartans work to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community. Located in East Lansing, three miles east of Michigan’s capitol in Lansing, MSU’s campus is one of the biggest and greenest in the nation. The 5,000-acre campus is home to more than 51,000 students. Top-ranked programs, high-quality opportunities, and a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative community enable those students to create personalized paths that prepare them to succeed and lead. MSU offers more than 400 academic programs and over 300 education-abroad programs. It has an outstanding record of students earning Rhodes, Goldwater, and other prestigious national and international scholarships. Wherever one goes, there are Spartans working to make a better world. The MSU community includes more than 12,000 faculty and academic support staff and an alumni network nearly half a million strong.
For more information, including core competencies and qualifications, please refer to the full prospectus.