The Associate Athletic Director for Development is charged with the strategic oversight of Eastern Michigan University’s athletics fundraising and alumni engagement program on behalf of Intercollegiate Athletics and University Advancement for EMU. The position is an employee of the Eastern Michigan University Foundation (EMUF).

In partnership with the Vice President & Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Associate Vice President for Advancement, the Associate AD will coordinate and execute development program activities, cultivate donors and prospects and solicit gifts for EMU Athletics. They will develop and implement fund raising strategies at all levels for EMU Athletics.

This role will develop and execute a strategic plan to inspire new levels of engagement, commitment, and philanthropic support from alumni, parents, friends, corporations/foundations and individuals in the EMU community and across the country. They will have a primary emphasis on soliciting major gifts, with broader oversight of giving programs at all levels; including growth in annual unrestricted, capital, and restricted gifts to support Athletics priorities.

This role serves as a member of the athletics leadership and executive teams. This position acts as a liaison to the campus community and specifically the university foundation. The Associate AD will provide direct supervision to the Assistant AD for Development. A graduate Assistant for Development is also an integral part of this team.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities Ultimately oversee all aspects of EMU Athletics Advancement:

• In partnership with the Director of Athletics and EMUF team, develop, manage, execute, and evaluate annual fundraising plan for EMU athletics.
• Identify new prospects, cultivate current and prospective donors, solicit major gifts, steward current and new donors.
• Staff Athletic Director, coaches and senior leaders in their leadership prospect work
• Manage a prospect portfolio of approximately 100 regularly and continue to cycle in new meaningful prospects.
• Adhere to EMU Foundation Community Performance Standards (Metrics), relative to substantive interactions, face-to-face meetings, donor discovery goals and annual overall fundraising goals for EMU Athletics.
• Work closely with the Advancement Services and Strategic Services team at EMUF, and EMU athletics advancement colleagues to ensure overall implementation of donor stewardship, data integrity, annual giving plans, and broad based donor communications (among other things)
• Strengthen EMU Athletics’ volunteer network and utilize this network effectively for fundraising.
• Provide guidance to direct reports on numerous aspects of the advancement and alumni engagement functions impacting EMU Athletics. This includes sport specific crowdfunding efforts, premium seating initiatives and special events and more.
• Drive the priority setting process in partnership with EMU Athletics leadership.

Other Duties:

• Participate in relevant departmental meetings for Athletics.
• Collaborate with Advancement professional staff to further university?wide fundraising goals and effectively promote engagement and philanthropy.
• Provide leadership and participate actively in Foundation activities such as recruiting and interviewing new employees, attending departmental meetings and retreats, and participating in related University and Foundation events.
• Work effectively and cooperatively with senior management at the EMU Foundation

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in development, marketing/communications or public relations.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with donors and prospects, particularly managing a major gift portfolio and with a proven track record of cultivating, soliciting and closing major gifts ($100,000+).
• Experience working in a non-profit organization or University setting is preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage an irregular work schedule including occasional evenings, early mornings, and weekends.
• National travel required; may involve use of personal transportation to travel throughout southeastern Michigan.
• Demonstrated success in the areas of budget management, staff and volunteer management, program development and strategic planning.
• Ability to manage, plan, organize, set priorities, and establish work objectives, successful completion of assignments; exhibit flexibility and adaptivity; and provide leadership to projects in a fast?paced, high?level environment.
• The ability to record and maintain documents specifically proficiently working with Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Workspace and donor management systems (CRMs).
• Ability to work professionally and effectively with external constituencies.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication and organizational skills and ability to present oral and written information clearly and effectively.
• Effective listening skills that translate to soliciting information from others.

Supervision Received:

Associate Vice President for Advancement - EMUF (direct) Vice President & Director of Intercollegiate Athletics (indirect)

Supervision Exercised:

Assistant Athletic Director of Development, Intercollegiate Athletics (direct) Graduate Assistant for Development, Intercollegiate Athletics (indirect)

About Eastern Michigan University

EMU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and Educator that is strongly committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The University actively encourages applications from women, persons of color, and applicants with disabilities, veterans, and members of other underrepresented groups.

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