Job Summary

Central Washington University is recruiting a Director of Development, Athletics to join our University Advancement team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a salary, depending on experience, from $80,588 - $120,883 annually plus the awesome CWU benefits.

Who we are:

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.  

Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find diverse academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~10,000 students.

Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2022-2023 academic year.  In addition, for the seventh time in eight years, CWU is a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. RentCafe has also named CWU #13 of the Top 20 Best College Towns in the U.S. in 2025. 

Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.

Tour our campus in Ellensburg here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjdhOegDa9A

What we offer:

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator. 

The Role:

The Director of Development (DOD) for Athletics is responsible for the oversight and management of the Wildcat Athletic Association (WAA) annual giving program and WAA Board of Directors. The DOD is responsible for organizing and leading key signature fundraising and stewardship events for the Department of Athletics. The DOD is also responsible for creating opportunities for leadership annual gifts and major gifts for the WAA. They will focus on athletics fundraising priorities articulated by university leadership and will manage a portfolio of current and future WAA gift prospects within the region. Travel throughout Washington state and occasional out-of-state travel is required. This Director position directly impact the vision, mission, and values of Central Washington University by creating and promoting a culture of welcoming and belonging. They practice inclusivity and engage their employees in meaningful work that fosters strong relationships, stewardship of resources, and the integration of diverse perspectives. All employees are expected to uphold and contribute to CWU's vision, mission, and values, fostering a culture of student success and institutional excellence.

Job Duties

Lead and manage the Wildcat Athletic Association (WAA) annual giving program and board
- In coordination with University Advancement's annual giving program, lead, develop and manage direct mail appeals for the Wildcat Athletic Association (WAA).
- In coordination with University Advancement's annual giving program, lead, develop and manage all crowdfunding campaigns including the Wildcat Alumni Challenge (WAC), Friends and Family and other various campaigns.
- Lead and manage the strategy of the WAA annual giving program and ensure that the goals for the department are met, including donor acquisition and donor retention.
- Provide leadership for the recognition and stewardship programs for annual gift donors.
- Lead and manage signature WAA fundraising and stewardship events including HoF Gala, Kitna classic golf tournament, Game Day Central as it relates to donor engagement, Pat Lacey hospitality room during select basketball events, and away game events as it relates to donor engagement.
- Provide leadership and oversight of the WAA Board of Directors; lead and facilitate quarterly meetings, manage committee meetings, manage relationships.
- May be responsible for leading and managing other identified fundraising projects and events.

Creates opportunities for leadership annual gifts and major gifts
- Work with volunteers, coaches and staff to identify linkage, ability, and interest in the WAA by making personal solicitations for new membership and visiting with current donors to ask for increased giving.
- Prepare and implement strategies to attain the department's annual giving development goals by recruiting, motivating and organizing volunteers for the purpose of increasing WAA membership for Athletic Scholarships through a volunteer driven campaign. 
- Manage the Crimson C program.
- Provide stewardship to past and present donors.
- Coordinate, develop and implement plans that will increase donor base each year by setting annual goals with the University Advancement leadership and Director of Athletics.
- Manage a portfolio of current and future WAA gift prospects ($1000+) within the region.
- Collaborate with the AVP, Development and team regarding fundraising priorities and strategies; attend regular development team meetings.

Supervisor Duties
- Actively engage in recruitment and hiring new employees.
- Clearly define performance expectations, ensure accountability, and provide ongoing informal feedback, coaching, and mentoring. Conduct formal performance evaluations.
- Ensure employees have necessary resources.
- Oversee and direct the work of staff; serve as mentor, coach, and leader, and resolve complaints or issues.
- Promote professional development opportunities.
- Develop and foster supportive working relationships, motivation and engagement.
- Communicate information to staff on an ongoing basis to influence staff engagement and to be a part of a larger community.
- Take corrective action in a timely manner.
- Recognize and reward employees for good performance.
- Schedule employee work hours/shifts; monitor hours worked; approve payable time and absence requests.
- Adjust leadership style as needed to achieve results.
- Recognize value of and promote a diverse workforce. Value and encourage diverse perspectives, creativity, and teamwork.

- Perform other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 3 years of direct athletics annual giving program management experience within a higher education setting including direct mail and crowdfunding. 
• Experience managing and implementing athletics fundraising events such as galas and golf tournaments. 
• Experience working with a volunteer board.
• Demonstrated success in raising leadership annual gifts of $1,000 or more. 
• Demonstrated ability and/or experience fostering a supportive and effective workplace while working with students and/or colleagues to uphold institutional excellence.
• OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree.
• Experience raising major gifts of $25,000 or higher.
• Demonstrated participation in programs designed to promote student success.
• Demonstrated commitment to improving access to higher education for students through various activities.

Professional Competencies:

• Working with donors and prospects: Confidently builds relationships towards solicitation, occasional personalized stewardship. Comfortable closing major and planned gifts. Displays intellectual and social curiosity by asking probing questions and develops links between seemingly disparate ideas. Excellent communication skills and able to make persuasive verbal and written case for support.
• Portfolio Management and Systems: Ability to prioritize portfolio and plan for donor pipeline and able to succeed in a metrics driven environment.
• Institutional Knowledge and Navigation: Understands role of Advancement as part of highly functioning university and has industry network to keep knowledge updated
• Pipeline Strategy and Development: Understands and is able to draw on resources across the university and advancement to develop prospect pipeline.
• Volunteer Management: Works strategically with volunteers to enhance engagement, cultivation, and solicitation efforts.
• Strategic Planning: Able to plan out fundraising goals and activities over multiple years as part of a wider Advancement effort.
• Academic Leadership: Able to work closely with academic leaders on planning and donor activity and leverage their skills towards fundraising success.
• Discretion and Confidentiality: Works with high level donors with discretion and tact.

Institutional Competencies:

• Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines, and work schedules.
• Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action.
• Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives.
• Commitment to Belonging: Values the uniqueness of every individual and fosters an environment where everyone feels respected and empowered to thrive. 

Don't meet every single requirement? At CWU, we're committed to creating a welcoming and genuine workplace. If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification, we still encourage you to apply. This could be the opportunity you're looking for!

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

Salary: This position has a minimum annual salary of $80,588 and maximum annual salary of $120,883.  Tier 1: $80,588 - $94,020 (Expected hiring range): Considered fair value for a newly hired employee meeting the basic requirements of the job, and those who are new to a director-level role.  Tier 2: $94,020 - $107,451 (Potentially considered hiring range): May be considered if a fully competent applicant has 3 or more years of experience in a director-level or similar role, and able to quickly assimilate and consistently meet or exceed performance expectations.  Tier 3: $107,451 - $120,883 (Longevity range, not considered for hiring)

Schedule/Appointment: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm (1 hour lunch), with some weekends and evenings

Working Conditions: Work is performed in an indoor office setting with frequent in-person interactions. It is essential to be able to remain at a desk/computer workstation for prolonged periods of time, perform extensive data entry and other computer-related tasks and create/maintain filing systems for departmental records. Attendance at University and College events and functions which may occur in the evening and/or weekends. Extensive travel away from the office is required.

Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator. 

An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program.

How To Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the on-line application and attach:

• A detailed cover letter clearly demonstrating how your education and experience: (a) meet the required (and, as applicable, preferred) qualifications, and (b) demonstrate the ability to perform the responsibilities as described by the posting; 
   
• Resume including work history, education, training; and
   
• Contact information for three professional references.

Screening Begins: June 13, 2025

**Priority will be given to applications received by the screening date. Incomplete applications may not be considered.

Contact Information

Name: Suzanne Merritt
Title: University Advancement Engagement Coordinator
Email: Suzanne.Merritt@cwu.edu
Phone:509-963-1891
Website: www.cwu.edu/

Please contact Human Resources at hr@cwu.edu or 509-963-1202 if you require technical assistance with the on-line application process. 

Conditions of Employment

Background Check/Reference Check Process:

Prior to employment, final candidate(s) will be required to sign a Sexual Misconduct disclosure in pursuant to RCW 28B.112.080 and submit to a background check. All information obtained through background investigations will be strictly confidential and revealed only to those required to have access.

Notice to Prospective Employees:

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Statement

Central Washington University is an EEO/AA/Title IX Institution. Central Washington University's policies and practices affirm and actively promote the rights of all individuals to equal opportunity in education and employment. Discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, disability, or status as a protected veteran is prohibited. The university provides an internal procedure for reporting discrimination and affords protection against retaliation for participating in the complaint process. Central Washington University complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and executive orders including when soliciting bids and in the fulfillment of all contracts with governmental agencies. Direct related inquiries to Civil Rights Compliance, 202 Barge Hall, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7501; Telephone 509-963-2050; or email crc@cwu.edu.

Reasonable Accommodations

Central Washington University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact Human Resources at HR@cwu.edu or call 509-963-1202. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)

For the Central Washington University Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (i.e. Clery Report) which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, available online here or call CWU Police and Parking Services at 509-963-2959 for a paper copy.