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Director, Parent & Family Giving

University of Michigan

University of Michigan

Herndon, VA, USA
Posted on Aug 27, 2025
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How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration and must be attached as the first page of your resume.

To be considered you must be eligible to work in the United States without requiring university sponsorship for continued employment.

The Office of University Development maximizes private support for the University of Michigan.

Job Summary

Your primary responsibility is the identification, cultivation and solicitation of parent prospects living in the great Chicagoland area (and other specific geographic regions to be determined) that are capable of giving in excess of $100,000. This is a hybrid role and frequent travel is required.

Reports to: Executive Director, Parent & Family Giving and Student Life

Supervises: N/A

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future.

Benefits include:

  • Generous time off
  • A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
  • Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Long-term disability coverage
  • Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

Responsibilities*

Major Gifts Fundraising (80%)

  • Advance individual relationships that result in philanthropic contributions:
  • Identify, qualify, and manage a portfolio of approximately 200 prospects with capacity to make gifts of $100,000 and more.
  • Conduct at least 120 personal visits with prospects and donors per year, and participate in a minimum of 20 solicitations per year.
  • Gather data, assess prospects, and develop strategies designed to maximize the current and life-time giving potential of individual prospects.
  • Ensure consistent and appropriate contact, facilitate or make solicitations, and ensure stewardship
  • Develop and maintain an astute awareness of social, business, and philanthropic cultures within assigned territories, and serve as an expert liaison for the campus community.
  • Gain a comprehensive understanding of the priorities of the University and make a successful verbal and written case for supporting important programs and projects, effectively matching the interests of prospects to specific University needs

Programmatic Support (15%)

  • Responsible for creating and leading a subset of our existing Parent & Family Development Leadership Council who will serve as peer solicitors; work with this group, build/manage a best-in-class parent peer solicitation program.
  • Provide fundraising support to major gift officers at individual Schools, Colleges and Units, work with colleagues across campus to implement strategies, and use experience and knowledge to resolve conflicts and build agreement. You will develop and maintain relationships with faculty and administrators.
  • Assist the Executive Director with managing our Parent & Family Development Leadership Council and other committees that may develop over time. Responsibilities may include developing communications, designing meeting content, preparing materials, coordinating activity with campus colleagues, and directing volunteer assignments.
  • Be an active team member in the creation and implementation of our Parent & Family Giving/Student Life team's short-term and long-term planning goals.
  • Work with our Planned Giving colleagues to close planned gifts to the University with an understanding of the principles and techniques associated with planned giving and financial and estate planning. Evaluate and store information about prospects and donors using DART, the University's donor and alumni tracking database.

Other Responsibilities (5%)

  • Perform other responsibilities as required or assigned.

**For a full and detailed job description, please click here

Required Qualifications*

  • A baccalaureate degree
  • 5+ years of significant major gift fundraising experience and/or relevant experience in sales and marketing, or other related fields, in a confidential environment to will be considered.
  • Proven experience working with six and seven-figure gifts or sales and marketing accounts, including the ability to evaluate, qualify, and move prospects through the cultivation/solicitation cycle.
  • Must be able to travel 30-40% of the time both in-state and throughout the country. This includes evenings, weekends, and holidays.
  • Must be able to work with a high degree of discretion and confidentiality and appreciate an interdisciplinary and diverse university environment.
  • Comfort with software for retrieving, organizing and researching appropriate donor/prospect information, and data gathering and manipulation.
  • Discretion and an ability to work with high-level donors and the ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

For additional information about this position and to review other current openings in Development, please visit our website at: https://giving.umich.edu/um/careers

Application Deadline

Although the Posting End Date may indicate otherwise, this job may be filled and closed any time after a posting duration of seven calendar days.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.