POSTED 9/29/2023
Abstract
The Angeletti Group invites nominations and applications to join the advancement team of Jacksonville University as a Director of Major Gifts for the College of Arts & Sciences.
Job Description
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Angeletti Group invites nominations and applications to join the advancement team of Jacksonville University as a Director of Major Gifts for the College of Arts & Sciences.
The College of Arts & Sciences is the educational core of Jacksonville University, generating the largest number of graduates of all of the University’s professional schools and promoting a complete experience for all JU students. The College of Arts & Sciences provides students with meaningful internships, impactful faculty-student research, and rewarding service-learning and study abroad opportunities in the disciplines of the natural sciences, social sciences, education, and mathematics.
This Director will also oversee fundraising related to Jacksonville University’s unique, interdisciplinary learning communities, the Marine Science Research Institute (MSRI) and the Public Policy Institute (PPI).
This is a unique opportunity for an entrepreneurial fundraiser to join the growing University Advancement department and forge new relationships across disciplines on behalf of the University and its transformative fundraising campaign.
JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY’S BOLD VISION AND SURGING SUCCESS
Jacksonville University is transforming lives through innovations, scientific inquiry, and generating economic opportunity and growth that spans multiple community and public service sectors. As northeast Florida’s premier private institution of higher education, Jacksonville University recently celebrated four consecutive years being ranked among the top 25 percent of regional universities on U.S. News & World Report’s prestigious list of Best Colleges, as well as consistent recognition as a Best Value and Military Friendly school.
Founded in 1934, Jacksonville University offers more than 100 majors, minors, and programs, including in-demand degrees in Nursing, Business, Marine Science, Engineering, Finance, Public Policy, Education, Biology, and Psychology, as well as those in the highly specialized fields of Aviation, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Film, Animation, and Healthcare Administration. In recent years, the University has successfully expanded to include five colleges, eleven schools and four & institutes—including the recently announced College of Law and four-year medical school in partnership with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine—and it has established nearly 500 partnerships with worldclass companies, healthcare providers, and community organizations. Every day, Jacksonville University delivers on its unwavering commitment to enhancing the lives of our students, our state, and the world forever.
Jacksonville University’s President, Tim Cost, celebrated 10 years of service to the University this February. Under President Cost’s leadership, the University has enjoyed an era of unparalleled success and growth. The Costs helped build the University into a $400 million economic engine for Jacksonville and for the Arlington community it calls home. The growth, and the President’s proactive approach to partnership, also helped attract more than $500 million in private investment and development throughout Arlington.
MADE. CAMPAIGN: BUILDING ON SUCCESS
This year, the University will launch the Future. Made. Campaign, the largest campaign in the institution’s history. This initiative has already attracted record-breaking gifts and pledges from alumni, corporate and community leaders, and friends in support of the University’s priorities across healthcare, technology, business, and law.
To date, the campaign has raised $90 million in the silent phase toward its $175 million goal in support of regional expansion of the University, the construction of the Medical Mall, development of both on and off campus areas, including activation of the Waterfront, and programs that challenge and enable students, faculty, and staff to reach new heights. Led by an engaged and active Campaign Committee comprised of alumni, donors, staff, and volunteers, the Future. Made. Campaign represents the next frontier for innovation and investment at Jacksonville University.
Prior to the Future. Made. Campaign, Jacksonville University successfully completed the record-setting ASPIRE campaign in 2018, raising more than $121 million to support game-changing scholarships, inventive academics, sweeping campus upgrades, and dynamic student life. The campaign made possible more than $100M worth of investment into the grounds and facilities of Jacksonville University’s sprawling 240-acre campus, including a Medical Mall along the river.
THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
The College of Arts and Sciences offers a diverse option of majors, minors, and certificates, including the pre-law and pre-med educational tracks. Its disciplines emphasize critical thinking, scientific methods, and communication skills along with a commitment to meaningful research and service to the community and beyond. The College’s renowned faculty work closely with students in small classes to link creative discovery with real-life impacts in businesses, health and environmental agencies, government at all levels, and international organizations.
The College is committed to expanding experiential opportunities for students such as internships, service learning, and study abroad. These opportunities include everything from participating in a worldwide shark study on an OCEARCH vessel to engaging in community service and mentorship in our local neighborhoods. In addition to the School of Sciences & Mathematics and the School of Social Sciences & Education, the College also houses the Marine Science Research Institute and Public Policy Institute.
Leadership of the College is engaged in strategic planning process to build additional career-ready programs, streamline majors and course offerings, elevate research opportunities and fund core research facilities, and ensure students have access to creative opportunities in new and emerging fields. The strategic plan will be shared in Summer 2024. As the primary Jacksonville University college that will send students to medical school, the College plays an important role in the pans for a medical mall on campus as part of the Future. Made. Campaign.
MARINE SCIENCE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
The Marine Science Research Institute is a premier biological and environmental research and education facility for undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, visiting high school and college students, and other scientists and engineers engaged in research involving local, state, and national ecosystems.
MSRI provides opportunities for hands-on research on environmental and ecological issues confronting the St. Johns River as well as gathering information on the life, history and current condition of the river itself. Since the St. Johns, the adjacent wetlands and the nearby Atlantic coastal waters share a kinship of environmental science concerns and issues with similar ecosystems nationwide, the knowledge gained from the research work accomplished at Jacksonville University will have a national benefit.
The MSRI prepares students to engage as stewards of the environment, raises awareness in the community about environmental resources, and fosters a cooperative environment for interdisciplinary research and community outreach. Students are trained to become life-long learners as effective members of the business, civic, and government community where they function as citizen stewards who care for and understand the complex marine environment.
The MSRI houses the St. Johns Riverkeeper, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Northeastern Fisheries Laboratory, the Millar Wilson Laboratory for Environmental Chemistry and OCEARCH.
PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE
The Jacksonville University Public Policy Institute (PPI) offers JU students a Master in Public Policy degree, the first such program offered in the state of Florida. The Institute seeks to play a leading and stewardship role in shaping the future of Florida and the nation through educating, training, and preparing a new generation of leaders in public policy, politics, and leadership and providing a preeminent and neutral gathering place for public policy education, discussion, debate, and solving community problems.
The Public Policy Institute blends classroom discourse and experiential learning. Students go on to serve in leadership roles in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The Institute hosts important debates for the State of Florida and attracts major leaders across the state to provide lectures and discussions for students. Additionally, the PPI is building a strong relationship with the newly opened College of Law, ensuring Jacksonville University has an important role in the landscape of policy, government, and legislation.
DEAN CHRISTOPHER CORBO
Dean Christopher Corbo is Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Jacksonville University. Before coming to Jacksonville in 2022, Dr. Corbo instructed and researched at Wagner College in New York. He has a bachelor’s in biology and a master’s in microbiology from Wagner College and a doctorate in cellular neuroscience from the City University of New York. While at Wagner College, Dr. Corbo was the Director of the Wagner College Electron Microscopy Center, the Director of Wagner College Planetarium, the program director of the microbiology graduate program, the faculty grants coordinator, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, and assistant provost and dean of graduate studies. He received academic awards and honors and has attracted grant funding in areas of biological science. His work has been featured in more than 20 publications and journals, including the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, Scientific Reports, and NeuroSci.
The Director of Major Gifts will work on a daily basis with the Dean of the College to support the overall major gift efforts of Jacksonville University. The Director will serve as the University Advancement liaison to the College of Arts & Sciences, as well as the Marine Science Research Institute and Public Policy Institute, with major gift support provided to the other Colleges or Institutes within the University as needed. Reporting to the Vice President, Advancement and Associate Vice President of Development, this position will also work closely with College and Institute leadership to develop donor strategy and build relationships.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES
• Serve as the primary manager for a portfolio of at minimum 150 prospects, moving potential donors in an appropriate and timely fashion from identification, cultivation, solicitation and to closure of gifts of $25,000 and up.
• Develop a compelling case for support encompassing the wide array of elements that provide an outstanding education, such as capital, operational, scholarly, curricular, and co-circular funding opportunities as well as faculty support, scholarships, and financial aid.
• Recommend and implement short, intermediate and long-term individual major gifts cultivation and solicitation strategies for individual prospects (e.g. University alumni, parents, trustees, friends of the University, current students, board members, faculty and staff), working with administration, faculty, board members, volunteers (as appropriate) to identify and engage new prospects for purposes of meeting fundraising goals.
• Identify prospects, engage in personal outreach, all necessary travel, and oversight of gift closure process, meeting metrics that include an expectation of at minimum 100-125 personal touchpoints/visits per year.
• Plan and implement events and activities (volunteer experiences, tours, receptions, friend-raisers, etc.) for individual major gift donors, using existing activities as appropriate; engage in networking activities or other opportunities to generate potential prospects.
• Work closely with College, Institute and University leadership to support and expand the College of Arts & Sciences Advisory Board.
• Maintain basic knowledge of non-cash gifts, investments and other planned giving opportunities. • Cultivate and expand planned giving opportunities with new and existing donors, and integrate planned gift objectives into donor solicitations in collaboration with Advancement leadership.
• Represent the College of Arts & Sciences externally; participate with College leadership (when appropriate) in community and industry-related events.
• Work with Advancement Marketing and Communications to develop major gift materials (e.g. proposals, overviews and other informational and stewardship materials). • Work with Advancement Services to request research and other information on alumni, parents, and friends to qualify interest and giving potential.
• Monitor weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual activity to achieve individual performance measures (e.g. meetings, proposals, major gift revenue).
• Assist administrators and faculty in the recognition and prioritization of institutional and departmental funding needs, in particular for any assigned schools, departments, units or programs; keep abreast of institutional and departmental priorities, University programs, personalities and events.
• Track and report relationship management activity using Raisers Edge® constituent relationship management system.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative working relationships with other team members.
This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required for this position. The University reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet institutional needs.
QUALIFICATIONS AND PREFERENCES
Jacksonville University is seeking a proven fundraiser with a demonstrated track record of accomplishments. The ideal candidate will possess the following:
• At least five years of fundraising or nonprofit experience, preferably in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated success in major gift fundraising, including the ability to secure gifts of $25,000 or more.
• Experience developing and implementing successful fundraising strategies and plans.
• Advanced knowledge of all aspects of fundraising and donor relations.
• Strong presentation skills, with the ability to effectively communicate the mission, vision, and priorities of the College, professional institutes, and the University to various audiences.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, with the ability to develop compelling proposals and other donorfacing materials.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data to inform fundraising strategies and plans.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of individuals including alumni, faculty, staff, donors, and volunteers.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to forge new relationships on behalf of the College and the University.
• Ability to represent the University with professionalism, integrity, and enthusiasm.
• Strong familiarity with fundraising software, preferably Raiser’s Edge.
• Strong commitment to the mission and values of the College of Arts & Sciences and the University.
Salary: $90,000 - $100,000
How to Apply:
Applications will be accepted until position is filled. To be considered, candidates should submit a statement of interest and CV to The Angeletti Group at search@theangelettigroup.com. Nominations and confidential inquiries can be made to: The Angeletti Group, (973) 540-1400, search@ theangelettigroup.com. Jacksonville University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively seeks to diversify its work force. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex, marital status, handicap, or pregnancy status