This position is responsible for helping the university reach its fundraising goals through identifying, cultivating, and soliciting corporations and corporate foundations. In addition, this position will development new giving opportunities and vehicles that meet the needs of our students and university in collaboration with members of the Philanthropy Team.
Primary Duties
Portfolio Management: Identify, cultivate, and solicit corporate support from new and existing partners.

• Maintain a portfolio of corporate partners and ensure timely communication, connection, and cultivation of gifts.
• Develop an annual plan to identify, qualify, and cultivate prospects; solicit and close leadership and major funding requests to meet short and long-term goals of the university.
• Act as primary pipeline creator for corporate supporters.
• Develop and implement strategies to engage companies with key University funding priorities (i.e. Talent Link, Blue Dot, etc.).

Proposal Execution: Assist and lead philanthropic asks from inception to completion through proposals and complex collaboration.

• Effectively communicate with diverse internal and external constituencies, including university leadership, faculty, donors, and volunteers.
• Lead project management for complex philanthropic gifts.
• Execute gift materials, including briefing memos, proposals, and stewardship materials. Collaborate with Donor Relations to develop and implement strategies to ensure appropriate stewardship of prospects and donors.
• Write, oversee, and assist with final proposals and reports to corporations.
• Execute proposals for corporate foundation requests in collaboration with the Assistant Director of Foundation Relations.

Process and Procedures: Collaborate with Director to maintain and enhance Corporate Partnership processes and procedures - as needed.

• Track and report relationship management activity using constituent relationship management system including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospective and current corporate prospective, leadership, and major donors. Report weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual activity to leadership as part of responsibility to achieve major gift revenue goals.
• Use the development CRM to document all donor interactions in a timely fashion, including contact reports for prospect and donor engagements and key conversations, ensuring data consistency and accuracy with prospect and donor records.

Culture and Collaboration:

• Contribute positively to the culture within the University Development division and University as a whole.
• Represent the University and the GVU Foundation at University and college events, as well as community, volunteer, and professional organizations.

Perform other duties as required/assigned by leadership.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor's degree or knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program.
• Three plus years of post-graduate fundraising, non-profit, relationship management, higher education, or related experience.
• An ability to align the priorities of the university, identify their passions for investment, while also clearly communicating the university's mission and priorities are vital.
• Proven track record of leading/supporting projects or gift requests with a deep understanding of the principles that drive project management or fundraising success.
• Strong interpersonal and human relations skills; effectively interact with all levels of leadership within the university and members of the community.
• Ability to communicate in a logical, influential, and persuasive manner to create confidence and trust in donors.
• Ability to lead and manage projects from inception to conclusion.
• Computer proficiency with a working knowledge of CRM databases.
• Ability to travel as needed and work some evenings and weekends.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Five plus years of post-graduate fundraising, non-profit, relationship management, higher education, or related experience.
• Successful higher education fundraising, corporate philanthropy, or non-profit leadership experience.
• Prior experience working with executives and professionals.
• Strategic mindset: ability to be forward-thinking and to create long-term relationships for maximum gifts, rather than focusing on single transactions.
• Ability to adapt within formal, confidential, and various business and social settings.
• Proven successful experience working in a complex environment on multiple and diverse projects.
• Ability to maintain constructive relationships and to demonstrate respect for everyone contacted.
• Meets challenges with curiosity and a desire to learn.
• Able to engage as a part of a team to meet personal and jointly held goals work as part of a team.
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of integrity and trust, and must be a visionary, self-starter with a sense of urgency and a clear set of expectations.

Salary
$65,000-$74,000, commensurate with experience
Working Conditions

• Normal office environment.
• Office hours Monday - Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.
• Some travel and evening/weekend work may be required.

How to Apply

• Attach your cover letter and resume. You may add additional required documents here. The system will allow you to attach these documents electronically. If you have questions about the position or the posting, please contact Ashley Spicer at 616-331-6535 or spiceras@gvsu.edu. If you need technical assistance, please call Human Resources at 616-331-2215.

Application Deadline

• Application review begins June 28. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. GVSU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. See www.gvsu.edu/affirmative/. TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State).
Grand Valley State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for racial and ethnic minorities, women, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. University policy extends protections to additional identities.