Executive Director of Development

Executive Director of Development

Job Title: Executive Director of Development

Department: Advancement and University Relations

Reports to: Vice President of Advancement and University Relations

Effective Date: 9/22/25

# of Direct Reports: 2

# of People Supported: 2

Job Description:

The Executive Director of Development at senior member of the Office of Advancement and University Relations, charged with leading the university's major gift, leadership giving, and annual giving programs. This individual is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing integrated, data-driven fundraising strategies that drive significant philanthropic support for the university's strategic priorities. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Advancement and University Relations, the Executive Director serves as a key member of the Advancement leadership team, partnering closely with senior administrators, academic leaders, and the broader campus community to cultivate and steward a robust donor base.

In addition to managing a personal portfolio of principal and major gift prospects, the Executive Director provides visionary leadership and oversight of the entire development function-building and growing teams, fostering a culture of accountability and excellence, and ensuring that best practices in pipeline management and donor engagement are fully integrated across all fundraising efforts. This role also includes partnering with the Vice President to develop and implement a planned giving program, further enhancing Manhattanville's long-term philanthropic sustainability.

Through proactive collaboration with academic deans, department heads, and external stakeholders, including the Westchester County corporate and philanthropic sectors, the Executive Director helps identify funding priorities and mobilize resources to support the university's academic and programmatic goals. The position requires a strategic, data-informed approach to fundraising, with a strong focus on measurable outcomes, team mentorship, and community engagement.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains new staff.

Oversees the daily workflow of the department.

Provides constructive and timely performance evaluations.

Handles discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Provides strategic oversight and leadership for the university's annual giving, leadership giving, and major gifts programs, with a focus on building sustainable pipelines of philanthropic support and deepening donor engagement at all levels.

Develops and implements comprehensive, data-informed strategies for each fundraising segment-annual, leadership, and major gifts-ensuring integration across programs and alignment with institutional priorities.

Works closely with the Vice President of Advancement and University Relations to develop and implement a planned giving strategy, including identifying prospects, building internal processes, and integrating planned giving into overall development efforts.

Recruits, trains, and manages fundraising staff in the areas of annual giving, leadership giving, and major gifts; mentors team members to ensure growth, accountability, and high performance, while fostering a culture of strategic goal-setting grounded in metrics, data analysis, and continuous improvement across all areas of frontline fundraising.

Manages a personal portfolio of major and principal gift prospects, serving as a lead relationship manager responsible for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

Collaborates with internal partners to support a seamless donor experience and to steward donors at all levels.

Works with the Vice President to set annual and campaign fundraising goals and create actionable plans to achieve them, with appropriate metrics and tracking.

Leads efforts to analyze donor and prospect data to evaluate performance, inform strategic decisions, and refine team priorities.

Serves as a key liaison to academic deans and department heads, partnering with them to identify fundraising priorities, cultivate prospective donors, and develop strategies to secure support for school- and program-specific initiatives

Partners with the President, Vice President, Trustees, and other key stakeholders to coordinate high-level donor cultivation and solicitation efforts.

Assists in staffing and advising the Board of Trustees and its committees on matters related to fundraising strategy and donor engagement.

Collaborates with the Vice President for University Advancement to deepen Manhattanville's engagement with the Westchester County corporate and philanthropic communities, cultivating strategic relationships to broaden the donor base and enhance regional philanthropic support.

Represents Manhattanville University at key donor meetings, events, and public engagement opportunities.

Plays a leadership role in fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven culture across the Advancement division.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Skills/Abilities:

Deep understanding of the major and principal gift cultivation cycle, from identification through stewardship, with demonstrated skill in moving prospects through the pipeline efficiently and strategically.

Strong ability to coach, train, and manage gift officers on pipeline development, portfolio optimization, and relationship-building techniques.

Proficiency in using data analytics to track and evaluate fundraising performance, inform strategy, and guide frontline fundraiser activity (e.g., gift officer dashboards, predictive modeling, donor segmentation).

Skilled in developing moves management strategies and implementing systems that support accountability, focus, and donor engagement across portfolios.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling donor communications and proposals.

Strong interpersonal and relationship-building abilities, capable of establishing trust and credibility with donors, staff, faculty, trustees, and other key stakeholders.

Demonstrated ability to prioritize and execute complex tasks in a fast-paced, goal-oriented environment.

Strong knowledge of the philanthropic and corporate sectors in the Westchester County area, with the ability to leverage regional networks and relationships to advance fundraising goals.

Commitment to confidentiality, discretion, and ethical fundraising practices.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and fundraising CRM systems (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Slate, Salesforce, or similar platforms).

A collaborative mindset with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach to challenges and opportunities.

Ability to think strategically, manage competing priorities, and achieve short- and long-term goals.

Qualifications:

Demonstrated success in managing a personal portfolio of major gift donors.

Prior experience in higher education or a similarly complex nonprofit institution.

Proven experience recruiting, managing, mentoring, and retaining high-performing fundraising teams.

Experience working collaboratively within fast-paced, goal-oriented environments with multiple stakeholders.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including persuasive proposal and case statement writing.

Demonstrated success in building consensus and handling sensitive donor and volunteer interactions with tact and professionalism.

Experience with strategic budget management and resource planning.

Strong leadership presence with the ability to represent the University with integrity and professionalism to internal and external audiences.

Education: Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, with a strong track record in securing six- and seven-figure gifts.

Physical Requirements: The position requires prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Additionally, occasional travel will be necessary to attend donor meetings, events, and other university-related functions.

Hours Expectation: Full-time, 35 hours per week, with flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed to support events and donor engagement activities.

Housing: H ousing is not provided.

Benefits: Manhattanville University also offers a highly competitive and comprehensive benefits package, including tuition remission. For more information regarding benefits, please visit our benefits page:

# of People Supported: 2

Job Description:

The Executive Director of Development at senior member of the Office of Advancement and University Relations, charged with leading the university's major gift, leadership giving, and annual giving programs. This individual is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing integrated, data-driven fundraising strategies that drive significant philanthropic support for the university's strategic priorities. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Advancement and University Relations, the Executive Director serves as a key member of the Advancement leadership team, partnering closely with senior administrators, academic leaders, and the broader campus community to cultivate and steward a robust donor base.

In addition to managing a personal portfolio of principal and major gift prospects, the Executive Director provides visionary leadership and oversight of the entire development function-building and growing teams, fostering a culture of accountability and excellence, and ensuring that best practices in pipeline management and donor engagement are fully integrated across all fundraising efforts. This role also includes partnering with the Vice President to develop and implement a planned giving program, further enhancing Manhattanville's long-term philanthropic sustainability.

Through proactive collaboration with academic deans, department heads, and external stakeholders, including the Westchester County corporate and philanthropic sectors, the Executive Director helps identify funding priorities and mobilize resources to support the university's academic and programmatic goals. The position requires a strategic, data-informed approach to fundraising, with a strong focus on measurable outcomes, team mentorship, and community engagement.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains new staff.

Oversees the daily workflow of the department.

Provides constructive and timely performance evaluations.

Handles discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Provides strategic oversight and leadership for the university's annual giving, leadership giving, and major gifts programs, with a focus on building sustainable pipelines of philanthropic support and deepening donor engagement at all levels.

Develops and implements comprehensive, data-informed strategies for each fundraising segment-annual, leadership, and major gifts-ensuring integration across programs and alignment with institutional priorities.

Works closely with the Vice President of Advancement and University Relations to develop and implement a planned giving strategy, including identifying prospects, building internal processes, and integrating planned giving into overall development efforts.

Recruits, trains, and manages fundraising staff in the areas of annual giving, leadership giving, and major gifts; mentors team members to ensure growth, accountability, and high performance, while fostering a culture of strategic goal-setting grounded in metrics, data analysis, and continuous improvement across all areas of frontline fundraising.

Manages a personal portfolio of major and principal gift prospects, serving as a lead relationship manager responsible for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

Collaborates with internal partners to support a seamless donor experience and to steward donors at all levels.

Works with the Vice President to set annual and campaign fundraising goals and create actionable plans to achieve them, with appropriate metrics and tracking.

Leads efforts to analyze donor and prospect data to evaluate performance, inform strategic decisions, and refine team priorities.

Serves as a key liaison to academic deans and department heads, partnering with them to identify fundraising priorities, cultivate prospective donors, and develop strategies to secure support for school- and program-specific initiatives

Partners with the President, Vice President, Trustees, and other key stakeholders to coordinate high-level donor cultivation and solicitation efforts.

Assists in staffing and advising the Board of Trustees and its committees on matters related to fundraising strategy and donor engagement.

Collaborates with the Vice President for University Advancement to deepen Manhattanville's engagement with the Westchester County corporate and philanthropic communities, cultivating strategic relationships to broaden the donor base and enhance regional philanthropic support.

Represents Manhattanville University at key donor meetings, events, and public engagement opportunities.

Plays a leadership role in fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven culture across the Advancement division.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Skills/Abilities:

Deep understanding of the major and principal gift cultivation cycle, from identification through stewardship, with demonstrated skill in moving prospects through the pipeline efficiently and strategically.

Strong ability to coach, train, and manage gift officers on pipeline development, portfolio optimization, and relationship-building techniques.

Proficiency in using data analytics to track and evaluate fundraising performance, inform strategy, and guide frontline fundraiser activity (e.g., gift officer dashboards, predictive modeling, donor segmentation).

Skilled in developing moves management strategies and implementing systems that support accountability, focus, and donor engagement across portfolios.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling donor communications and proposals.

Strong interpersonal and relationship-building abilities, capable of establishing trust and credibility with donors, staff, faculty, trustees, and other key stakeholders.

Demonstrated ability to prioritize and execute complex tasks in a fast-paced, goal-oriented environment.

Strong knowledge of the philanthropic and corporate sectors in the Westchester County area, with the ability to leverage regional networks and relationships to advance fundraising goals.

Commitment to confidentiality, discretion, and ethical fundraising practices.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and fundraising CRM systems (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Slate, Salesforce, or similar platforms).

A collaborative mindset with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach to challenges and opportunities.

Ability to think strategically, manage competing priorities, and achieve short- and long-term goals.

Qualifications:

Demonstrated success in managing a personal portfolio of major gift donors.

Prior experience in higher education or a similarly complex nonprofit institution.

Proven experience recruiting, managing, mentoring, and retaining high-performing fundraising teams.

Experience working collaboratively within fast-paced, goal-oriented environments with multiple stakeholders.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including persuasive proposal and case statement writing.

Demonstrated success in building consensus and handling sensitive donor and volunteer interactions with tact and professionalism.

Experience with strategic budget management and resource planning.

Strong leadership presence with the ability to represent the University with integrity and professionalism to internal and external audiences.

Education: Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, with a strong track record in securing six- and seven-figure gifts.

Physical Requirements: The position requires prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Additionally, occasional travel will be necessary to attend donor meetings, events, and other university-related functions.

Hours Expectation: Full-time, 35 hours per week, with flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed to support events and donor engagement activities.

Housing: H ousing is not provided.

Benefits: Manhattanville University also offers a highly competitive and comprehensive benefits package, including tuition remission. For more information regarding benefits, please visit our benefits page: Manhattanville Benefits

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and qualified candidates may be invited to interview before the application deadline. We encourage you to apply early, as the position may be filled prior to the closing date.

Manhattanville University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other applicable federal and state statutes, all recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status or other applicable status protected by law, including state of employment protected classes. If you are unable to complete this application process, contact Manhattanville Human Resources at [email protected] to ask for assistance.

Job Type: Full Time
Pay: $140,000 - $160,000

To apply, visit