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Must have ability to travel throughout Kentucky and the U.S. visiting donors.

Monday – Friday; 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; and some nights and weekends.

The University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law and UK Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement seek to hire a Director of Philanthropy to lead the College’s fundraising efforts, steward donor relationships, and deepen alumni engagement. The Director will be responsible for managing and actively participating in all initiatives related to the College of Law’s donor portfolio, including sustaining alumni relationships, corporate participation, annual giving, and legacy giving, as well as other funding opportunities like grants, galas, event sponsorships, and major gifts. The director will lead the College’s vision for sustained and future growth underwritten by philanthropic giving and will develop and implement plans to reach that vision.

This position will report to the Dean of the College of Law and the University of Kentucky’s Associate Vice President for Philanthropy and work closely with the unit’s executive team, Dean’s Advisory Council, and senior staff to meet fundraising goals and activate volunteer support in pursuit of those goals. The Director of Philanthropy will be responsible for identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift donors and prospects with a giving capacity of $25,000 or more. The incumbent will be responsible for developing and maintaining a well-rounded portfolio of between 125 and 150 donors and prospects and making a minimum of 144 substantive face-to-face visits with major gift donors and prospects a year in order to advance the philanthropic relationship between them and the university. S/he will create a cultivation/solicitation strategy for each prospect for whom a major gift solicitation is planned. A minimum of 20 – 30 major gift proposals/solicitations prepared and delivered annually is required. The incumbent will be responsible for closing a minimum of 15 – 20 gifts annually with an additional 5 – 8 in the pipeline for solicitation the following year, raising a minimum of $1 million – $2 million annually as a direct result of individual portfolio activity.

The incumbent will be a member of the Dean’s senior leadership team and provide counsel to the Dean regarding philanthropy activities. S/he must be an active participant in the daily activities of the college, particularly those relating to philanthropy, and connect with associate deans, college administration, department heads, faculty, and staff on philanthropic initiatives in their respective units. Manage volunteer philanthropy leadership council. May supervise and manage other philanthropy staff in the college, providing mentorship, guidance, fundraising strategy (including prospect strategies and next steps), and ensuring that they are meeting their portfolio, visit, proposal, and yield metrics.

The College strives to nurture a culture of giving among our stakeholders, strengthen relationships with donors and prospective donors, and think creatively about new funding opportunities. We are looking for candidates with significant experience relevant to the above who can share fundraising knowledge with a capable, engaged staff and leadership team, and help to shape fundraising strategy for the College well into the future.

The College is looking for a leader who utilizes the components of design thinking—is ready to seek to understand our college, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and identify alternative strategies and solutions that are both novel and effective. Excellent oral and written communication skills along with an outgoing, professional, and engaging personality is mandatory. In addition, candidates must be comfortable with technology and databases used to support development. Having a respect for and skills to engage with those of other cultures, backgrounds, and business acumen is required.

About the College: https://law.uky.edu/

For additional information about UK Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement visit: https://www.kentuckycan.uky.edu/human-resources-and-talent-management

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to protect our university community including our students, staff, faculty and visitors, the University of Kentucky is requiring COVID-19 vaccination for all new hires prior to starting employment. Therefore, as of October 18, 2021, all new hires prior to their first day of employment must submit appropriate documentation showing, i) completion of the first vaccination against COVID-19, or ii) completion of the full vaccination series against COVID-19, or iii) approved exemption (medical contraindications or a sincerely held religious belief) through the formal exemption process from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement. For those employees who have completed the first vaccination against COVID-19 prior to their first day of employment, the second vaccination (if applicable) must be completed following the vaccination recommended schedule to be considered fully vaccinated.

The ideal candidate will be a strong, collaborative leader with a proven record of success in building and sustaining relationships in fields that would lead to success in major gift giving, particularly related to those in the legal and similar professions. This position requires an individual who understands person-to-person relationships and has the ability to convincingly articulate the vision and priorities of the College and University and match them to the interests of prospective donors. Familiarity with planned giving and charitable gift arrangements is desirable.

Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of seven years of professional experience evidenced by project management and customer relations. Experience working with law professionals is highly desirable.

The University of Kentucky is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce by ensuring all our students, faculty, and staff work in an environment of openness and acceptance. We strive to foster a community where people of all backgrounds, identities, and perspectives can feel secure and welcome. We also value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we strongly encourage veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, and all minorities to consider our employment opportunities.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.