Director of Development

USC Marshall School of Business
External Affairs – Development

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” comprised of the faculty, students, staff, alumni and parents that make our university a world-class research institution.  

USC’s Marshall School of Business is seeking a Director of Development to join its External Relations team.

The Director of Development will serve as a major gifts officer and manage a portfolio of potential and current donors who are capable of making gifts to USC Marshall of at least $100,000. The Director will execute and participate in the development of sophisticated fundraising plans to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward alumni, parents and friends in Southern California and possibly other assigned geographic regions. In addition, the Director may be called upon to manage or take on a special project by industry or funding priority. This position reports to the Senior Executive Director of Development.

The USC Marshall Office of External Relations relies on strong partnerships with our leadership, faculty, and campus partners. Our strategy emphasizes the long view, honoring a donor’s lifelong relationship with USC and empowering those who come after us to successfully build on our efforts.

Job Accountabilities:

Manage a portfolio of major gift ($100K+) relationships within an assigned geographic region.

Research, identify and cultivate potential major gift donors to support the USC Marshall School of Business through endowment and current use gifts.

Utilize knowledge of prospects’ interests to develop and execute sophisticated, donor-centered solicitation strategies for major gift prospects. Plan long-range, multi-step engagement strategies.

This position requires a sophisticated and comprehensive understanding of fundraising best-practices.

Develop a major gift fundraising plan for assigned regions and possibly for a specific industry.

Plan and conduct face-to-face meetings and visits with donors and potential donors. 

Serve in an ongoing stewardship capacity for current donors, creating meaningful Marshall and USC connections and experiences as well as recognition opportunities for donors

Responsible for meeting or exceeding assigned annual and monthly goals including, but not limited to, goals for face-to-face visits, solicitations, successful gift closures, and dollars raised.

Success will be measured by the Director’s ability to uncover prospective donors’ philanthropic interests; the quality of their prospect strategies; their ability to move donors from cultivation to solicitation, and the successful closure of gifts.

Prepare well-written correspondence, visit briefings, strategy documents, solicitation proposals, and stewardship reports, working both independently and with colleagues in External Relations.

Strategically leverage academic leadership, including Dean, Senior Associate Dean, faculty, and other gift officers in process of cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors to USC Marshall.

Maintain knowledge of planned giving opportunities; use knowledge in prospect cultivation and solicitation as appropriate.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Preferred Qualifications:

Masters Degree

7+ years’ proven experience in major gifts development for a school, hospital or other similar institution.

Demonstrated persistency and ability to cultivate and close on major gifts.

Ability to professionally form and leverage relationships with top prospects, engage key constituents, and secure significant gifts through effective relationship management on an ongoing basis.

The ideal candidate will bring the highest levels of professionalism, organization, collegiality, self-motivation, and a strong desire for continuous improvement.

Exceptional active listening skills: ability to draw out interests, motivations, and objections to advance gift conversations

Strategic and conceptual thinker with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and handle even difficult situations with aplomb and a sense of humor

High level of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and initiative

Team orientation and natural inclination toward collaboration and leading through influence. Willing to mentor colleagues as appropriate

Goal oriented and results driven

Ability and willingness to travel frequently

Must be capable of working across disciplinary and interdisciplinary lines, and interacting successfully with a diverse constituency of varying abilities, backgrounds, interests and beliefs

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Passion for transformative power of higher education and business schools. Interest in business, and the ability to be a persuasive advocate for business education.

Knowledge of complex academic institutions and experience staffing academic leaders in development work is preferred

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree; combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience: 5 years, Combined education/experience as substitute for minimum experience

Minimum Field of Expertise: Major campaign, fundraising, public relations and/or volunteer management experience

Anticipated Hiring Range:

The salary range for this position is $122,599.62 - $170,664.12. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations."

Required Documents and Additional Information:

Resume and cover letter required (may be uploaded as one file). Please do not submit your application without these documents.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of five calendar days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended, so please apply on the same business day if interested.

USC has excellent benefits, including health benefits for staff and their family with access to the renowned university medical network; eligibility for retirement plans with employer contributions after six months of employment; tuition benefits for staff and their family; free Professional Development classes; central Los Angeles location with easy access to commuter trains, buses and free tram pick up services; discounts to sporting and other campus events.

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer that Values Diversity.

Why join the USC Marshall School of Business?

The USC Marshall School of Business is ideally positioned to address the challenges of a rapidly changing business environment and is ranked as one of the country’s top schools for accounting, finance, marketing, consulting, entrepreneurship and international business studies. USC Marshall builds on the unique opportunities that stem from its Los Angeles location on the Pacific Rim, its interdisciplinary and impactful research, the momentum generated by the University of Southern California, and the unparalleled engagement of the Trojan Alumni Family. With ready access to industries defining the new business frontier, including bio-technology, life sciences, media, entertainment, communications and healthcare, this vast network offers USC Marshall graduates exceptionally strong support for success in the global marketplace.

For more information on the USC Marshall School of Business, visit: www.marshall.usc.edu.