Job Summary
Plan, organize, execute, and measure the Corporate and Foundation Relations programs of the WVU Foundation, Inc. Manage a staff of three. Liaise with key WVU and WVU Medicine stakeholders.
Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Functions and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
The Executive Director is responsible for creating a new and sustainable infrastructure that will elevate and continuously enhance the University and health system’s success in partnering with corporations and foundations.
The Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations is a highly motivated and experienced fund raising professional responsible for soliciting gift and grant funding from in support of West Virginia University and its affiliated entities. This position partners closely with faculty and administrators from across the system in developing initiatives, cultivating relationships, and crafting persuasive grant proposals to fund the strategic priorities of the University. The Executive Director works closely with the University President, Provost, WVU Medicine executives, and others in articulating institutional priorities and large-scale initiatives both internally, and to external funders.
The Senior Director is responsible for the development of overall strategy, prospect identification and planning, proposal development and writing, proposal follow-up and donor stewardship, and coordinates grants administration and reporting functions with other offices of the University, the WVU Research Corporation, the WVU Office of Sponsored Programs, and other appropriate University and Foundation offices. A priority of the position is the effective written and oral presentation of WVU’s mission, programmatic priorities and initiatives, and impacts, especially by means of proposals. In addition, the Executive Director will write concept papers, presentations, and reports, develop budgets to support grant proposals, and engage in ongoing donor outreach activities.
The Executive Director will thoroughly understand the University, the Health Sciences Center, WVU Medicine and its related brands, the Alumni Association, Intercollegiate Athletics, Extension Service, and all other WVU entities and how they operate; develop a comprehensive knowledge of their history, culture, tradition, program, and base of financial support to develop institutional grant proposals for priorities that advance their respective missions. Develop detailed knowledge of key University and Unit programs and priorities, and a working knowledge of other parts of the University by meeting and working with WVU administrators, staff, faculty, and development staff on a regular basis.
Participate cooperatively and regularly in the Foundation’s prospect management and tracking system, following established protocols and best practices. Working with the Foundation offices of Research and Prospect Management, Technology Services, Regional Development, Advancement Services, and other University offices as appropriate, maintain the accuracy, thoroughness, and integrity of records in Blackbaud CRM, or its successor systems. Engage in regular review of corporate and foundation records to ensure that records are appropriately linked, and constituents are correctly recognized. Create a system of separate reviews of the Corporate and Foundation pipelines, prospects, and proposals with all pertinent and appropriate University and Foundation development staff, administrators, and volunteers. The Senior Director will be responsible for review of the overall University Corporate and Foundation pipelines, and ensuring that adequate levels of progress and activity are occurring from Foundation staff and University colleagues.
Work closely with University, WVU Medicine, and WVU Research Corporation staff, development directors, and other representatives to build and significantly expand positive fundraising relationships. Identify key alumni within corporations/foundations and review corporate profiles that suggest potential relationships because of common interests.
Initiate opportunities for faculty, administrators, deans and directors to interact with corporate and foundation prospects and interpret corporate and foundation interests to University and WVU Medicine constituencies. Identify emerging business leadership and industry trends with a special emphasis on developing high value-exchange corporate alliances.
Direct the work of other Foundation development staff in the overall Corporate and Foundation Relations Office. Develop, implement, and review standard performance metrics to measure productivity and balance workloads appropriately between staff. Work in close collaboration with the Office of Sponsored Programs, and colleagues therein to develop and implement a cross-functional team approach to foundation relations and funding. Work directly with University Unit and WVU Medicine development directors and deans/faculty to develop new approaches to foundations and corporations and coordinate these contacts to initiate the cultivation/fundraising process.
Develop highly competitive proposals for corporate and foundation prospects and leverage diverse corporate and foundation goals and preferences in conjunction with WVU goals. Build and maintain relationships with grantor agency/foundation program officers, executives, and other individuals who can help the University achieve success in grant proposal submissions; work closely with program staff to keep foundation program officers apprised of WVU progress.
Conduct in-depth research to identify potential sources of grants from foundations, and work with other Foundation colleagues and teammates to analyze each grantor's program interests, grant procedures, and past charitable donations. Monitor proposal deadlines, prepare and edit proposals, and manage proposal submissions.
Maintain a rigorous schedule of contacts with corporate and foundation representatives, compelling presentations and comprehensive fundraising proposals. Cultivate and steward relationships with faculty and college administration in order to increase the quantity and quality of grant proposals submitted. Develop and execute programs, methods of communication, conduct interviews and debrief faculty and staff on corporate and foundation-related gift and grant opportunities.
Draft budgets for new projects and work collaboratively with the Finance department, Foundation staff and University and WVU Medicine colleagues, and project directors/ principal investigators to monitor project budgets to meet reporting requirements. Monitor grant reporting deadlines and work closely with program officers and senior management to ensure that reports are submitted on a timely basis, in full compliance with the foundation's reporting standards.
Ensure that stewardship and reporting requirements are met to sustain successful partnerships by maintaining detailed records of solicitation activities.
Hold membership in national, regional, and statewide associations and formal/informal networks to stay abreast of the latest techniques, tax issues, and any and all other best practices for proactive corporate and foundation programs. Deploy staff positions as appropriate to maximize coverage of worthwhile programs and conferences.
Maintain a personal portfolio of prospects and donors. Travel locally, regionally, and nationally for the purpose of advancing the missions of the University, to cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects and donors. In those meetings, be prepared to represent the University and WVU Medicine, and individual units or programs, and their respective plans and priorities requiring private support. Direct and charge appropriate program staff to do the same either separately or in concert with the Director.
The Senior Director will work with Donor Relations to develop and execute stewardship plans and programs for one-off corporate and foundation donors, the entire Corporate and Foundation programs, or respective segments of planned gift donors.
In coordination with, and as directed by, appropriate Foundation management, create and assist in the development and presentation of continuing education opportunities for members of the University and Foundation development community to ensure that they are fully equipped with tools and knowledge to represent Corporate and Foundation gift/grant opportunities to the University’s gift partners, vendors, employers of WVU students, etc.
Develop annual goals with measurable objectives for the Corporate and Foundation Relations program. Regularly and as needed, review these annual plan and goals, and report on progress, challenges, and fulfillment of these goals on a regular basis with the Associate Vice President, Central Development.
Assume additional responsibilities and duties as assigned by the Associate Vice President, Central Development, the Chief Development Officer, or President of the Foundation.
Qualifications
Education, Experience and Competencies:
Competencies
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
- Multi-tasking - Ability to work on multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
- Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others.
- Customer Service - Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Solicits customer feedback to improve service; Responds to requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments.
- Interpersonal Skills - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things.
- Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.
- Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.
- Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
- Ethics - Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically; Upholds organizational values.
- Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; supports organization's goals and values; Benefits organization through outside activities; Supports affirmative action and respects diversity.
- Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.
- Motivation - Sets and achieves challenging goals; Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; Measures self against standard of excellence; Takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.
- Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.
- Professionalism - Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.
- Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.
- Quantity - Meets productivity standards; Completes work in timely manner; Strives to increase productivity; Works quickly.
- Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
- Attendance/Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
- Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.
- Initiative - Volunteers readily; Undertakes self-development activities; Seeks increased responsibilities; Takes independent actions and calculated risks; Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; Asks for and offers help when needed.
Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below 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.
Education and/or Experience
Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree; a graduate degree is preferred. A minimum of ten years of direct and progressively responsible experience in corporate and foundation fundraising techniques is required. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in higher education; with experience at a comprehensive research university; with experience, knowledge, execution, and successful examples of completed gifts from corporations and foundations. Strong written, verbal, organization, and interpersonal skills are required. Successful candidates will be self-motivated and possess the ability to work as a team member within a complex organization requiring collaboration, teamwork, and communication.
Computer Skills
Must possess the capacity and willingness to fully engage in a technology driven development operation including proficiency in: customer relationship management systems, currently Raiser’s Edge and other Blackbaud products; Microsoft Office products; external and online research databases.
Physical Demands
Travel by air and car will be required.
Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Certificates, Licenses and Registrations: N/A
Physical requirements
While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use his/her hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, and possibly at times, climb or balance, stoop or kneel. Vision abilities required to perform this job include close vision. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
Supervisory Responsibilities
This position will supervise all corporate and foundation gift staff.
Other Duties
Work Environment: The position is expected to be in-person primarily, but over time, hybrid may be acceptable in alignment with the WVUF work/telecommuting policy. Travel is required at times for this position.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.
