Associate Director of Development, CANR / Development Officer IIWorking/FunctionalTitle
Associate Director of Development, CANR
Position Summary
Are you passionate about building relationshipsand securing major gifts for interdisciplinary research that tackles pressing global challenges? The College of Agriculture and NaturalResources at Michigan State University is the largest STEM academic unit. It is a dynamic interdisciplinary powerhouse focused on solvingglobal challenges that reach far beyond traditional agriculture. The college, along with MSU Extension and AgBio Research, serves as anepicenter of innovation that tackles pressing global issues such as climate science, sustainability, urban planning, food security, andpublic health.
The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University is seeking a talented and ambitiousindividual to join our collaborative development team as the Associate Director of Development.
In this results-oriented position,you'll play a critical role in shaping the future of STEM education and research. You'll leverage your strategic thinking and interpersonalskills to cultivate relationships with alumni and friends, securing vital resources that fuel innovation and opportunity in the College ofAgriculture and Natural Resources.
What will you do?
- Become a champion for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resourcesand Michigan State University by raising support for cutting-edge research with a real-world impact across multiple fields: You'll manage aportfolio of 90- 100 prospects, fostering long-term relationships that elevate the College's reputation and fuel itssuccess.
- Uncover hidden potential: Employ your keen eye for discovery to identify new alumni and donors, building a robust pipelinefor future giving.
- Leverage your strategic planning experience: Develop and execute personalized cultivation and stewardshipstrategies, averaging 12-15 strategic face-to-face visits and 2-4 solicitations per month.
- Collaborate for collective success:Partner with faculty, college leadership, and internal stakeholders to deepen relationships and maximize your impact.
- Be a part ofand learn from a team dedicated to building a cohesive culture: Work alongside a high-performing development team, sharing best practicesand celebrating collective achievements.
Why You'll Love Working Here:
- Make a tangible difference: Your efforts will directlytranslate into increased resources that empower students, faculty, research, and programs in the College of Agriculture and NaturalResources, AgBio Research, and MSU Extension.
- Join a collaborative environment: We foster a supportive and team-oriented atmospherewhere you'll be empowered to grow and excel.
- Be part of a prestigious institution: You'll have the privilege of doing Spartan greenand white, while representing the land grant mission to provide high-quality education, conduct research, and engage with the public toadvance knowledge and improve lives.
The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, along with AgBio Research, Michigan StateUniversity Extension (MSUE), and the Office of University Advancement, is seeking an accomplished, responsive, and collaborative member ofits External Relations team. This team member will be the primary development liaison with several units within the college and willidentify, cultivate, solicit, and steward alumni and friends of CANR, MSUE, and AgBioResearch, as well as business, industry, andfoundations, in support of the Land Grant mission and the units' priorities. The ability to think and act strategically will be critical tothe success of this position.
The duties of the Associate Director of Development are as follows but are not limitedto:
Duties and Responsibilities:
Fundraising -
- Engage in the identification, cultivation, and solicitationof gifts from mainly individuals, and some corporations, and professional groups in support of the College of Agriculture and NaturalResources strategic and campaign priorities.
- Collaborate and coordinate with University Advancement, and administrators and facultyof in the college to create and carry out fundraising strategies and solicitation of gifts of $100,000 and more.
- Identify andmaintain an active pool of 90-100 prospects under strategic management.
- Achieve college fundraising goals through an active andconsistent program of prospect and donor outreach that includes 180 significant contacts annually.
- Utilize phone calls, email, mail,social media, and other strategies to identify, connect with, and engage alumni with the goal of soliciting financialsupport.
- Identify, qualify, and work to build strong, engaged relationships with major gift prospects to determine and mergeprospect passions, interests, and needs with the college's funding priority areas.
- Schedule joint prospect visits with members ofcollege leadership, faculty, or other Development colleagues.
- Serve as a liaison officer between the unit and donors and potentialdonors to ensure that such information and service as may be desired is provided to the full extent permitted by university policy, rules,and regulations.
- Serve as a consultant to donors on the tax advantage of various types of gifts.
- Plan and host campus visitsfor donors or potential donors and their representatives.
- Prepare annual personal fundraising goals and analyze and report on goalachievement.
- Assist in planning and implementing special-purpose appeals.
- A significant amount of the Associate Directorstime will be dedicated to traveling out of state and managing prospect activity within a few major metro areas.
Program Management-
- Develop and prepare solicitation appeals, proposals, and other materials with focus on gifts of $100,000 or more that, through theclear identification of funding priorities and articulation of the case for support of the college, engender a level of understanding thatis conducive to giving and that helps achieve the unit's fundraising goals.
- Interpret needs and priorities of CANR units/AgBioResearch/MSUE, verbally and in writing, to engender a level of understanding that is conducive to giving.
- Assist with thecoordination of and participation in college alumni and donor engagement, prospecting and recognition and stewardshipevents.
- Utilize the Advance alumni and donor database to coordinate with other development colleagues, record contact activities,update donor information, record strategic moves management steps and gift documentation.
- Build working relationships with internalconstituents to enhance information exchange between units within the college, including advising faculty and administrators on appropriatefundraising strategies.
- Serve as a primary development liaison with several units within the college and will identify, cultivate,solicit, and steward alumni and friends of CANR, MSUE, and AgBioResearch, as well as business, industry, and foundations, in support of theLand Grant mission and the units' priorities.
Communication and Stewardship -
- Cultivate, engage, and train Michigan StateUniversity alumni, leadership, and employees as potential donors and volunteers.
- Engage faculty, department chairs, programdirectors, and other college leaders in order to assist in the understanding and implementation of fundraising procedures, to seek theiradvice on funding needs, to answer development questions, to advise them on development strategy, and to solicit them as potentialdonors.
- Obtain advice and counsel from peers across the enterprise in order to coordinate the cultivation and solicitation of donorprospects.
Data Management & Planning -
- Prepare annual personal fundraising goals and analyze/report goalaccomplishment.
- Assist in planning and implementing special purpose appeals as necessary.
- Act as a public goodwillambassador for Michigan State University, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, AgBioResearch, and Michigan State UniversityExtension (MSUE)
- Ensure best practices in office systems, practices, files, and record keeping; ensure effective use of strategictools and resources such as contact reports, prospect management, research, and analysis, and the Advance database.
SUPERVISIONRECEIVED Supervision is received from the CANR Director of Development.
Minimum Requirements
Knowledgeequivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Communications, Public Relations,Marketing and/or Business; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in publicrelations, volunteer administration, professional and higher education fund raising, marketing or related field; or an equivalentcombination of education and experience.
Desired Qualifications
- Master's degree preferred.
- Five years ofrelated and progressively more responsible or expansive experience in professional fundraising, public relations, marketing, or a relatedfield; working knowledge of tax laws affecting charitable giving; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Excellent writing and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Experience in public speaking.
- Collaborative team-oriented style.
- Experience with "Moves Management" or related strategic relationship development.
- Ability to "close" gifts or business deals with demonstrative experiences closing gifts of $100,000 or more.
EqualEmployment Opportunity StatementAll qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color,religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteranstatus.
Required Application Materials
Resume and cover letter
Special Instructions
Interested injoining the team at Michigan State University? For questions, contact Patricia Karam, Director of Talent Acquisition, at karampat@msu.edu.
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Work Hours
8 am - 5 pm with possible evenings andweekends
Website
Advancement.msu.edu
Remote Work Statement
MSU strives to provide a flexible workenvironment,
and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can beperformed remotely as mutually agreed upon.
Bidding eligibility ends May 12, 2026, at 11:55 PM
To apply,visit https://careers.msu.edu/jobs/associate-director-of-development-canr-development-officer-ii-east-lansing-michigan-united-states-09c6ef4d-5013-4499-905e-8c1436a3eedf
jeid-b20e844cfc4cdb4b9551a254b23cd9d3
