Director of West Coast Engagement

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THE ORGANIZATION

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Overview

Founded in 1829, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a diverse and collaborative community of engaged, socially conscious, and intellectually curious minds. Through creativity and innovation, and an intentional blending of technology, the arts and design, RIT provides exceptional individuals with a wide range of academic opportunities, including leading research programs and an internationally recognized education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Beyond its main campus in Rochester, New York, RIT has international campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo. With more than 19,000 students and more than 125,000 alumni from all 50 states and over 100 nations, RIT is driving progress in industries and communities around the world.

Transforming RIT: The Campaign for Greatness

To realize its vision for the future, RIT is embarking on a comprehensive, blended campaign, the most ambitious fundraising effort in its history. The campaign includes investments in teaching and research programs and significant renovations and capital improvements to the university’s physical plant. In addition, RIT is seeking increased support for professorships, graduate fellowships and undergraduate scholarships as well as for programmatic initiatives that improve the quality of student life and the teaching and research mission of the university. 

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The Campaign for Greatness will raise at least $1B by 2022. This is a blended campaign that seeks support from a variety of investors—alumni and friends, government and corporate partners, and research foundations and agencies. In this type of campaign, contributions to one initiative can leverage additional contributions in related areas, and government, and private dollars can work together to achieve RIT’s shared goals. The university’s campaign is informed by four compelling strategic imperatives: 

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• To deliver an extraordinary career-oriented education and a rich campus experience to all RIT students

• To develop uniquely-focused and student-centered interdisciplinary research programs that enrich the intellectual climate for all students and faculty

• To ensure that the community in which students live and learn at RIT prepares them to benefit from and contribute to the global diversity they will encounter

• To ensure that all promising students who want to attend RIT can do so by  increasing scholarship, fellowship and grant support

THE POSITION

RIT seeks an experienced fundraiser to build strong and mutually beneficial relationships with alumni, friends, corporations, and foundations on the West Coast. The Director of West Coast Engagement will work as an integral member of RIT’s University Development team. S/he will  develop the West Coast region by building new relationships and uncovering untapped philanthropic potential. In addition to raising financial support for the university, s/he will also undertake a wider span of relationship-building by feeding the university prospect pipeline and creating eventual long-term support for RIT on the West Coast.

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Reporting to the Executive Director of University Campaigns, the Director will work collaboratively with colleagues across the university to advance cultivation and solicitation efforts with existing and future donors on the West Coast. S/he will also work collaboratively with the Office of Alumni Relations in its efforts to increase engagement with RIT alumni. S/he will also support the work of the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education to help increase R&D support for RIT and advance relationships that may result in new career and co-op placements.

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The Director will be a face of RIT on the West Coast. S/he will help to raise RIT awareness and visibility by attending events and reaching out to alumni, parents, corporations and friends.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and implement a broad-based program of constituent engagement to give RIT greater traction and momentum in high-tech regions on the West Coast

• Build and actively manage a prospect/donor portfolio of approximately 100 major gift ($50K+) prospects. Develop and execute sound strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major gift prospects/donors

• Collaborate with other Directors of Development and work closely with the RIT Corporate and Foundation Relations team to share responsibility for another 50 institutional prospects and donors on the West Coast

• Collaborate with the leadership of RIT’s colleges, university administrators and other stakeholders, offering counsel on donor-centric cultivation and solicitation strategies

• Work with West Coast and other volunteer leadership, providing direction and support in maximizing the university’s fundraising potential

• Strategically staff RIT administrators and faculty on calls with prospects and donors

• Work collaboratively with the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education to develop new relationships that can be capitalized on for R&D and recruiting purposes

• Collaborate with the Office of Alumni Relations to ensure successful alumni activities and connections in West Coast venues

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

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Education:

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Bachelor’s degree is required.

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Experience:

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• A minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, preferably in higher education. Comprehensive campaign experience a plus

• Demonstrated ability to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward individual prospects and effectively move them through the development cycle leading to gifts of $25K+

• Experience in raising support from institutional prospects, including corporate, foundation and/or government funders

• Demonstrated ability to engage and support volunteer leadership with their efforts in fundraising, consultation, and advocacy

• Experience navigating an organization to make appropriate matches with donor interests

• Experience fundraising for technology-oriented organizations and/or projects a plus

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COMPETENCIES/ATTRIBUTES

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The successful professional will have or be:​

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• A self-starter with a high-level of energy, combined with the ability to take initiative and to be flexible in a variety of circumstances

• Ability to work independently from a home office, with support from the main campus

• Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, volunteers and other representatives of the university

• Unquestionable integrity and commitment to professional ethics, and the ability to responsibly handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion

• Strong computer literacy and experience utilizing fundraising database programs

• Strong verbal communication skills and the ability to write clearly and persuasively

• An appreciation for and understanding of the academic enterprise and the ability to articulate academic values internally and externally

• The ability to quickly acquire knowledge of the university and its programs and to take the initiative to secure information from the appropriate sources on campus

• Strong attention to detail and organization skills

• A willingness to travel regularly on the West Coast, with periodic trips to RIT’s NY campus

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COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

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A competitive salary and employee benefits package will be offered. For additional information on this opportunity, please contact:

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David N. Randall

Principal

Randall Search Associates

415 767 3814

david@randallsearchassociates.com

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RIT does not discriminate. RIT is an equal opportunity employer that promotes and values diversity, pluralism, and inclusion.  For more information or inquiries, please visit RIT/TitleIX or the U.S. Department of Education at ED.Gov

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The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by RIT Human Resources. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, and you wish to discuss potential accommodations related to your application for employment at RIT, please contact the Human Resources office at 585-475-2424 or email your request to Careers@rit.edu