Associate Director of Development, College of Natural Sciences

Colorado State University, United States

Updated: 2 days ago
Location: Fort Collins, COLORADO
Deadline: 27 Apr 2025

Posting Details
Posting Detail Information


Working Title Associate Director of Development, College of Natural Sciences
Position Location Fort Collins, CO
Work Location Position qualifies for hybrid/in-office work
Research Professional Position No
Posting Number 202500410AP
Position Type Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title Prof/Indiv Contrib II
Number of Vacancies 1
Work Hours/Week 40
Proposed Annual Salary Range $72,000 - $85,000
Employee Benefits
Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.
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Desired Start Date 05/26/2025
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 04/27/2025
Description of Work Unit
Colorado State University
Associate Director of Development
College of Natural Sciences
University Advancement
The Office of Advancement in the College of Natural Sciences at Colorado State University is seeking an Associate Director of Development.
Who We Are
Located in the beautiful town of Fort Collins, Colorado, CSU is a premier land-grant university with world-class programs in education, outreach, and research. CSU has a student body of 33,000 students, 7,500 employees, 250,000 living alumni, and annual research expenditures exceeding $456 million. Guided by the five supporting Principles of Community: Inclusion, Integrity, Respect, Service, and Social Justice, the University constantly pursues its mission and vision of access, research, teaching, service, and engagement.
Within CSU, the Division of University Advancement is integral to achieving and sustaining the University’s institutional excellence through fundraising and engagement efforts. With one of the leading development teams in the country, the Division most recently reached its $1 billion campaign goal 19 months ahead of schedule.
The College of Natural Sciences (CNS) is a nationally recognized leader in scholarship, education, and discovery in the sciences. Through cutting-edge foundational and vital interdisciplinary research, the college educates and inspires the next generation of scholars, researchers, and professional leaders to thrive and contribute to an ever-changing global society. It is one of the largest colleges at Colorado State University and is comprised of eight academic departments: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, and Statistics.
Approximately 4,000 undergraduate students and 700 graduate students are enrolled in the College. Faculty in the college garner more than $30M in research dollars annually, and the college has successfully raised approximately $8M on an annual basis. True to the land-grant mission, the College of Natural Sciences balances strong research with excellence in undergraduate and graduate education and meaningful service and engagement. Read more at: https://www.natsci.colostate.edu.
The CNS development team dual reports to the Division of University Advancement and the CNS Dean. The team’s role is to coordinate efforts to raise funds for the College and support all departmental fundraising initiatives.
Position Summary
The Associate Director of Development (ADOD) will work in a dynamic team environment with the CNS development team, Dean of the College, University Advancement Partners, dean’s office staff, and College of Natural Sciences academic units to cultivate new donor relationships, generate financial philanthropic support, and steward gifts to the College of Natural Sciences.
In collaboration with the CNS development team and under the guidance of the Managing Director of Development, the Associate Director of Development’s primary responsibility is to identify, cultivate, and solicit donors capable of making $25,000+ gifts in support of the College of Natural Sciences.
The Associate Director of Development (ADOD) serves as a key member of the development team by building relationships and deploying best practices to grow and develop the CNS donor pipeline and deepen the CNS donor experience. The Associate Director of Development (ADOD) will manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and present comprehensive proposals that match the fundraising priorities of the College of Natural Sciences. Examples include but are not limited to: soliciting gifts to establish endowed scholarships, chairs, and professorships, as well as naming opportunities for related buildings.
The ADOD will work in a dynamic team environment, and work in collaboration with central development partners to ensure we maximize and celebrate the philanthropic support of our donors.
The ADOD must be results-oriented with professional characteristics that include leadership, attention to detail, commitment to confidentiality, flexibility, team-orientation, and commitment to cultivating long-term relationships. This person will infuse diversity, and inclusion into all aspects of their role to contribute to inclusive excellence and to ensure colleagues and donors of all backgrounds feel represented and included.
Required Job Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s from an accredited university by employment start date.
  • Minimum of 5 years experience in fundraising as a development officer or major gifts officer in an institution of higher education or equivalent complex organization such as sales, banking, client management, or marketing
  • Demonstrated success in face-to-face solicitation, cultivation, and closing multiple gifts at $25,000 or above, or equivalent success with project management and/or other complex transactions in organizations/industries such as sales, banking, client management, or marketing.
  • A demonstrated ability to engage and effectively communicate with diverse audiences
  • Ability to travel in and out of state and work non-standard hours, including early mornings, evenings and weekends
  • Must have a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date
Preferred Job Qualifications
  • Exceptional written and Verbal Communication skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to cultivate, close, and steward major gifts.
  • Understanding of fundraising principles techniques and proposal development and delivery
  • Proven ability to successfully identify and build relationships and connect donor/client interests with opportunities in a complex organization
  • Demonstrated knowledge of all facets of fundraising, such as annual fund, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving, stewardship, major gift fundraising, etc.
  • Successfully manage multiple complex projects from start to finish
  • Ability to exercise considerable initiative, independent judgment, self-motivation, and discretion.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience working in a CRM or other relational database such as SalesForce, Ellucian Advance or Raiser’s Edge

Essential Duties


Job Duty Category Major Gifts Fundraising
Duty/Responsibility
  • Execute 20+ strategic interactions and/or 13 visits per month with prospective donors to determine whether they have the capacity and inclination to make a major gift.
  • Responsible for managing a donor portfolio of approximately 80-100 donors and prospective donors, and creating successful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for them.
  • Document all quality contacts and moves management strategies using the prospect tracking system (Ascend).
  • Present 2-3 major gift solicitations per month after an initial period of building relationships with prospective donors.
  • Write, prepare, and present persuasive proposals that match the donor’s interests with the College’s fundraising priorities. Proposals should be comprehensive and include a major outright gift ($25,000+) and planned gift (bequest) solicitations.
  • Negotiate donor contracts and fund agreements with the CSU Foundation and with donors, bringing them to full closure.
  • Maintain a high degree of confidentiality and adhere to the policies and procedures for accepting, recording, and acknowledging gifts.
  • Travel up to 40% of the time, including overnight and occasional weekends.
  • As a representative of the College, travel to meet prospects for the purpose of effective, coordinated, and efficient cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship; and when needed, travel with the dean, associate dean for research, department chairs, or ADOD and MDOD for CNS.
  • Consider how pipeline, communication, and interactions are representative of and inclusive to donors of all backgrounds. Create positive relationships with internal and external constituents of all backgrounds.
  • Collaborate with central University Advancement teams (such as Alumni Relations, Prospect and Pipeline Development, Annual Giving, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Gift Planning, and other teams) to enhance awareness of college-level fundraising priorities and partner on initiatives
  • Solves advanced problems and identifies new funding opportunities with nonstandard solutions as they relate to development work in the College of Natural Sciences
Percentage Of Time 70
Job Duty Category Administrative, Strategic Planning, and Collaboration
Duty/Responsibility
  • Serves as a key member of the development team, influencing and driving strategy, relationships, and best practices to accomplish goals. Participate in team strategy and activities related to donor recognition, meaningful and effective development events, development communications, compelling proposal development, and other tactics
  • In collaboration with CNS Development operations staff, prepare gift paperwork, including fund agreements, naming documents, and pledge forms to document gifts.
  • Track and analyze contact attempts, success rates, qualification and cultivation meetings, etc., to inform future success in
  • building a donor pipeline. Collaborate with faculty and college leadership to communicate key messages and information to internal and external audiences for the purposes of major gift cultivation and solicitation
  • Represent the College of Natural Sciences at College and University events
  • Participate as a full member of the University Advancement division, attend development officer meetings, professional development activities, and other staff meetings as appropriate.
  • Fully understands and applies appropriate policies, regulations, and procedures of the division and collaborates with other departments when needed. Exemplifies the Division’s commitment to inclusive excellence.
  • Other duties as assigned.
Percentage Of Time 30

Application Details


Special Instructions to Applicants
CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact.
To apply, please upload a cover letter that addresses the required and preferred job qualifications, a resume, and the contact information for three professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires), Valid Driver’s License, Travel
Search Contact Ray Beresford: ray.beresford@colostate.edu
EEO
Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Background Check Policy Statement
Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

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