Senior Director for Family Engagement, Philanthropy and Student Life - University of Oregon

Lead and grow UO's parent and family philanthropy program, expanding engagement and major gift opportunities.
• Manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors while helping strengthen the broader parent giving pipeline.
• Collaborate with university leadership and campus partners to advance philanthropic priorities and enhance the student experience.

Another Source's client, University of Oregon, is recruiting a Senior Director for Family Engagement, Philanthropy and Student Life to join their University Advancement team. This position can be based in either Portland or Eugene, Oregon, and offers a flexible, hybrid work arrangement, with travel up to 50% of the time.

Here's a little about the University of Oregon:

The University of Oregon is one of the nation's leading public research universities, recognized for its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and student success. Located in Eugene with a growing presence in Portland and throughout the West Coast, the university brings together world-class faculty, dedicated alumni, and passionate supporters to create meaningful impact through teaching, research, and public service.

University Advancement plays a vital role in advancing the university's mission by connecting alumni, parents, and friends with opportunities to invest in the future of Oregon. Through strategic philanthropy and relationship-building, the division supports transformative initiatives that expand access to education, fuel groundbreaking research, and strengthen the university's impact around the world.

Learn more about University Advancement: https://advancement.uoregon.edu/

About this role:

The Senior Director for Family Engagement, Philanthropy and Student Life is responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive fundraising and engagement strategy to increase philanthropic support from University of Oregon parents and families while supporting the Division of Student Life's strategic priorities.

As the chief parent and family philanthropy strategist, you will lead the university's efforts to cultivate, solicit, and steward high-net-worth parents while fostering a culture of giving and engagement. You'll partner across development and with campus partners, including Enrollment Management, Student Life, and University Communications, to connect supporters and advocates to philanthropic opportunities and other ways to engage in the life of the university.

This role coordinates major gift fundraising, annual giving, parent volunteer programs, and engagement efforts for the parent and family donor community. You will manage an active portfolio of top parent donors, predominantly those with the capacity to give at the major gift level and above ($100,000+), while building new networks of volunteers and supporters.

The Senior Director also provides strategic oversight for the Family Advancement Council and Student Life fundraising initiatives, serving as a strategic advisor to the Office of the Vice President for Student Life on fundraising strategies, donor engagement, and stewardship opportunities.

Learn more about Parent and Family Engagement: https://giving.uoregon.edu/parent-and-family-engagement

Your Contribution Will Likely Include

Parent Engagement and Philanthropy Program Management (45%)

• Lead and oversee the Parent and Family Philanthropy team, designing and executing a comprehensive development plan to increase philanthropic support from high-net-worth parents and families.

• Serve as the chief strategist for parent and family giving, ensuring alignment with UO's fundraising priorities and institutional goals.

• Collaborate with frontline fundraising staff, prospect research, donor relations, engagement, and annual philanthropy teams to develop solicitation priorities, measures of success, and strategies for parent prospects at various giving levels.

• Partner with Annual Giving and Advancement Communications to create targeted solicitation strategies for parent donors.

• Oversee the Family Advancement Council, expanding membership and increasing philanthropic impact.

• Manage the Parent and Family Giving Portal CRM, ensuring data accuracy, segmentation, and optimization for fundraising initiatives.

• Create opportunities to engage the President, Trustees, campaign volunteers, faculty, and staff in the cultivation and solicitation of current and potential donors.

• Develop and manage a long-term parent engagement strategic plan with clear goals, deliverables, and agreed-upon measures of success.

• Prepare and manage the program budget, maintaining fiscally responsible practices in compliance with university policies.

• Build strong personal relationships with parents, travel to regional areas to solicit gifts, and serve as an ambassador for the University of Oregon.

• Promote an equitable and inclusive work environment grounded in mutual respect, collegiality, and collaboration.

Engagement, Cultivation, and Solicitation (25%)

• Manage a portfolio of 30-50 active parent and Student Life prospects, focusing on major and principal gifts.

• Identify new opportunities for parent and family engagement, involvement, and philanthropic support.

• Build strong relationships through personal visits, connecting parents and family members with university leadership and opportunities to engage in the life of UO.

• Partner with university leaders, including the President, vice presidents, deans, and faculty, to prepare for and participate in donor and prospect meetings.

• Attend university events to develop constituent relationships and identify new engagement opportunities.

• Work with development leadership to establish and achieve measurable prospect discovery, qualification, and solicitation goals.

• Assess prospective donors' giving capacity and philanthropic interests.

• Coordinate with annual philanthropy, leadership annual giving, mid-level giving, and major gift programs to identify, solicit, and transition prospects at appropriate giving levels.

• Maintain fluency with and effectively represent UO campaign priorities and philanthropic opportunities.

Chief Fundraiser for the Division of Student Life (30%)

• Provide strategic direction, coaching, and professional development for direct reports, ensuring alignment with advancement goals.

• Establish qualitative and quantitative performance goals, including donor engagement, solicitations, revenue growth, and portfolio activity.

• Serve as the primary liaison and Student Life expert within University Advancement, providing training and guidance to frontline fundraisers, development officers, and senior university leadership.

• Act as a strategic thought partner to the Vice President for Student Life on fundraising strategies, priorities, and philanthropic opportunities.

• Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising and stewardship plan for Student Life priorities to meet annual cash and commitment targets.

• Lead fundraising efforts for student experience initiatives, wellness programs, scholarships, and campus life enhancements.

• Establish new donor relationships, strengthen existing partnerships, and identify opportunities to generate philanthropic revenue.

• Partner with Student Life leadership, faculty, and campus units to develop impactful philanthropic opportunities.

• Collaborate with unit-based fundraisers across UO to coordinate outreach to high-capacity family donors.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of skills and experience.

• Seven years of experience building relationships and working with parents of university students, volunteers, or high-level external constituents in a nonprofit environment, or equivalent.

Professional Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and establish cooperative working relationships with faculty, staff, and campus partners.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

• Experience engaging volunteers and developing strategies to achieve organizational goals.

• Ability to make a persuasive verbal and written case for becoming involved in the life of the university.

• Strong professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality when working with high-level donors and external constituents.

• Ability and willingness to quickly learn the university's history, mission, programs, and culture to articulate how UO distinguishes itself from peer institutions.

• Strong commitment to parent, family, and donor-driven customer service.

• Demonstrated sophistication in prospect identification, cultivation, and solicitation, including building relationships with donors and prospects who may be difficult to engage.

• Commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Ability to travel as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education.

• Five years of experience cultivating and soliciting donors through frontline major gift fundraising.

• Familiarity with the University of Oregon.

What's in it for you:

The anticipated annual salary range for this position is $128,000-$142,000.

The University of Oregon offers the opportunity to build a meaningful career at one of the nation's leading public research universities. Located in Eugene, Oregon, UO is recognized for its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, sustainability, and student success while fostering a collaborative and inclusive campus community.

Employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes competitive health and retirement plans, generous paid time off, professional development opportunities, and access to the resources of a world-class university. Combined with Eugene's exceptional quality of life, vibrant arts scene, and abundant outdoor recreation, the University of Oregon provides an environment where employees can make a lasting impact while achieving a healthy work-life balance.

https://hr.uoregon.edu/benefits

Additional highlights include:

• Hybrid work arrangement with flexibility in either Eugene or Portland, Oregon.

• Opportunity to represent one of the nation's leading public research universities throughout a vibrant donor region.

• Collaborative advancement culture with opportunities for professional growth and impact.

Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.

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