General Description

The Director of Development for The Hopkins Fund will oversee programming to build and advance relationships to drive philanthropy from alumni through prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to The Hopkins Fund.  The successful candidate will focus on key prospects and leadership annual giving, manage the reunion giving program including portfolio development and penetration, volunteer leadership, analysis of annual reunion giving results, and implement strategies to achieve annual goals.  The Director will manage collaborative fundraising strategies for leadership annual gifts to The Hopkins Fund and/or in support of priorities in The Krieger School of Arts & Sciences and Whiting School of Engineering, in partnership with the Homewood Schools gift officers and central colleagues.

This position plans, executes, and monitors continues fundraising engagement activities for undergraduates from the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences and Whiting School of Engineering.  The successful candidate will personally coordinate and leverage events (including reunions), personal solicitations, and volunteer activities, while offering input into direct solicitation programs. This position is responsible for reaching and exceeding annual fundraising targets to achieve the university’s goal of broadening and strengthening the base of constituent support from, and engagement with, Homewood undergraduates.

The Director will oversee six direct reports; four Hopkins Fund gift officers, a young alumni giving officer, and student giving officer.  S/he will collaborate with development colleagues in the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Whiting School of Engineering, and the Athletics Department, to increase overall undergraduate giving both in terms of revenue and donors/participation.  In this role, the Director of Development, Hopkins Fund will work with staff in identifying new undergraduate alumni donors, increase current dollars raised and identify major gift prospects in support of the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering.  This position will also enhance the university’s constituent engagement efforts by collaborating with colleagues in the Office of Alumni Relations on such strategic approaches for alumni engagement, regional chapter programming, affinity groups, networking initiatives, and other engagement opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities

• Supervise a team of six gift officers, while partnering with the Senior Director of Development, Homewood Programs, to set goals for each fundraiser on an annual basis.
• Recruit, train, and develop direct reports.
• Participate in the annual evaluation process for each employee.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to direct reports and gift officer colleagues to promote and reinforce best practices for both reunion- and portfolio-based fundraising efforts.
• Oversee and manage overall engagement strategies for a primary portfolio of 150+ likely alumni prospects.
• Manage the class giving program for the 55th reunion celebration, and serve in an interim basis for other classes, when needed.
• Develop annual and multi-year plans; create appropriate goals, timetables, gift tables, pipeline and participation targets. Monitor progress closely; regularly communicate with leadership, staff, and volunteers.
• Conduct 75+ strategic, in-person or virtual visits per year to qualify new prospects, solicit gifts, educate and steward donors, and recruit and engage volunteers.
• Deliver 100+ personalized solicitations for leadership annual gifts to meet specific solicitation and commitment goals for the Hopkins Fund and undergraduate annual giving more broadly.
• Work closely with the Senior Director of Development, Homewood Programs to identify and execute special projects for the benefit of the office’s fundraisers. Examples include:
  • Meeting regularly and preparing progress reports for the Krieger School and Whiting School development leaders (Associate Deans and Senior Directors of Development);
  • Partnering with the Director of Reunion and Homecoming and the Homewood Directors of Development to develop a comprehensive annual plan for outreach, communications, and fundraising for reunion prospects; continuing to refine our approach to reunion class and individual giving including the assignment of goals.
• Train and support alumni volunteers to support the achievement of strategic goals. Identify and cultivate candidates for volunteer leadership roles.
• Under the leadership of the Senior Director of Development, regularly monitor and benchmark undergraduate alumni program fundraising activity against peer institutions, seeking innovative ideas to enhance the Hopkins program.
• Meet with Krieger Arts & Sciences and Whiting School of Engineering major gift officers to develop solicitation strategies for specific prospects.
• Identify prospects for potential engagement through reunion committees, volunteer activities, annual giving, and events.
• Monitor and contribute to the success of phone and mail solicitations by collaborating with the direct response marketing team.
• Enter action notes and other information into the ALADIN (and in the future, JHAS) database, as well as ensure that the team is also entering actions in a timely manner.
• Attend internal meetings and work in a collaborative manner.

Decision Making

On a regular and continuous basis, exercises administrative judgment and assumes responsibility for decisions, consequences, and results having an impact on people, costs, and/or quality of service within the functional area.  Exercise a superior level of customer service.

Communication

Frequently exchanges non-routine information using tact, confidentiality and persuasion as appropriate requiring strong oral and written communication skills.  Often maximizes these skills to express, both orally and in writing, the mission of the University and the fundraising goals of the campus.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Five years related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5-7 years experience in fundraising, sales/marketing is required; preferably in higher education.

Special Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• The successful candidate will demonstrate a proven ability to work independently and as part of a team with result-oriented approach. This position requires frequent business travel (1-2 trips per month) and occasional work on nights and weekends.
• Negotiation and planning skills.
• Proficiency in the use of web-based applications, email usage, as well as Microsoft Office, specifically Word and Excel.

• Familiarity with University nomenclature, protocols and programs as well as any previous experience with ALADIN (JHU Development Database) are highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to work successfully with a diverse population of student, faculty, staff, and external parties.

Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons or because the individual is pregnant or attempting to become pregnant. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry.