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Senior Development Specialist, Major Gifts

PageUp Desc Code ADV - Senior Development Specialist, Major Gifts

Function ADV - Advancement

Subfunction Fundraising

Discipline Major Gifts

Career Track D - Development

Career Track Level Individual Contributor - Level 3

BROAD SALARY RANGE CODE 04

RANGE $78448 - $156895

MARKET REFERENCE RANGE CODE 04A

RANGE $84724 - $127086

Classification Information

Major Gifts

Major Gifts identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts from critical, high-profile prospects/donors. Designs and implements strategic fundraising plans through collaboration for academic units, regional campuses, and complex markets. Typically manages a portfolio of approximately 100 prospects and gift solicitations of $100,000 to $5,000,000.

Individual Contributor

In an individual contributor role, the positions work is primarily achieved through individual efforts or by participating as part of a team. Individual contributors may: Coordinate, influence, or review the work of others. Be the authority on a given program or process. Lead teams. A range of knowledge, complexity, autonomy, and impact may be needed to achieve results at certain levels. Individual contributor roles are reflected in the Academic Administration, Development, General Administration, Technical/STEM, and C1-C4 of the Clinical tracks.

Level 3

Senior: These positions require experience and education, act independently, and may provide some team leadership.

D - Development

Roles that are focused on fundraising for the organization.

Position Summary

The Senior Development Specialist for Major Gifts is a pivotal role in the university’s fundraising strategy, focusing on the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts from high-profile prospects and donors. This senior-level position manages a portfolio of approximately 100 major gift prospects, with solicitations typically ranging from $100,000 to $5,000,000. The Senior Development Specialist works closely with academic units, regional campuses, and other key stakeholders to design and implement strategic fundraising plans, ensuring alignment with the university’s priorities and goals. With a significant degree of independence and expertise, the Senior Development Specialist is responsible for executing major gift strategies, guiding complex donor relationships, and securing large-scale gifts to support the university’s mission. In addition to working directly with donors, the role may include mentoring and providing leadership to less experienced staff, sharing knowledge on best practices in donor engagement and fundraising. This position requires a high level of strategic thinking, strong relationship management skills, and the ability to influence and lead efforts across multiple teams within the university’s development function.