Description

Job Requisition:

JR101244 Director of Development, Batten School & VIMS (Open)

Job Posting Title:

Director of Development, Batten School & VIMS

Department:

CC00296 WM001 | WMUA | AVP Schools & Units

Job Family:

Staff - Giving: Annual, Major Gifts, & Planned

Worker Sub-Type:

Regular (benefited)

Job Requisition Primary Location:

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Primary Job Posting Location:

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Job Description Summary:

University Advancement creates the conditions for opportunity – human, financial and experiential – by garnering and stewarding the resources that advance William & Mary (W&M). The mission of the Advancement Office at The Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences & VIMS is to oversee all fundraising efforts for its benefit.

The mission of William & Mary’s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) is to seek and broadly communicate knowledge in marine and coastal science to the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world through research, education, and advisory service. The Batten School & VIMS make seminal advances in understanding coastal and marine systems through research and discovery, translate research findings into practical solutions to complex issues of societal importance, and provide new generations of researchers, educators, problem solvers, and managers with an education of unsurpassed quality.


The Director of Development is an essential member of the William and Mary’s Batten School’s Development team. The Director is responsible for developing and managing a portfolio of donors and building philanthropic strategies for donors and prospects who support the school’s priorities.

The Director reports to the Executive Director of Advancement and VIMS Foundation at the Batten School & VIMS. They work closely with internal partners in the Office of University Advancement, including other school and unit development professionals, regional gift officers, colleagues on the marketing, communications, events, stewardship, alumni engagement, and annual giving teams, and staff and faculty partners on campus.

The Director will develop an appropriate-sized major gift portfolio of prospects by the end of their second year in the position and will be expected to conduct an appropriate number of $50,000 asks based on the portfolio. In addition to annual dollars raised, performance goals include the number of asks and closes, activity/move measures, and the number of prospects identified and qualified for major gift potential.

This position will be located in the VIMS Advancement office near historic Yorktown, VA on our scenic Gloucester Point campus and offers a flexible work environment.

Download the position description on the University Advancement recruitment website: https://advancement.wm.edu/come-work-with-us.

Job Description:

For full consideration, submit application materials by the review date. Applications received after the review date will be considered if needed. A resume and cover letter are required for this position.

Salary: $90,000 to $100,000, commensurate with experience and internal alignment.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience.

• Commitment to the university’s values of belonging, curiosity, excellence, flourishing, integrity, respect, and service, including, but not limited to, collaboration, staffing and programming. 

• Understanding the role of philanthropy in higher education and its impact on the future of higher education.

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills with fluency in persuasive language to promote visionary opportunities.

• An entrepreneurial spirit, independence, and ability to work effectively and successfully with minimal supervision and collaborate while building consensus among colleagues and managing complex priorities and projects concurrently.

• Experience managing and developing relationships with constituents, clients, or customers. Examples include outside sales, marketing or public relations, financial planning or wealth management, admissions or enrollment, membership development, and academic fundraising or alumni engagement.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a relevant field such as business, communications, nonprofit management, public administration, or higher education.

• Knowledge of fundraising best practices, donor engagement strategies, and campaign planning.

• Proficiency in using donor management or CRM systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce) to support relationship development and data-informed decision making.

• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with the ability to translate complex ideas into actionable plans.

• Ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to advance organizational goals.

• Progressively responsible experience managing and developing relationships with constituents, clients, or customers in a for-profit or nonprofit setting, with the ability to innovate, implement dynamic change, and exceed goals.

• Experience in major gift fundraising in a higher education environment.

Conditions of Employment: 

• This position may require additional hours beyond typical work hours, including evenings and weekends.

• Must have the ability to travel extensively throughout the assigned region.

Position Duties: 

80% - Fundraising and Portfolio Management:

• The Director’s primary focus is identifying and qualifying prospects who may or may not have existing ties with the university to build a pipeline of donors.

• Qualify, build, and manage a portfolio of 100-125 prospects and participate in one-on-one virtual and in-person cultivations and solicitations of gift opportunities.

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the Batten School & VIMS priorities to make persuasive verbal and written arguments for supporting key programs and projects, effectively matching prospects’ interests to specific Batten School at VIMS needs.

• Cultivate, solicit, and move prospects toward gifts benefiting any/all of William & Mary’s schools and programs, targeting philanthropic commitments of $50,000 and above.

• Work with the Executive Director, Senior Director, and regional, central, and university colleagues to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and close gifts while stewarding donors and prospects with major gift capacity.

• Coordinate prospect research with the Prospect Development team to identify new major donor individual /institutional prospects from the database and other sources. Review listings of alumni, parents and friends from the database and other publicly available sources and help to develop individual strategies to engage and cultivate them for new gifts.

• Prepare letters of inquiry and proposals to prospects and donors on behalf of the university, requesting support for endowment, education, research, and capital priorities.

• Develop a working knowledge of the university’s goals, priorities, and programs and align fund-raising efforts with these priorities.

• Research and write briefings to prepare colleagues, including leadership and faculty, for effective meetings with major gift prospects.

• Direct follow-up correspondence and objectives resulting from donor meetings. Document all advancement activity in the donor/prospect database.

• Suggest potential prospects for trustee and advisory boards.

20% - Donor and Alumni Relations:

• Work with faculty, staff, and the Advancement team to develop engagement opportunities that create recognition and connectivity to the Batten School & VIMS for alumni, donors, and friends, leading to enhanced fundraising opportunities.

• Work with foundation board members to develop ongoing donor engagement and event strategies.

• Design engagement opportunities and events, develop invitation lists for targeted gatherings, and work closely with event staff to design content for all development events and communication.

• Maximize the donor experience for W&M alumni giving to Batten School and VIMS by leveraging existing alumni programming for the broader university (e.g., homecoming, charter day, football, etc.).

Additional Job Description:

Job Profile:

JP0440 - Senior Major Gifts Officer - Exempt - Salary - S14

Qualifications:

Compensation Grade:

S14

Recruiting Start Date:

2026-01-13

Review Date:

2026-02-13

Position Restrictions:

EEO is the Law.  Applicants can learn more about William & Mary’s status as an equal opportunity employer by viewing the "Know Your Rights" poster published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/know-your-rights-workplace-discrimination-illegal

Background Check: William & Mary is committed to providing a safe campus community. W&M conducts background investigations for applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include reference checks, a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial (credit) report or driving history check. 

Remote Work Disclaimer: Remote work eligibility is not guaranteed and is subject to approval. Employee eligibility depends on the likelihood of the employee succeeding in a remote work arrangement and the supervisor’s ability to manage remote workers. Departments and/or Human Resources may amend, alter, change, delete, or modify eligibility.