Description

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The OU Foundation seeks a strategic leader and experienced fundraiser to secure philanthropic support for student success at the University of Oklahoma. The Executive Director of Advancement – Student Support reports to the Assistant Vice President of Advancement for the Norman Campus, serves on the Norman Campus leadership team, and champions student support initiatives in partnership with development colleagues and campus leaders. This role is responsible for creating and executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy to raise more than $60 million annually in student support for the Norman Campus, including approximately $35 million in college-specific student support and $25 million in university-wide initiatives. The role requires a collaborative, donorfirst mindset; a selfdirected, resultsoriented work style; and a high level of accountability for delivering fundraising results, managing performance expectations, and sustaining disciplined portfolio and activity management. The Executive Director demonstrates professionalism and integrity aligned with the ethical standards of the fundraising profession.

In addition to leading a team of fundraisers, the Executive Director maintains an active portfolio and manages major and principal gift relationships, with direct responsibility for disciplined cultivation, strategic solicitation, and stewardship of high-impact philanthropic investments. The position carries an expected individual fundraising metric of $5 million annually ($25 million over a rolling five-year period), requires regular travel nationwide, and demands a demonstrated record of advancing complex, interdisciplinary fundraising priorities across multiple academic units and senior leaders.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Strategic Leadership & Cross-Campus Collaboration

• Lead student-support fundraising initiatives for the Norman Campus, advancing strategic philanthropic priorities that directly benefit OU students.
• Partner with college-based Executive Directors and development teams to advance student support priorities aligned with both college-specific and university-wide fundraising strategies.
• Collaborate closely with campus units including Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, Global Engagement, Professional & Adult Continuing Studies (PACS), the Honors College, the
• Graduate College, and Access & Opportunity to identify, position, and advance high-impact student support opportunities.
• Serve as a strategic connector between colleges and central campus units to ensure student support priorities are clearly articulated, aligned with institutional goals, and donor-ready.
• Lead and coordinate interdisciplinary fundraising strategies spanning multiple academic units and administrative partners, particularly related to scholarships and student success initiatives.
• Partner with university leadership to align philanthropic investments with institutional priorities related to access, affordability, recruitment, retention, and student success.
• Advance student support opportunities in partnership with college-based development teams as donor conversations evolve and interests align with college-specific priorities.
• Demonstrate an entrepreneurial approach to fundraising by helping design, test, and refine a scalable philanthropic model for student support across the Norman Campus.

Fundraising & Donor Engagement

• Serve as a senior frontline fundraiser for the Norman Campus, advancing institutional priorities through strategic donor engagement and solicitation.
• Maintain an active portfolio of major and principal gift prospects and oversee all aspects of the development cycle including identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Solicit and secure philanthropic support from individuals, corporations, and foundations in partnership with the Corporate and Foundation Relations team.
• Work closely with deans, faculty, and university leadership to design and execute strategic donor engagement opportunities and major gift solicitations.
• Advance interdisciplinary philanthropic opportunities that align donor interests with high-impact student success initiatives.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive donor engagement and travel strategy and regularly travel throughout the United States to build and strengthen relationships with donors and prospective donors while staying within approved budget parameters.

Stewardship, Operations & Compliance

• Document donor interactions, proposals, and solicitations in the prospect management system while maintaining accurate and confidential donor records.
• Collaborate with Annual Giving, Alumni Engagement, and Advancement Initiatives teams to advance integrated donor engagement and stewardship strategies.
• Work with legal documents including donor agreements and planned giving vehicles.
• Monitor, analyze, and report fundraising activity and the impact of donor funds to ensure transparency and alignment with donor intent.
• Contribute positively to a high-performance fundraising culture through consistent engagement, follow-through, collaboration, and shared accountability.

Perform related responsibilities as required or assigned.

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated success soliciting and closing major and principal gifts through face-to-face donor engagement.
•  Proven ability to deliver thoughtful, relationship-centered donor engagement while maintaining disciplined momentum across an active prospect portfolio.
• Comfort initiating outreach with new or previously unengaged prospects, including cold outreach, to identify philanthropic interest and expand the university’s donor base.
• Experience operating within defined engagement metrics and activity expectations to support consistent prospect outreach and long-term fundraising productivity.
• Analytical mindset capable of translating donor engagement activity and prospect information into thoughtful cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the capacity to engage university alumni, donors, administrators, faculty, students, and advancement colleagues.
• Strategic fundraising expertise capable of advancing priorities that span multiple academic units and institutional initiatives within a matrixed advancement environment.
• Collaborative approach to working across colleges and central campus units to advance shared institutional goals and student support priorities.
• Comfort navigating complex academic and institutional environments while maintaining alignment with university-wide priorities.
• Sound judgment and discretion when managing confidential donor relationships and philanthropic strategies.
• Strong data awareness with the capacity to interpret prospect data, contact reports, and engagement metrics to inform strategy and guide next steps in the development cycle.
• Discipline in documenting donor engagement through timely and accurate entry of contact reports and prospect activity within the prospect management system.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and the ability to learn customized online software applications, including basic data analysis.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to deliver effective presentations to groups of various sizes and to draft, edit, and proofread donor communications, proposals, and reports that are clear, accurate, and publication ready.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills with the capacity to manage multiple complex initiatives and deadlines.
• Intellectual curiosity and willingness to learn evolving academic priorities, institutional strategies, and complex funding vehicles.
• Understanding of ethics as described in the Association of Fundraising Professionals Code of Ethical Standards, and the ability to demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and adaptability in alignment with the ethical expectations of the fundraising profession.
• Willingness and flexibility to travel regularly for donor engagement, including nationwide travel, with occasional evening or weekend work required.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in related discipline. 
• 8-10 years of experience in fundraising or advancement.
• Management experience required.

Preferences:

• Experienced in comprehensive fundraising campaigns, preferably for a higher education institution. 

Certifications:

• CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) certification is preferred.

SALARY RANGE: 

• Commensurate with experience.