Director, Leadership Gifts

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy for leadership donor cultivation and engagement, focusing on the CBS Annual Fund and scholarship support.
• Develop and implement strategies to grow annual fund and leadership giving based on donor trends and institutional priorities.
• Manage a personal portfolio of approximately 150 prospects through all phases of the fundraising cycle.
• Conduct donor outreach and meetings to secure leadership-level gifts.
• Manage and coach a team of frontline fundraising gift officers.
• Build and maintain key relationships across Columbia Business School and the broader University.
• Maintain accurate documentation and activity reporting in the donor database.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of five years of frontline fundraising experience (or comparable sales/marketing experience).
• Proven track record of closing five-figure or higher gifts.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, Google suite, and donor databases.
• Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and manage diverse projects under time constraints.
• Availability to work some evenings and weekends for special events and reunions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in campaign fundraising or higher education advancement.
• Prior supervisory or team management experience.
• Experience with project and volunteer management.
• Familiarity with Columbia University or Columbia Business School.
• Experience with donor relations and event management.

About the Company

Columbia Business School (CBS) develops leaders and builders of enterprises who drive value for their stakeholders and society at large. Through its MBA, MS, PhD, and Executive Education programs, CBS is committed to cultivating new scholars and disseminating pathbreaking knowledge that advances the practice of management.