Director of Development, Autism Programming, Drexel University

Posted by Drexel University on April 28, 2020

The Director of Development oversees the fundraising and engagement related to the University’s autism programming, including the AJ Drexel Autism Institute (AJDAI), the Drexel Autism Support Program (DASP), St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children – The Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (SCHC) and the annual Philadelphia Eagles Autism Challenge. The primary function of this position is to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward, often in the form of face-to-face meetings, with constituents in the goal of generating philanthropic support.

Essential Functions

• Demonstrates a passion for improving lives for people with autism, their families, and their communities.
• Energize and expand a prospect pool with affinity in the autism space through outreach, one-on-one meetings, events, and communications.
• Conduct personal solicitations with donors and prospects.
• Build a pipeline; identify donors exhibiting greater giving capacity of at least $5,000+.
• Travels extensively regionally and nationally as needed to complete prospect work and/or attend events.
• Willingness to travel to multiple locations and work nights and weekends if needed.
• Create an annual operating plan outlining goals and strategies for the fiscal year.
• Manages the AJDAI Director’s Advisory Council in collaboration with the Director and her team. Places a high emphasis on the important role of volunteers and seeks to strategically guide the council in the overall goal of securing philanthropic support and advocating for the AJDAI.
• Seeks to engage parents of the DASP more deeply in the mission of the DASP program and qualifies/cultivates/solicits/stewards parents for philanthropic commitments.
• Supports the overall mission of St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and seeks out opportunities to engage grateful patient families or area philanthropists tied to the mission.
• Works closely with the Foundations Team on grant opportunities as appropriate.
• Leads the formation and execution of annual fund solicitations in coordination with the Drexel Fund team to increase support for the programs related to autism at Drexel.
• Works to increase corporate engagement and sponsorship, especially for the DASP program’s events.
• Leads the fundraising strategy around the annual Eagles Autism Challenge, which can benefit and/all autism-related research at Drexel.
• Collaborate and work with the AVP and other leadership to support and improve development efforts among alumni, friends, parents, faculty, staff, and students.
• When appropriate, collaborate with Alumni Relations to enhance visibility and activity of AJDAI, DASP, and SCHC at events. Attend alumni events as needed to identify, cultivate, and steward prospects.
• Represent the AJDAI, DASP, and SCHC to a range of constituencies, including, alumni, friends, parents, faculty, and staff.
• Manage details and coordinates staff and volunteers for events.

Learn more and apply: https://careers.drexel.edu/en-us/job/494753/director-of-development-autism-programming