Director of Development, College of Arts and Sciences (Finance)

USF Advancement connects the university with donors who want to make a difference by providing philanthropic support to promote student success, research, academic excellence and other strategic priorities. With an endowment that now exceeds $700 million in value, our dedicated team of approximately 200 professionals, including 60 fundraisers, encompasses alumni, development and foundation operations. The team is responsible for raising more than $150 million annually and has broken records year after year with more than $184 million raised in fiscal year 2025.
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This role will focus on raising funds for the USF College of Arts and Sciences which is committed to excellence across the liberal arts and sciences. With more than 900 full-time faculty and staff across 23 academic departments and schools on all three campuses, the College serves 15,000 undergraduate majors and 1,700 graduate students, while delivering 487,000 SCH annually to students across the university. The College of Arts and Sciences boasts over 150,000 living alumni and continues to grow as a college. Proven success raising major, private gifts; excellent oral and written communications, interpersonal and collaborative skills and strong organizational skills are all needed for success.
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Reporting to the Sr. Director of Development for the College of Arts & Sciences, this major gift fundraiser is responsible for establishing and managing prospect and donor relationships through identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to meet fundraising goals in alignment with the mission and aspirations of the College of Arts & Sciences and the University of South Florida. The incumbent will play a key role in the overall growth of private philanthropy in support of the University.This position requires a Bachelor's degree and 5 years of experience related to development. Regular travel and occasional night and weekend work is required. Masters or other advanced degree preferred and 5 years of work experience directly related to development/ fundraising in an institution of higher education.Working at USF
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With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
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About USF
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The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu .
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Compliance and Federal Notices
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This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
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Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws :
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Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
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Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.Fundraising
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• Identify, cultivate, and solicit prospects to close major gifts of $50,000+ for top funding priorities. Fundraising dollar, visit and proposal goals will be determined through conversations with leadership and based on the prospect pool and unit potential.
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• Maintain a significant prospect portfolio and strategically manage relationships through face-to-face and virtual visits to bring major solicitations to closure.
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• Continuously update the prospect management database with information related to donor strategies, contacts, and results.
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• Ensure delivery of appropriate stewardship initiatives, partnering with donor relations as needed.
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• Engage with and support volunteer leadership and advisory boards across the College of Arts and Sciences.
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Collaboration
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• Serve as an active member of the College of Arts and Sciences Advancement Team bringing creativity and innovation to the team's fundraising initiatives.
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• Intentionally build and invest in developing strong relationships with the College of Arts and Sciences leaders and faculty to promote a culture of philanthropy.
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• Identify and facilitate opportunities for university leaders and colleagues to support the cultivation and solicitation of prospective donors.
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• Develop strong relationships with Advancement leadership, staff and departments to leverage the tools and resources available to ensure prospects and donors have a meaningful experience with USF.
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• Collaborate with gift officers in other units and on regional campuses, as appropriate.
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Professional Development
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• Constantly seek an up-to-date understanding of initiatives and programs (product knowledge) at the College of Arts and Sciences and the University of South Florida.
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• Stay abreast of industry trends to integrate best practices into daily work.
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Additional Duties
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• Perform related duties as required or deemed appropriate to the accomplishment of the responsibilities and functions related to this position.