The Foundation Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity is an IRS Code Section 501(c)(3) public foundation. Its mission is to develop and provide financial resources to promote the academic, leadership, and service ideals of Theta Chi Fraternity, Inc.

The Senior Director directs all aspects of the fundraising program for the Foundation Chapter with particular attention to major gifts and planned giving. The Senior Director plays a significant role in the planning, strategic direction, and implementation of all capital campaigns, This individual maintains primary responsibility for providing leadership in planning, marketing, coordinating, and implementing all aspects of the major and planned gift programs and works closely and collaboratively with the Executive Director and Foundation Chapter Board members by initiating a highly organized major gift management program.

At a time when the organization is moving forward with a major expansion of endowment and operation funding, the Senior Director will play a critical role in achieving the success that the Board and the membership envisions. The Senior Director will work closely with the Executive Director and Board members in providing guidance, counsel, and strategy in the cultivation/solicitation process. While the Senior Director will also provide professional advice and counsel to other phases of the organization’s full-service development effort, when requested, the primary function, on a daily and annual basis, remains focused on the cultivation of individuals capable of making significant major and planned gifts for annual priorities or campaign goals.

The Senior Director for Development is a leader and role model in effective major and planned gift cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. The Senior Director develops plans, directs and implements all aspects of the fundraising program in conjunction with the Executive Director and Board members, and with the assistance of the Director of Foundation Services.

In effective performance of this role, the Senior Director develops annual and long-range comprehensive strategic development business plans clearly detailing goals, objectives, schedules and budgets for annual, major, and planned gift production consistent with the vision and mission of the Foundation Chapter. The Senior Director reports regularly to the Executive Director and Board of Directors on progress in the achievement of those plans.

The Senior Director will supervise the Director of Foundation Services, the primary staff member responsible for the Annual Campaign, Scholarship Programs, and general Foundation Chapter administration.

Operations

Coordinates a review of existing fundraising procedures to ensure practices consistent with current ethical and operations standards of excellence.

• Report findings and make suggestions for adjustments as necessary.

• Evaluate donor records system to determine capability of the software to meet the needs of a full-service program. Report results and make recommendations as appropriate.

• Review communication practices with donors and donor prospects paying particular attention to cultivation, solicitation, acknowledgement, and stewardship.

• Propose, obtain approval, and implement a revised operational procedure manual for all fundraising practices.

Annual Campaign

Perform a thorough review of the annual campaign program with a critical eye toward improvements that would result in a greater return and expanding participation. The Senior Director will implement such improvements with the assistance of the Director of Foundation Services.

Major & Planned Gifts

Focuses the organization’s development activities on securing major and planned gifts:

• Participates in case development and annual planning for major gifts initiatives.

• Works with the Executive Director, Board members, Director of Foundation Services, and staff to be increasingly alert in the identification of prospects and to regularly strategize on their cultivation; mine current and former annual giving donors and event attendees for the identification of major gift prospects.

• Using all available professional tools, identifies new donor prospects, manages donor research activity and creates strategy for initial contact.

• Sets production standards and supervises a system for monitoring progress in deepening relationships with major gift prospects.

• Oversees the preparation of written proposals, information materials, endowment agreements, and other materials needed to secure major gifts, planned gifts, and pledges.

• Prepares materials and talking points for the marketing of planned gifts; identify prospects that are particularly well-suited to a planned gift.

• Conducts informational seminars for planned giving prospects to outline the various vehicles commonly used and the benefits of each.

• Spearheads the appropriate creation and adoption of major and planned gift acceptance policies.

• Ensures the cooperative participation of the Board, staff and administrative leadership in the organization’s prospect identification, management and tracking system.

• Maintains a personal portfolio of major gift prospects.

• Directly participates in cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of the Fraternity’s most significant major and planned gift prospects.

• Coordinate with the Executive Director, Board members, and administrative leadership the existing and future naming opportunities within the organization to include a consistent recognition system.

• A bachelor’s degree and at least six years of progressive, successful fundraising experience in major and planned gift programs.

• Management experience and the ability to effectively build a cohesive major gift/planned giving program that achieves development goals and objectives.

• Demonstrated management skills to organize, direct, motivate, and evaluate the efforts of professionals and volunteers.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work harmoniously with the organization leadership, Board members, program leaders, donors, staff members, and volunteers.

• Ability to participate constructively and harmoniously with other senior management and staff in devising, analyzing, implementing and evaluating the organization’s overall needs.

• Strong fiscal skills and knowledge of standard gift accounting principles.

• An accomplished development professional dedicated to the field as a career and capable of building respect for the organization internally and externally.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate persuasively, orally and in writing, the importance of philanthropy and the fundraising goals of the organization to the membership.

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

• A high level of initiative and energy.

• Ability to think critically and articulate opinions.

• Ability to become acquainted with key donors in a short timeframe.

• A “hands-on” approach to the responsibilities of the position.

• Unquestionable integrity and a strong sense of professional ethics.

• Knowledgeable about information systems and current business office software and donor records systems to strengthen internal donor tracking and call reporting.

• Ability to embrace the mission, philosophy and values of the organization.

• Membership in Theta Chi Fraternity or another Fraternity/Sorority.

• Professional work history in a member-based organization.

• Experience working in philanthropy at a higher education institution.