Executive Director, Major Gifts (0464U), Haas School of Business #78237

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business offers a unique opportunity to champion new ideas, collaborate across boundaries, and continually learn in a workplace committed to creating a welcoming environment for all. Our distinctive culture is captured within our four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. These principles distinguish Berkeley Haas as a unique environment, conducive to teamwork, collaboration, and career growth.

For more information about the Haas School of Business visit: https://haas.berkeley.edu/about/

The Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) team at Berkeley Haas engages and cultivates alumni, parents, friends, corporations and foundations to advance the vision and mission of the school, inviting these key constituencies to provide volunteer leadership and make philanthropic investments in support of the school's students, faculty and programs. The Development team cultivates prospective donors, both nationally and internationally, to inspire transformational gifts in support of Berkeley Haas and provides staff support for high-level volunteer groups, such as the Berkeley Haas Advisory Board. With over 45,000 living alumni, the Alumni Relations team develops and builds greater awareness for career services, lifelong learning, and networking resources to support the engagement, learning, and connectedness of Berkeley Haas alumni.

The Haas School of Business embraces flexible working arrangements for its employees. Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with your supervisor to meet role responsibilities and department needs, and are subject to change.

The First Review Date for this job is: 05/22/2025

The Executive Director, Major Gifts (EDMG) leads major giving efforts at Berkeley Haas, securing, through their own work and their team, $15M+ annually in gifts, typically between $100K-$1M. Reporting to the Executive Director of Development, this role oversees the major gifts team, drives fundraising priorities, provides coaching, and personally manages a portfolio aimed at raising $3M+ annually.

Frontline Fundraising Leadership (60%):

• Maintain a portfolio of approximately 75-100 prospects with a giving capacity between $100K - $5M and an overall goal to raise $3M+ annually.
• Collaborate with the school's leadership to cultivate relationships with alumni, parents, and partners capable of making transformative gifts that will have a lasting impact at Berkeley Haas.
• Oversee the creation of customized cultivation and stewardship plans for high-priority donors, collaborating with the team to ensure tailored and meaningful donor experiences that lead to long-term relationships.
• Partner with senior leadership, including the EDD and Vice Dean, to execute on a broader fundraising strategy for the unit, ensuring that fundraising efforts align to the unit and school's priorities.
• Meet standard fundraising metrics, including total commitments, external visits, meaningful contacts, qualifications, and asks made to cultivate and steward relationships.

Team Management and Coaching (20%):

• Lead and manage a team of four Major Gifts Officers, providing strategic moves management support in the various stages of donor relationship management and ensuring they meet or exceed metrics, and supporting with collaboration across the DAR team.
• Provide 1:1 coaching and mentoring, developing each team member's fundraising skills through personalized feedback, professional development plans, and regular performance reviews aligned with the university's Achieve performance management system.
• Facilitate professional development opportunities for your team, including training, conferences, and mentoring to enhance their skills and career trajectory.

Partnership and Collaboration (10%):

• Collaborate with EDD and other senior frontline fundraising team leaders to build a strong fundraising culture at DAR, including building a "one team" culture across the team.
• Foster a collaborative team culture, ensuring that team members work together and share best practices in prospect strategy development, cultivation activities, and donor engagement.
• Collaborate with internal teams such as Prospect Development and Alumni Relations to identify top prospects, create comprehensive cultivation strategies, and engage alums effectively.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including Fund Management, ISA and Donor Relations, to ensure gift tracking, reporting, and recognition efforts align with donor intent and university policies.

Other duties as assigned. (5%)

Professional Learning and Growth (5%)

• Actively contributes to a team environment that fosters and promotes a culture of belonging for all, within the unit and at Haas. Exemplifies Haas' four Defining Leadership Principles: (1) Question the status quo; (2) Confidence without attitude; (3) Students always; and (4) Beyond yourself. Completes required training on time and engages in opportunities for learning pertinent to the position or at the suggestion of the supervisor.

• Proven experience in major gift fundraising, with a track record of securing 6- and 7-figure gifts from individual donors, corporations, and foundations.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing and coaching high-performing fundraisers.
• In-depth understanding of donor cultivation and stewardship strategies, especially within higher education or non-profit settings.
• Ability to build relationships with high-level donors and articulate the mission and priorities of Berkeley Haas in a compelling manner.
• Experience with performance management systems, including setting goals, conducting evaluations, and providing ongoing feedback.
• Collaborative approach with a demonstrated ability to work effectively across departments and within a larger university ecosystem.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage donors, alumni, and colleagues at all levels.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrating a desire to establish and maintain positive & professional working relationships with colleagues, students and team members.
• Exemplifies Haas' four Defining Leadership Principles: (1) Question the status quo; (2) Confidence without attitude; (3) Students always; and (4) Beyond yourself.

Education/Training:

• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

• Familiarity with and/or can quickly learn UC Berkeley's fundraising systems and tools, including CADS and Achieve.
• Experience with fundraising for business schools or institutions with an entrepreneurial or innovation focus.
• A deep commitment to the mission of Berkeley Haas and a passion for advancing its strategic goals in business education and research.

This is a 100% full-time (40 hrs a week) exempt career position, which is paid monthly at an annual rate and is eligible for UC Benefits.

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $121,100.00 - $233,900.00.

• This is not a visa opportunity.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

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The University of California's Affirmative Action policy.

The University of California's Anti-Discrimination policy.