Job Description for the Senior Philanthropic Advisor position. Review job description, requirements, and qualifications. Apply or register interest for the position.

Title: Senior Philanthropic Advisor

Position Type: Staff Full-Time

Days Per Week: Monday - Friday

Hours Per Week: 40

VP Area: University Advancement

Department: University Advancement

Location: Elon Main Campus

Position Summary

Elon University seeks a strategic, experienced and aspirational Senior Philanthropic Advisor for principal and major gifts to join its advancement and external affairs team. This is a new role within Elon’s advancement and external affairs team. Over the last few decades, the University’s advancement apparatus has grown and become increasingly sophisticated in its approach and strategies as Elon’s profile has increased nationally. The Senior Philanthropic Advisor will join an advancement team that continues to better engage alumni, raise philanthropic resources, and compellingly narrate Elon’s story. They will join an advancement team, and moreover a University community, that is ambitious in its goals and highly collaborative in charting the next stages of Elon’s history.
The position reports to the Associate Vice President for University Advancement, will engage and advise the Senior Vice President for University Advancement and External Affairs and the President of the University, will serve as a key senior member of advancement’s leadership team.

The Senior Philanthropic Advisor will be an experienced philanthropic strategist and fundraiser who employes a donor-centric model to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward gifts at the six-, seven-, and eight-figure level. As a front-line fundraiser, the Senior Philanthropic Advisor will maintain a portfolio of 50-75 prospective donors and will be expected to incorporate best practices of successful higher education gift offices. They will closely collaborate with leadership of University Advancement, including staff serving in major gift, planned giving, alumni engagement, parent engagement, research and prospect management roles.

Benefits of Working at Elon

As an Elon University employee, you’ll join an internationally acclaimed university with a commitment to fostering a thriving community. Ranked among the most innovative, creative and best-run universities in the nation, Elon’s personal approach to education extends to employees, whose growth, professional development and success is a hallmark of our training and advancement opportunities.

Elon University’s home is the charming town of Elon, North Carolina, a small, friendly community located a short distance from the beach and the mountains, and among the vibrant cities of Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham. In addition to the beautiful canopy of historic oak trees iconic to our campus, you’ll find boundless opportunities for family-friendly recreation, cultural events and outdoor activities. Hiking, water sports, fine dining and entertainment are just a few of the many happenings in the Elon area, making the region one of the nation’s premier travel destinations.

Employees at Elon enjoy a generous and comprehensive benefits package that includes:

28 annual days off, including holidays and vacation.

Immediate tuition remission for undergraduate courses

Tuition remission for approved graduate-level courses after 12 months of employment.

Retirement plan with an 8 percent contribution from the university.

Immediate eligibility for health, dental and vision insurance, along with free acute care and lab services at our onsite Health & Wellness Clinic.

Free use of campus fitness facilities.

Free admission to musical and theater performances, guest speakers, religious and ethnic observances, recitals, art exhibitions, entertainment and our Division I Phoenix athletics.

Eligibility for tuition remission at Elon for spouses, qualifying domestic partners and dependents begins at two years of service. After two years of employment, eligibility begins for participation in the Tuition Exchange, a national scholarship exchange program that enables dependents to enroll in nationally recognized partner colleges and universities.

Elon values and celebrates the diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences and perspectives of our community members. As an equal opportunity employer, Elon’s principles of diversity extend to race and gender identity, age, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, religion, and other aspects of one’s identity. At Elon, our employees respect human differences, passion for lifelong learning, emphasis on personal integrity and an ethic of service.

Minimum Required Education and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree is preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years (preferably more) of relevant experience, preferably in principal gift-level fundraising at an institution of higher education. Preference will be given to candidates who have demonstrated a history of progressive leadership and responsibility based on their success.
• Experience leading projects and/or developing philanthropic proposals within a complex organization; and demonstrated ability to clearly articulate complex concepts into relatable and understandable ways.
• A strong track record of thought leadership and strategic engagement with senior-level leaders within an organization; along with demonstrated ability to think strategically, act collaboratively, communicate effectively, and move quickly.
• Demonstrated ability to raise donor sights, articulate aspirational goals and ideas, set priorities, present philanthropic opportunities, and close gifts.
• Creative and entrepreneurial spirit with strong intellectual curiosity.
• Professional credibility and integrity, intellectual depth, maturity, wisdom and collaborative skills to earn trust and confidence.
• Excellent written and verbal communications and strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to foster inclusiveness and diversity of ideas.
• Tolerance for ambiguity and ability to adapt quickly and effectively.

Job Duties

• Maintain a portfolio of 50-75 donor prospects, demonstrating frontline fundraising success by personally raising gifts in support of Elon’s strategic fundraising priorities, focusing on donors with a capacity at six-, seven- and eight-figures.
• Personally identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a select portfolio of donors and prospects with added focus on pipeline development to meet an increasingly ambitious strategic direction of Elon University. Identification of prospects includes a heightened focus on developing meaningful connections with high net worth prospects that include but are not limited to alumni, parents, friends, foundations, and organizations.
• Employing best practices of donor-centric higher education advancement work, develop meaningful relationships with donor prospects that will lead to their consideration of impactful philanthropic proposals.
• Through collaboration across campus, develop inspiring proposals that will have clear, unmistakable impact on the students, staff, faculty and programs of Elon.
• Build and maintain strong relationships within the Elon community, including faculty, staff, and administration, and be an active member in the life of the university, committed to the mission and values of Elon University.
• As a senior leader, assist in efforts to enhance Elon’s institutional image and visibility; communicate a strong and consistent message about Elon to all constituencies.
• Build and present public presentations; manage and monitor expenses; develop prospect strategies and execute action-oriented plans; develop and communicate activity reports; communicate with clarity.
• Promote planned giving and effectively communicate their value as vehicles for philanthropic impact.
• Inclusive Community Building Community is foundational to Elon and a shared responsibility within our residential campus. All who work at Elon should demonstrate an understanding of and engagement with Elon’s foundational commitment to relationships, mentoring and collaboration in a close-knit residential community. We embrace the shared responsibility to foster inclusive excellence within a strong residential community. Accordingly, employees are expected to join together and build connections in activities that foster an active and engaged campus environment and engage in professional development to support the shared responsibility of enriching diversity, equity, and inclusion through meaningful relationships and mentoring at Elon. Employees are encouraged to, for example, attend or participate in campus activities such as College Coffee, Numen Lumen, campus cultural events, athletic events, continuing education, professional development opportunities and trainings, employee resource groups and other university-sponsored activities to demonstrate an active commitment to the Elon community.