Location: Indianola, IA
Open Date: Jun 19, 2025
This is a new position on the College Advancement Team at Simpson. This high-level professional is responsible for overseeing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies to secure significant donations from top donors, including major gifts to capital projects, establishing endowment funds, securing estate gifts, as well as support of The Simpson Fund. This position will be a key member of the College Advancement Team, reporting to the Vice President for College Advancement.
Key Responsibilities:
- Donor Identification and Cultivation: Actively identify, research, and cultivate relationships with 100 - 200 high-potential donors. This will require travel throughout Iowa and across the country to provide thorough outreach, productive meetings, and personalized communication to build trust and understanding of the college's needs.
- Solicitation and Closing Gifts: Lead the solicitation process for major gifts, including crafting compelling proposals, presenting fundraising case statements, and negotiating donation amounts with prospective donors.
- Donor Stewardship: Manage long-term relationships with existing donors through regular communication, personalized updates on the impact of their gifts, and cultivation of future giving opportunities.
- Data Analysis and Reporting: Track fundraising progress against established goals, analyze donor data to identify trends and opportunities, and present comprehensive reports to senior leadership.
- Donor Events and Engagement: Help with the organization and management of donor events, cultivation activities, and donor recognition programs to foster a strong connection between the college and its supporters.
Qualifications
Required Skills and Qualifications:
- Proven track record of success in traveling within the state and across the country to secure significant major gifts within a complex fundraising environment.
- Deep understanding of fundraising principles, donor motivations, and cultivation strategies.
- Outstanding knowledge of estate planning tools and a proven record of working with prospective donors to include the college in their estate plans.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills to build meaningful relationships with donors.
- Strong analytical skills to interpret data and make informed fundraising decisions.
- Knowledge of Simpson College, the higher education landscape, and the unique challenges as well as opportunities within the fundraising sector.
- Bachelor's degree required.
Application Instructions
Interested candidates should submit the following materials:
- Cover letter specifying and outlining how your experience matches our required skills and qualifications.
- Current resume
- Contact information for three professional references.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
