Development Officer (Administrator I)
The Development Officer at Confidential Client is responsible for cultivating and securing major philanthropic gifts to support Entrepreneurship Initiatives and university-wide priorities. This role manages a portfolio of prospective donors, builds meaningful relationships with alumni, business leaders, and community members, and collaborates with university stakeholders to advance fundraising goals. The position offers a hybrid work arrangement and provides an opportunity to develop a comprehensive fundraising career within a dynamic higher education environment.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Higher Education (University Advancement).
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
Role overview
Confidential Client is hiring a Development Officer to grow philanthropic support for entrepreneurship initiatives and university priorities. This is an excellent opportunity for an emerging fundraising professional to manage a portfolio of prospective donors, qualify new opportunities, cultivate relationships, and help secure leadership annual and major gifts of $25,000 or more.
What you’ll do
- Manage a donor portfolio: identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospective donors for leadership annual and major gifts (targeting $25,000+).
- Build and maintain relationships through meetings, calls, events, email outreach, and personalized stewardship.
- Conduct discovery conversations to surface donor interests, giving potential, and alignment with program needs.
- Advance fundraising strategies by moving prospects through the pipeline and collaborating with development colleagues.
- Develop stewardship plans that strengthen long-term donor engagement and repeat support.
- Grow philanthropic support for entrepreneurship and related initiatives within the university’s college of business and across institutional priorities.
- Work with faculty, university leaders, alumni, volunteers, and community partners to expand engagement and identify philanthropic opportunities.
- Conduct prospect research and prepare profiles, qualification summaries, and briefing materials to inform solicitation strategy.
- Maintain accurate donor and prospect records in the constituent relationship management system; track activity, contact reports, and engagement history.
What we’re looking for
We seek a relationship-driven fundraiser who enjoys connecting people to meaningful opportunities and growing a career in philanthropy.
Relevant experience and strengths include:
- Fundraising, annual giving, development, or donor relations
- Relationship building and donor engagement
- Prospect identification, research, and qualification
- Communicating a compelling case for philanthropic support
- Experience with CRM or donor/biographical databases
- Working with alumni, business leaders, volunteers, or community partners
- Managing multiple relationships and priorities with strong follow-through
- Interest in higher education, nonprofit advancement, or philanthropy
Position details
- Employment type: Full time (exempt)
- Location: San Diego, CA — on-site with telecommuting eligible up to 3 days per week after a training/on‑boarding period
- Schedule: Standard business hours with occasional evenings/weekends for events and donor meetings; travel to off‑campus appointments required
- Education & experience: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and ~2 years of entry-level development experience
- Other: Valid California driver’s license or ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire
Compensation & benefits
- Salary range: $60,000 - $70,000 annually (expected hiring range)
- Comprehensive benefits including paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, retirement plan participation, health/dental/vision options, voluntary benefits, and tuition/fee reduction programs where applicable
- Professional growth: hands-on experience across the donor lifecycle and opportunities to work alongside experienced development professionals
Department & values
The role sits within university advancement/development functions focused on creating enduring relationships with alumni, donors, parents, students, and community partners to generate private support for university programs. Confidential Client values diversity, inclusion, and a commitment to equal opportunity in education and employment.
Why join?
- Build your fundraising career across the full donor lifecycle.
- Connect philanthropy with innovation — support entrepreneurship programs and student opportunities that create impact.
- Grow meaningful relationships with alumni, business leaders, donors, faculty, and community partners.
- Expand your development experience in a collaborative advancement environment.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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