DIRECTOR, PRINCIPAL GIFTS

University of Melbourne Advancement
Leadership role in principal gift fundraising
Be part of a new ambitious growth strategy

About the organisation

The University of Melbourne (UoM) is Australia’s leading university, with a 170-year tradition of higher education in all disciplines. Its enduring purpose is to benefit society through the transformative impact of education and research. A career in advancement at UoM means supporting research and education that changes lives. It is an exciting time to join the UoM advancement team as it looks beyond its successful $1bn Believe Campaign and as the University invests in the team to deliver even more impact to local, national and global communities.

About the role

The Director of Principal Gifts is an exciting opportunity to cultivate relationships with UoM’s most generous and transformative donors. These are supporters with the capacity and interest to make gifts of $5M or more, whose philanthropy inspires significant and powerful societal change through the University. Reporting to the Senior Director, Principal Gifts the Director of Principal Gifts will play a crucial leadership role in principal gift fundraising for UoM as it prepares for its next campaign. The appointee will support the implementation of a new principal gifts program, working with colleagues across Advancement and University and faculty leaders, fostering an environment of collaboration and confidence. Leading engagement with a portfolio of principal gift donors and prospective donors, the Director will work in close collaboration with colleagues across Advancement, and ensure communication and knowledge of donor strategies is shared and embraced by all parties involved.

About you

You are a proven fundraising executive with a track record of success in principal gift fundraising at the $5M+ level in sectors such as education, health, research and other relevant large philanthropic organisations. Your proven ability in providing high level effective leadership and direction to stakeholders and delivering on principal gift programs, is underpinned by your experience navigating large complex organisations, ability to analyse situations, develop plans, and initiate and implement programs. You possess outstanding communication skills, a diplomatic approach, and the ability to deal effectively with all levels of stakeholders and supporters including donors and volunteers. A leader with high-level negotiation, strategic and critical thinking ability, you will be entrepreneurially minded, comfortable with ambiguity and complexity, and able to orchestrate a myriad of stakeholders. Your experience in best practice advancement techniques, complemented by your high EQ, energy and passion for leading meaningful programs, will see you thrive and succeed in this impactful position. 

SHK Asia Pacific has been engaged to conduct this search on behalf of the University of Melbourne.

For more information, please contact Dalia Klein at SHK on +61 3 8620 8004 or click ‘Apply for this job’. Please submit your resume in Microsoft Word format. Direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to SHK.

Please click the link below to view the position description for this role.

Director, Principal Gifts, Advancement (shk.com.au)