Senior Director of Development

Senior Director of Development

Job :

Location:

Fairfax, VA

Classification:
Administrative or Professional Faculty

Opening on:
Feb 13 2026

The College of Public Health (CPH) prepares students to become leaders and shape the public's health through academic excellence, research of consequence, community outreach, and interprofessional clinical practice. The College enrolls more than 1,900 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students in its nationally-recognized offerings.

CPH Development provides strategic, active management of fundraising efforts that support the College and student, faculty, and staff success.

The Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations division is a comprehensive development and alumni relations enterprise with a staff complement of approximately 125 FTE. Functional units within Advancement include development/fundraising, alumni relations, stewardship and donor relations, advancement communications, special events, gift processing, research, prospect management, gift planning, corporate and foundation relations, information systems and management, and infrastructure services.

Advancement's mission is to build strong, lifelong relationships with George Mason University's alumni and constituents, while matching their philanthropic interests with the university aspirations and priorities. The division is committed to serving the needs of the university, our alumni, and the greater community by providing access to quality education and lifelong learning. Respect, service, integrity, collaboration, diversity, transparency, and creativity are the values that guide our work and culture.

The Senior Director of Development is the lead fundraising officer for the school and a member of the school's leadership team.

The position's primary responsibilities include working closely with the Dean, Area Chairs, volunteer/advisory boards, faculty, and senior staff members to develop fundraising priorities and strategies.

The position also partners with Central Advancement, advancement colleagues, and school colleagues to advance philanthropic giving to key priorities through ongoing annual fundraising, alumni engagement, corporate and foundation relations, and major, principle, and planned giving.

Under a dual reporting relationship to the Dean and the Associate Vice President of Development, the Senior Director of Development manages development activity for the school by undertaking the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospects with metrics established by Central Advancement.

The Senior Director oversees the school's capital campaign activities and ensures alignment of the school's capital campaign with any future comprehensive campaign on the part of the university. This is a position that is heavily focused on networking and building relationships and committed to the tracking of measures and metrics to build a pipeline of donors to support the aspirations of the Dean, faculty, and students of the school and the university as a whole.

This position is expected to travel independently and to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends.

Maintains Personal Portfolio and Supports Comprehensive Fundraising Program

• Carries and maintains a portfolio of 50 - 60 prospects that are being moved through the donor engagement process culminating in MAJOR or PRINCIPAL gifts (as defined by George Mason's Advancement team);
• Actively engages each prospect in their portfolio to ensure prospect movement and portfolio penetration annually;
• Minimum of 50% portfolio penetration working toward 75% portfolio penetration;
• Submits 2-4 "asks" per month for a total of a minimum of 24 per year;
• Meets or exceeds all metrics and expectations set by Central Advancement;
• Displays good judgment and confidentiality;
• Supports successful execution of a comprehensive fundraising program that appropriately partners with and leverages resources from the Central Advancement team to accomplish objectives;
• Develops strategies and implementation of major and principal gifts for the school, in concert with Central Advancement and Alumni…