Director, Project Activation and Integration

Director, Project Activation and Integration

Join to apply for the Director, Project Activation and Integration role at ASU Foundation for a New American University

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

As the ASU Foundation continues to secure increasingly complex, high-impact investments in Arizona State University’s charter-driven work, we are seeking a strategic and operational leader to bridge the transition from proposal to implementation. The Director, Project Activation and Integration plays a critical role in ensuring that transformative gifts move smoothly from concept and commitment into successful university-side execution. Serving as a temporary project director, this individual coordinates implementation activities, monitors progress against key milestones, and ensures continuity until permanent leadership and structures are established within the university.

This position also supports sustained success through ongoing check‑ins, donor stewardship, and cross‑unit coordination to deliver on the vision and intent of transformative investments.

• Serve as bridge leadership for transformative proposals, working with university and foundation leadership to establish interim management structures and operational plans.
• Coordinate regular project meetings with internal leadership teams and check‑in meetings with lead donors, as needed.
• Liaise across academic, administrative, and operational units involved in the early stages of gift implementation to ensure timely progress and alignment.
• Drive the delivery of key early‑stage milestones and ensure readiness for long‑term success in line with the gift agreement.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project implementation plans, including short‑, medium‑, and long‑term benchmarks and deliverables.
• Play a supportive role in planning and executing gift announcements, activation events, and related communications.
• Support the establishment and activation of gift‑related advisory councils and governance structures.
• Track spending, deliverables, and progress across multiple implementation streams; prepare regular leadership‑level briefings on project status.
• Monitor fidelity to gift agreements related to spending, finance, and project implementation.
• Work closely with frontline fundraisers to prepare and submit implementation reports and donor stewardship materials.
• Develop agendas and support logistics for implementation, oversight, and governance committees.
• As needed, collaborate with Research Advancement Administrators in Knowledge Enterprise and academic units to ensure accurate post‑award accounting and compliance with sponsor or donor requirements.
• As relevant, participate in late‑stage cultivation, solicitation, and closing strategy discussions with frontline officers, to aid in transitioning to implementation of transformative gifts.
• Serve as an active member of the Idea Engine team, reporting to the Assistant Vice President, including team meetings and article club discussions.
• Perform other duties as assigned to ensure the success and continuity of transformative projects.

• Exceptional organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively across diverse teams and leadership levels, including the ability to interact effectively with academic leadership, faculty, prospects, donors and/or volunteers in a wide range of roles.
• Agile nature, professional demeanor, and the ability to react effectively to unanticipated circumstances, opportunities, and complex situations.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, multi‑stakeholder initiatives with evolving priorities and cross‑unit dependencies.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive clarity through process design, structure, and accountability.
• Critical thinking and problem‑solving skills with a proactive, results‑oriented mindset.
• Team‑oriented with a collaborative spirit and the ability to manage situations involving numerous and sometimes competing university constituencies.
• Proven ability to translate strategic goals into actionable implementation plans with clear metrics and milestones.
• Skilled in managing…