Job Description
Salary: Depends on Qualifications
Location : Florence, Alabama
Job Type: Staff
Division: Athletics
Department: Athletics
Opening Date: 09/09/2024
FLSA: Exempt
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended. The posted salary and/or position title may be adjusted dependent on the successful candidate's education, experience, and unique qualifications as they relate to the position.
Description This position is responsible for fundraising activities for the Division of Athletics. The primary function of this role is to oversee the daily fundraising of the athletic department, with a primary emphasis on increasing philanthropic engagement on behalf of the North Alabama Athletics Department. This position reports to the Director of Athletics, with a dotted line to the Vice President for University Advancement and works closely with the UNA Foundation staff. Responsibilities include managing, planning, and executing a comprehensive fundraising program that connects to the Shine On, Gold! capital campaign and construction of Bank Independent Stadium, in partnership with the University's advancement team and Foundation. This position works in a team environment with the athletic department and university advancement staff to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward alumnae, parents, and friends of the University in order to meet the short- and long-term goals of the athletic department.
The successful candidate will be expected to work collaboratively with the Director of Athletics, other divisional staff/coaches, and the division of University Advancement to lead specific development funding opportunities for the Intercollegiate Athletics programs.
Essential Job Duties - Work closely with both the Director of Athletics and Vice President for University Advancement to coordinate meetings with staff/coaches to maintain an active list of potential, current, and former donors;
- Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individuals and organizations to make philanthropic gifts for the UNA Athletics department;
- Work closely with the Shine On, Gold! capital campaign and funding initiatives related to Bank Independent Stadium;
- Develop and execute strategic funding requests, proposals, gift materials, and stewardship materials based on short- intermediate-, and long-term funding goals of the University on behalf of the division of Athletics;
- Play a lead role in soliciting and closing gifts;
- Manage a pipeline of active gift prospects and set and execute strategies for the discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of these prospects;
- In cooperation with the Director of Athletics and Vice President for University Advancement, establish measurable goals and objectives for the year based on program needs and donor capacity;
- Oversee the Champions of the Pride (annual giving arm) of the entire athletics department and work closely with the athletics external team;
- Collaborate with the Director of Athletics and the athletic department's multimedia rights partners to execute the department's Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) priorities alongside philanthropic and corporate giving initiatives;
- Work cooperatively with other senior members of the division to successfully coordinate visits and strategies that will benefit the university and division of Athletics goals and objectives;
- Initiate and oversee the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of current and potential donors;
- Travel extensively to meet with current and potential donors - overnight travel is required;
- Responsible for meeting measurable goals related to the number of visits, solicitations, and monies raised of current and potential donors;
- Prepare documents and record actions of identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activity with donors;
- Attend and participate in athletic events and university functions (both on- and off-campus) as a member of the division;
- Attend prospect management team meetings and athletic department staff meetings;
- Attend seminars and workshops for professional development;
- Discover and create opportunities that will attract major gift prospects into the life of the University and athletic department;
- Maintain a comprehensive strategy for the development of specific annual and campaign goals and objectives;
- Work closely with donors and volunteer boards/councils to facilitate gifts;
- Maintain a working knowledge of planned giving vehicles;
- Disseminate information and generate exposure and awareness;
- Assigned sport administrative oversight;
- Perform all other duties as assigned.
ADDITIONAL DUTIES: To be determined.
Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in relevant field is required;
- Master's degree is preferred;
- Three or more years of experience in university fundraising is required;
- Experience in fundraising and solicitation at the university level in intercollegiate athletics is preferred;
- Experience in community outreach/involvement and planning events relative to stewardship and/or recognition, preferred;
- Experience with businesses/corporations/foundations in establishing strong relationships leading to desired outcomes, preferred.
LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, OR REGISTRATIONS: Current, valid, drivers' license is required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: - Excellent usage of the English language, both verbally and written, as well as presentation skills;
- Ability to work with all constituencies, including administration, faculty, staff, donors, alumni, friends, and students;
- Ability to make a strong commitment to higher education;
- Self-motivated, enthusiastic, and deadline-oriented;
- Ability and desire to grow personally and professionally;
- Ability to maintain professional demeanor, behavior, and appearance at all times;
- Cognizant of the highly visible nature of advancement office work;
- Ability to raise significant funds for academic programs, endowment, and capital support through identified individuals, corporations, state, and federal resources;
- Word processing, PC, and research skills;
- General understanding of the purpose and function of a specialized fundraising database;
- Proficiently skilled in the Microsoft Office Suite;
- Excellent analytical and diagnostic skills;
- Well-organized and detail-oriented;
- Ability to cultivate and maintain personal relationships;
- Knowledge of the sensitive nature of donor records and the necessity of maintaining confidential protocols;
- Ability to respond with urgency to the needs and request of others, internally and externally, and ensure a high degree of responsiveness to all donors without regard to their giving level;
- Ability to think strategically and creatively and to persuade others;
- Knowledge of a constituent relationship management system;
- Ability to work independently and be self-motivated in initiating contacts with potential donors;
- Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, with interruption, in an energetic environment;
- Ability to travel extensively - including overnight - as requested;
- Ability to effectively build and maintain relationships with diverse groups of students, faculty, staff, administrators, donors, visitors, parents, and the general public;
- Ability to articulate the case for support to individuals and organizations.
Special Instructions to Applicants Applicants must upload a cover letter and resume as well as provide contact information for at least three professional references at the time of application. For questions, please email
[email protected] or call 256.765.4291 and select option #2. Selecting an option other than #2 will result in a delayed response.
UNA is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving excellence and strength through diversity. UNA seeks a wide range of applicants for this position so that one of our core values, ethnic and cultural diversity, will be affirmed. UNA is a smoke-free campus.
Staff Benefit Summary - For more details regarding each benefit listed below, please visit the HR website at or click on the links below. The benefits premiums listed below are effective March 1, 2025.
UNA has a fully-insured group health insurance program with , which includes medical, prescription drug, vision, psychiatric, and substance abuse benefits for full-time university employees, and their eligible dependents. The University covers the full individual premium for eligible employees.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Health/Vision/RX - Monthly Premiums
Tier Employee Cost UNA Cost Total Premium
Employee $0.00 $649.45 $649.45
+Child(ren) $422.13 $649.45 $1,071.58
+Spouse $649.45 $649.45 $1,298.90
+Spouse & Child(ren) $746.22 $649.45 $1,395.67
UNA also provides dental coverage through The University covers the full individual premium for eligible employees.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Dental - Monthly Premiums
Tier Employee Cost UNA Cost Total Premium
Employee $0.00 $27.54 $27.54
Family $36.34 $27.54 $63.88
UNA provides all eligible employees with basic life insurance at no cost to the employee. The basic life coverage level is 1.5 times the covered employee's annual base salary with a maximum benefit of $400,000. Included with your basic life coverage is Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage at 3 times the covered employee's annual salary. The provider for this coverage is As a member of the , eligible employees have life benefits available through the TRS. Also, for eligible active employees, a death benefit of the payment of accrued sick leave is paid to the employee's beneficiary by the University.
This coverage provides benefits after a 90-day period of disability. The monthly benefit is 60% of the covered employee's monthly base salary not to exceed $10,000 per month. The cost for this benefit is paid in full by the University for eligible employees and the provider for this coverage is
Retirement Plans
The is a defined benefit plan in which participation is mandatory for eligible employees. Eligible employees are categorized by the TRS as Tier I or Tier II members.
Rates below are effective as of October 1, 2024
- Tier I - Employee contribution rate is 7.5% for regular employees and 8.5% for law enforcement employees.
- Tier II - Employee contribution rate is 6.2% for regular employees and 7.0% for law enforcement employees.
- this retirement plan is a voluntary, supplemental, deferred compensation plan.
- this plan is a voluntary, supplemental, deferred compensation plan offered by the Retirement Systems of Alabama.
The University provide a $6.00 per month credit to eligible employees to offset the cost(s) for supplemental, voluntary benefits. All full-time regular employees are eligible for this benefit on the first day of the month following the completion of 90 days of employment.
- Flexible Spending Accounts - HealthEquity
- Cancer Insurance - Allstate
- Short-Term Disability Insurance - Fort Dearborn Life
- Life Insurance - Symetra
- Accident Coverage - Symetra
- Critical Illness Insurance - Symetra
- Hospital Indemnity Coverage - Symetra
- Vision Insurance - VSP
- Air Evac Lifeteam
- Long-Term Care Insurance - LTCi Plans
UNA provides remission of tuition to eligible employees and to their spouses and qualified dependent children.
Paid Time Off
- Annual leave is accrued for each hour worked. During the first 2 years of employment, the accrual is 10 workdays. After completion of 2 years of continuous service, eligible employees are entitled to 12 days of annual leave and, for each additional year of service, annual leave is increased by one day per year to a maximum of 20 days after 10 years.
- Full-time regular staff members are entitled to 96 work hours (12 workdays) of sick leave each year at the employee's regular rate of pay regardless of length of service.
- Full-time, regular staff employees are eligible for paid holidays.
Miscellaneous Benefits
01
Do you have a bachelor's degree?
02
Do you have a master's degree?
03
Do you have three or more years of experience in college/university fundraising?
04
Do you have experience in community outreach/involvement and planning events relative to stewardship and/or recognition?
05
Do you have experience with businesses/corporations/foundations in establishing strong relationships leading to desired outcomes?
Required Question University of North Alabama
Job Tags
Holiday work, Full time, Temporary work, Flexible hours, Night shift,