Associate Athletic Director for Development

Job title: Associate Athletic Director for Development

About the Role The Associate Athletic Director for Development leads Athletics fundraising with a primary focus on major gifts. As a member of University Development and Athletics leadership, this position manages a portfolio of high-capacity prospects, develops donor strategies, advances campaign priorities, and works with university and athletics leaders to increase philanthropic support for Pacific Athletics. This is an in-person role and the successful candidate must be willing to relocate within California, preferably within 25 miles of the Stockton Pacific campus.

What You'll Do

• Lead Athletics fundraising strategy, with emphasis on major gifts, campaign priorities, annual fundraising goals, and donor engagement.
• Manage a personal portfolio of high-capacity prospects and donors; identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift opportunities.
• Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies in partnership with Athletics, University Development, campus leaders, coaches, and volunteers.
• Establish collaborative partnerships with frontline officers across the schools and colleges to co-manage shared prospects and donors, ensuring coordinated strategies that maximize philanthropic outcomes.
• Provide leadership and supervision for Athletics development staff, setting clear performance expectations, metrics, and accountability for fundraising results.
• Ensure the Athletics development staff builds and maintains a strong strategic partnership with University Development’s Annual Giving team to align Athletics fundraising priorities with broader annual giving strategies, creating a coordinated donor pipeline and consistent messaging across all communication channels.
• Prepare proposals, briefings, donor correspondence, and other materials that advance major gift conversations and philanthropic commitments.
• Integrate Athletics fundraising priorities into University Development’s strategic and campaign planning efforts.
• Build and sustain relationships with alumni, parents, friends, community leaders, corporations, foundations, and volunteers whose interests align with Pacific Athletics.
• Oversee Athletics development operations, including budget planning, program effectiveness, donor events, and collaboration with annual giving and advancement services.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent; seven years of progressive fundraising experience, preferably in higher education or athletics, with demonstrated success securing major gifts of $100,000 or more.
• Experience managing donor portfolios, leading campaign strategy, supervising development professionals, and working with senior leaders, volunteers, and donors.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.
• Master’s Degree preferred.
• Skills/Knowledge and Expertise: Proven success identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift prospects and donors; ability to manage a high-capacity prospect portfolio; experience developing campaign strategies, fundraising plans, proposals, and donor briefings; strong leadership; ability to collaborate with university leaders, athletics staff, coaches, volunteers, alumni, and donors; organizational, budget management, and strategic planning skills; commitment to working with diverse populations and advancing an inclusive fundraising culture; experience with social justice, equity, and inclusion in a university setting.

Nice to Have

• Master’s Degree preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in advancing social justice, equity, and inclusion in a university setting.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary and benefits not disclosed in the posting.