Managing Director, International Development

Position description

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Managing Director, International Development

Job Profile Title

Director D, Development, Fundraising

Job Description Summary

The International Development Office, part of Capital Giving within Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) at the University of Pennsylvania, is responsible for maximizing philanthropic support for priorities across the University and overseeing leadership engagement from Penn’s alumni, parents, and friends residing outside the United States. The team comprises a total of three frontline fundraisers, a Director of International Operations and Board Relations, a Program Coordinator, and an Associate Vice President of International Development. The office also manages two international foundations and three global leadership fundraising committees to facilitate further giving and engagement.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President of International Development and working in close partnership with vested interests across the university, the Managing Director of International Development is a key member of the University’s international fundraising efforts. The Managing Director will lend leadership direction and support, aiding the AVP in making programmatic decisions by providing expertise about regions, international fundraising trends, and school and center priorities, and by engaging in regular planning and strategizing activities.

Job Description

The Managing Director will be responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive and coordinated fundraising strategies in an assigned region, which support the goals and objectives of a centrally based international office. The strategic plans for each subregion within a larger territory must consider not only cultural nuances, the number of constituencies, their capacity, and philanthropic outlook, but also admissions, donor profiles, political climates, and more. Each strategy must also support the schools and centers. The Managing Director will be responsible for managing a frontline fundraiser, and all strategies must be developed with this two-person approach to broaden and deepen the reach. The Managing Director and other frontline fundraisers will be expected to be intimately familiar with the specifics of the region and serve as expert resources to other colleagues.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop a short- and long-term strategy for donor cultivation, solicitation, engagement, and stewardship for assigned region(s). Using data, trends, and knowledge of the region to review the complexities of the assigned region(s) to create regional strategies.
• Strategize targeted prospect activity with the goal of closing major and principal gifts, and overall fundraising in the region(s). The Managing Director will develop new strategies and initiatives based on a comprehensive analysis to increase the number of prospects under active management.
• Manage specific international geographical regions and portfolios of principal gift and major gift prospects. The primary objective will be to accomplish meaningful prospect interactions throughout each phase of the prospect management process, from identification and qualification to stewardship.
• Work with school and center directors to collectively create school/center strategies and set expectations for central versus school/center roles in their international prospect activity in the specific regions.
• Serve as an advocate for international constituents. The Managing Director must ensure university-wide fundraising activities, recognize the interests and needs of international constituents, and advise colleagues appropriately. In particular, the Managing Director must work to promote tax-beneficial giving opportunities that are available internationally.
• Work closely with donors and prospective donors to plan and execute cultivation, stewardship, and outreach events for prospects as strategically appropriate.
• Identify and develop volunteer leadership in the region as appropriate and applicable. Be familiar with Penn’s volunteer structure and opportunities to help identify international prospects for the various opportunities.
• In partnership with the AVP, serve as an internal resource for DAR and the President, Deans, Faculty, and Senior Officers planning international trips. This responsibility necessitates familiarity with the various alumni clubs, top prospects, and existing university relationships; it requires the ability to strategically make optimum use of their time and to accompany these individuals on trips as required.
• Develop an understanding of the cultural protocols to follow in targeted region(s) and inform colleagues appropriately.
• Manage one of the frontline fundraisers on the team, which includes creating a strategy for that staff member to reach their potential and with a goal of maximizing fundraising efforts and results across regions.
• Represent International Development at meetings, events, and professional conferences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and 7 to 10 years of progressive fundraising, with a preferred emphasis on international major gifts fundraising or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Advanced degree a plus
• Higher education experience is a plus.
• Knowledge of international cross-border charitable giving with jurisdiction-specific understanding of various tax regimes where tax-efficient gifts to a US institution can be made by donors outside the U.S. Especially familiarity with the UK Gift Aid scheme; Transnational Giving Europe (TGE); Canada, and Hong Kong tax incentives a plus.
• Cultural understanding and sensitivity; experience working in an international market is a plus.
• Ability to function with a high degree of independence and to act very collaboratively in the development and execution of regional strategies.
• Extensive international travel required; must be able to travel every month or every other month, sometimes for up to two weeks at a time, and to varied countries and cultures in a single trip.
• Experience managing a frontline fundraiser, with a successful record of ensuring high fundraising results.
• Excellent planning, organizational skills; attention to details.
• Manage multiple projects, issues, solicitations simultaneously and creatively, thoroughly, and confidentially; work independently under pressure.
• Be comfortable with ambiguity and be able to adapt to unfamiliar settings, cultural values and norms.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral, especially in unaccustomed cultural settings. Preferably knowledge of a foreign language and ease working with people of foreign languages.
• Comfortable as University spokesperson as appropriate.
• Strong competency with standard software applications, and ability to learn new software.
• Valid Passport and U.S. driver’s license required; may need to obtain international driver’s license for work in some countries.

Job Location – City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Development and Alumni Relations

Pay Range

$133,000.00 – $198,534.70 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Application instructions

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