The Director of Foundations and Strategic Partnerships serves the University in its advancement endeavors through cultivating relationships with individuals, corporations and foundations to communicate the mission and vision of CIU toward the goal of generating major gifts.  The Director of Foundations and Strategic Partnerships has primary responsibility to build and establish meaningful relationships that will result in funding to assist the Advancement team to create increasing awareness and revenue.

• Lead Advancement team members in developing a strategic process for soliciting gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations.
• Lead Advancement team members in developing a process for managing received gifts and providing scheduled reports to donors.  
• Create and manage a process that will identify the needs of campus initiatives and programs to match with potential individuals, foundations and corporations.   
• Direct the implementation of strategic plans and initiatives for major gift while building and maintaining new partnerships.
• Leverage marketing/ communications experience and relationships to increase university partnerships and deepen revenue-based relationships.
• Establish a personal schedule for meeting with community leaders, leaders of major corporations, and foundations to effectively communicate the mission, vision, and funding needs of CIU.
• Identify the giving priorities of foundations with corresponding major gift opportunities at CIU.
• Ensure timely completion of all contacts with constituents including ministry updates, thank-you's, special and lapsed donor calls.
• Identify and follow up on opportunities to present the CIU story and needs to potential constituents and successfully increase the number of those responding each year.
• Ensure constituent contact information and updates are entered into Raiser’s Edge in a timely manner.
• Ensure the timely and accurate delivery of reports to internal and external stakeholders.

• This individual must possess a high level of personal motivation, enjoy interacting with others, be persuasive, have exceptional communication skills (listening, written and verbal), and able to overcome objections.
• This individual must have significant planning abilities, decision making skills, be flexible, exhibit exceptional relationship skills and must be results oriented.
• This individual should demonstrate a high level of energy, be positive and friendly and show a genuine interest in people.
• Must be proficient in the use of computers including software programs such as Microsoft Office.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Three to five years successful experience in working with the public

CIU provides a benefits package that includes:

• Health Plan;
• 401(k) plan with match opportunity;
• 100% of employee’s cost of group life insurance;
• Long term disability insurance;
• Vacation days, holidays, sick leave, family leave;
• Educational benefits: tuition reduction for PreK3-Graduate.

Interested and qualified candidates will complete the CIU Employment Application.