Senior Director of Development, Society, Arts & Civic Life - CSU Sacramento in Issaquah, Washington

Location

Issaquah, Washington

Job Type

Full-time

Company

Another Source

## At a glance

Sacramento State is seeking a Senior Director of Development, Society, Arts & Civic Life to lead major gift fundraising for the College of Social Sciences & Interdisciplinary Studies and the College of Arts & Letters. This is a hands-on, high-impact fundraising leadership role that partners directly with academic leaders and engaged community donors to advance initiatives in civic engagement, cultural expression, social impact, and student success.

### What you'll be doing

In this position you will manage a portfolio of 100–125 major and principal gift prospects, focused on cultivating, soliciting, and closing gifts of $50,000+ while building a sustainable donor pipeline across giving levels. You will serve as the primary advancement partner to two college Deans and report to the Associate Vice President for University Development. The role blends frontline fundraising with strategic leadership and includes supervising and mentoring a Development Associate.

You will be expected to conduct at least 8 meaningful donor visits per month and to:

- Drive strategy from identification through stewardship for a large portfolio of prospects.

- Personally cultivate, solicit, and close gifts of $50,000+ (and participate in principal gift strategy with senior advancement leadership).

- Partner closely with Deans, faculty, advisory boards, alumni, and community stakeholders to define funding priorities and build customized cultivation strategies.

- Develop compelling proposals, gift agreements, and donor communications that inspire investment.

- Design and implement integrated donor engagement strategies leveraging events, advisory boards, and community partnerships.

- Serve on the University Development Leadership Team and represent University Development at campus, community, and regional events.

### Who we're looking for

A relationship-driven fundraiser or advancement professional with demonstrated experience managing a portfolio and executing strategic fundraising plans. The position requires a Bachelor’s degree (required) and Five (5)+ years of experience with a proven track record of cultivating and closing major gifts ($55K+), or comparable experience in sales, business development, or corporate relations. Successful candidates will have strong leadership and supervisory experience with the ability to coach and develop others, excellent written and verbal communication skills (including proposal development and presentations), and strong organizational skills to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Technical and practical requirements include experience with CRM systems (e.g., Advance, Blackbaud) and Microsoft Office tools. The role requires a willingness to travel and work evenings/weekends as needed, a valid driver’s license, and the ability to pass a background check. Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. and to work within California per CSU policy.

Preferred qualifications (not required) include a Master’s degree, professional fundraising certification, and experience working in complex or higher education environments.

### Compensation & benefits

The anticipated salary range for this position is $115,000 – $125,000 annual salary. Sacramento State and the CSU system offer a comprehensive benefits package typically valued at an additional 30–35% of compensation, including Cal. PERS pension and 403(b) retirement options, up to 24 vacation days per year (based on employee group/services), tuition fee waivers for eligible employees and family members across all 23 CSU campuses, access to campus recreation, athletics, arts events, and other employee resources.

### Location and additional information

This is an on-campus role in Sacramento, California with community engagement and travel throughout the region. A background check is required. Sacramento State is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity and to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Another Source is the recruiting partner; candidates are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every listed qualification.