Executive Director of Development and Alumni Engagement, Josef Korbel School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

About the University of Denver

The University of Denver (DU), a private university, is the oldest independent university in the Rocky Mountain region, with approximately 12,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. DU is classified as an R1: Doctoral University.

At the University of Denver, we’re doing higher education our way: authentic to the Rocky Mountain Wests confident optimism and pragmatic independence. It sets us apart. We’re preparing young people to be the solutions in their own stories, empowering them to face uncertainty with confidence and uncommon sense.

We’re fiercely ambitious and forward-thinking, surpassing all expectations to redefine success and how to achieve it. And we’re true to our mission as a top-tier private R-1 institution dedicated to making the world a better place – contributing to our communities and making positive change in the world.

About DU Advancement

The Denver Difference campaign is our most ambitious campaign yet. It marks a dramatic shift in conventional thinking about what the university experience can and should be. DU is setting the bar with our approach to higher education, developing and preparing students to be successful in life in every way. The University of Denver is building an advancement enterprise that mirrors the excellence and innovation of our great institution. Inclusive of alumni engagement, development, operations, and campaign leadership, DU Advancement is building and fostering a culture of deep engagement and philanthropy in support of our bold vision.

About the Josef Korbel School

Founded in 1964, the Josef Korbel School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Denver has a long tradition of challenging students to think independently and innovatively to create meaningful change. The Korbel School is a leading institution in international relations, public policy, and global affairs, known for its interdisciplinary approach that integrates scholarship, practice, and public engagement. Korbel graduates are shaping the world and addressing some of today’s most complex global challenges, reflecting the School’s enduring commitment to informed leadership, public impact, and global responsibility. Founding dean Josef Korbel helped shape the field of international studies and was a mentor to two former Secretaries of State: Madeleine K. Albright, his daughter and the first female Secretary of State, and Condoleezza Rice, his star student.

Position Summary

The Executive Director of Development and Alumni Engagement reports directly to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Engagement and works closely with the Dean of the Korbel School. This position plays a key role in developing and enhancing relationships with major and principal gift prospects, discovering their philanthropic passions, and aligning them with the funding priorities emerging from Korbel’s remarkable academic centers and The Denver Difference Campaign.
The Executive Director will develop and mature a portfolio of major gift donors in pursuit of individual fundraising goals set annually in collaboration with the Assistant Vice Chancellor and the Dean of the Korbel School. The Executive Director will also collaborate with Advancement leadership, colleagues, and university administrators to establish short- and long-term strategies and monitor progress toward goals.

The successful candidate for this important role will possess a deep commitment to elevating the state of democracy in the United States and abroad as well as a demonstrated ability to galvanize support to advance this cause. They will have a keen awareness and appreciation for emerging issues of security, sustainability and the global economy, and a strong passion for the Korbel School’s work in developing a generation of leaders who will address them. The Executive Director will work in partnership with the Dean of the Korbel School to frame these (and other) complex issues and global challenges in ways that resonate with individuals and communities.

This position is eligible for hybrid work, will require quarterly travel to key markets outside of Denver, and will support the team with occasional events and evening activity attendance.

Essential Functions

Fundraising Outcomes 

• Raise $3-10M or more annually when the portfolio is fully mature.
• Achieve Korbel’s annual and campaign dollar goals.

Fundraising Activities

• Typical performance metrics include face-to-face visits, major gift solicitations and multichannel asks, and qualification activities for leadership and principal gift prospects.
• Cultivate and solicit gifts at the principal, leadership, and high major gift levels with a focus on prospects with the capacity to make gifts of $500K-$1M+.
• Identify and qualify major gift rated prospects with a focus on donor-centric approaches and maximizing gift size and impact to the University of Denver.
• Manage a portfolio of top prospects at the major, leadership, and principal gifts levels for the Korbel using fast-paced moves management techniques.
• Solicit managed prospects for annual gifts as appropriate.
• When appropriate, leverage volunteers to facilitate strategic development activities.
• Own the creation and execution of unit and interdisciplinary campaign strategies.

Leadership 

• Primary advancement professional working with the Dean of Korbel, serving as a key strategist, chief fundraiser, and trusted advisor, making sound decisions on the best course of action for DU in the long term.
• Manage and coach a team of one (1) full-time professional fundraiser and one (1) alumni engagement professional, driving productivity through a supportive and accountability-based team culture.
• Provide leadership representation for the unit, internally and externally.
• Partner with Korbel leadership to create a campaign philanthropic vision and execute that vision.
• Staff university leadership and participate in principal gift strategy sessions, when appropriate.
• Participate in group strategy discussions, provide project leadership, and share information with colleagues towards the achievement of the overall goals of the academic units.
• Engage in Advancement goal-setting processes for fundraising, engagement, and stewardship.
• Effectively and responsibly steward budgetary and other resources.

Programmatic & Operational Responsibilities 

• Staff and manage philanthropic boards and councils, including the Social Science Foundation Board.
• Develop and implement donor engagement programs, recognition events, and stewardship initiatives.
• Articulate the impact of philanthropy through customized communications, reports, and donor experiences.
• Ensure accurate and timely entry of contact reports and donor data in the CRM.
• Track and report on key performance indicators such as qualifications, visits, solicitations, volunteer management, and dollars raised.
• Manage complex projects and initiatives in compliance with university policies and procedures.

Collaborate Across Campus 

• Manage complex prospects with multiple areas of interest across the university.
• Model “One DU” approach.
• Serve on the Korbel School leadership team.
• Serve as unit lead in collaborative goal setting for annual stewardship, annual giving, event, donor relations, and alumni engagement activities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Consistently raise leadership and principal gifts, implement campaign strategies and outcomes, and develop long-term philanthropic strategies for top prospects.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate and close gifts of $1,000,000+ and build transformational donor partnerships.
• Serve as team/unit spokesperson both internally and externally.
• Author complex and compelling donor proposals.
• Demonstrate sound judgment in situations requiring independent decision-making and in handling confidential and sensitive material. Navigate institutional change and disruption with political acumen.
• Build and manage both individual and team portfolios of prospects ensuring proposal activity is robust and positioned to achieve annual and campaign goals.
• Align fundraising with institutional priorities and budgets & develop advanced knowledge of the academic budgeting process and financial planning.
• Architect and implement long-term fundraising strategies and campaign planning.
• Champion data-driven culture to use time and tools most effectively.
• Foster effective enterprise-wide collaboration and lead cross-functional initiatives.
• Supervise Advancement professionals and manage complex teams, providing coaching and mentoring while holding teams accountable to excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• 9 years of professional experience, including 7 years of direct fundraising experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Fundraising experience in higher education or a comparably complex nonprofit environment.
• Graduate Degree, preferably in a field related to international studies or public policy.

Working Environment

• Standard open office environment
• Noise level is quiet to moderate
• Non-essential role. Note: essential employees are those individuals who must report to work, be “on call” to report to work, and/or work remotely if required in order to maintain the critical functions of the University during scheduled closures or an unscheduled suspension of normal operations due to emergencies, events, or other situations.

Physical Activities

• Ability to use a computer for an extended period
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs. with assistance
• This role is not required to operate an Automobile, Passenger Van, UTV/ATV, or golf cart

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., some nights and weekends as required

Application Deadline
For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) April 16, 2026.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 16.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $140,000-$160,000

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.