New England HERC

Clark University seeks a results-driven Senior Director of Philanthropic Engagement and Climate Partnerships. Reporting to the Senior Executive Director of Individual Giving, this key leadership role is responsible for managing a major gifts portfolio, directing fundraising initiatives for climate-related programs, and collaborating with university leadership to enhance philanthropic support. The Senior Director will also oversee the Advancement Leaders Program, a cohort of five fundraisers utilizing AI technology to engage donors effectively. This role will directly supervise a team of four fundraisers dedicated to donor retention, solicitation, and leadership giving.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Strategy

• Develop and implement comprehensive fundraising strategies for the School of Climate, Environment, and Society.
• Serve as a member of the University Advancement Leadership team and as a key contributor to the university's advancement strategy, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities.
• Set clear fundraising goals and performance metrics to track progress and drive results.

Major & Annual Giving Management

• Direct fundraising initiatives related to climate, environment, and sustainability programs.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-level donors.
• Work closely with faculty and leadership within the School of Climate, Environment, and Society to identify funding opportunities.

Team Leadership & Management

• Supervise and support a team of four to five fundraisers responsible for donor retention, upgrade, and solicitation:
• Oversee the Advancement Leaders Program, a cohort of fundraisers leveraging AI to qualify and engage thousands of prospects and donors.
• Provide mentorship, professional development, and strategic guidance to ensure fundraising success.
• Collaboration & University Engagement
• Partner with university leadership, faculty, and other stakeholders to advance climate-related fundraising priorities.
• Collaborate with the Senior Executive Director of Individual Giving and other advancement leaders to drive donor engagement.
• Travel regularly for donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.

• Minimum of 5+ years of experience in fundraising, with a strong preference for university or nonprofit settings.
• Proven track record of securing gifts and managing high-level donor relationships.
• Demonstrated success in managing and mentoring fundraising teams.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Strong goal orientation, with a focus on meeting and exceeding fundraising targets.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and strategic planning skills.
• Ability to travel regularly and work evenings and weekends as needed.

At Clark University we believe that diversity of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds leads to a more innovative and productive work environment. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to join our team and contribute their unique ideas to help us achieve our goals.

Clark University offers a generous benefit package for full and, if applicable, part-time employees that include; paid time off, generous retirement plan, group health and dental insurance, life insurance, and tuition, along with use of many campus amenities. For a complete list of benefits for eligible employees visit here.

To review the Clark University Police Department Annual Security and Fire Safety Report visit here.

Apply Online

About Clark University

Founded in 1887, Clark University is a liberal arts-based research university committed toscholarship and inquiry that addresses social and human imperatives on a global basis. It is the place where Robert Goddard invented the modern rocket, where Sigmund Freud delivered his only lectures in the United States, and where current students stake their claim to the Clark motto, “Challenge Convention, Change Our World,” which is the rallying cry that inspires our community every day. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University educates its undergraduate and graduate students to be imaginative and contributing citizens of the world, and to advance the frontiers of knowledge and understanding through rigorous scholarship and creative effort. The University’s engages students in such areas as biology, chemistry, economics, geography, psychology, urban education, management, environmental science and policy, Holocaust and genocide studies, and international development and social change. Clark University’s pioneering model of higher education, LEEP (Liberation Education and Effective Practice) compels undergraduate students to thrive in authentic world and workplace settings, and prepares them for lives and careers of consequence.

Connections working at Clark University