Associate Director, Development, Margolis Institute for Health Policy

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

The Robert J. Margolis, MD, Institute for Health Policy is Duke University’s premier health policy research and education program. Duke-Margolis seeks to address critical health policy challenges and improve health, health equity, and the value of health care through practical, innovative, and evidence-based policy solutions. The interdisciplinary nature of Duke-Margolis brings together policy experts, researchers, health care professionals, and students from across Duke’s schools of medicine, nursing, law, public policy, business, and engineering, and fosters extensive relationships with stakeholders both internal and external. These relationships span foundations, private sector organizations, state and federal governments, and global entities. The Institute fosters excellence, leadership, and scholarship at every level.

Occupational Summary

This position will be closely partnered with Duke’s office of Alumni Engagement and Development, most directly with Interdisciplinary Development as part of the Major & Leadership Gifts team, which is widely recognized among its peers as a leader in the field of interdisciplinary or “strategic initiative” fundraising. This model for fundraising – one that extends beyond schools, units, and departments to support ideas that reside at the intersection of academic disciplines – has helped strengthen Duke’s position as a university deeply committed to interdisciplinarity, globalization, and knowledge in the service of society. Investments in these priorities have allowed Duke to attract some of the world’s finest faculty, build first-rate facilities, launch model interdisciplinary institutes and global partnerships, and engage the minds of a new generation of students.

The Associate Director of Development serves as the primary fundraising and development coordinator for the Margolis Institute, working closely with Margolis executive leadership as well as colleagues in engagement and development colleagues across campus, especially with the office of Alumni Engagement and Development. They are responsible for partnering in the development and implementation of comprehensive fundraising programs that advance giving to Margolis –with a focus on strategic coordination of endowment, annual fund, and programmatic giving. Based within Duke-Margolis and reporting to the Institute’s Deputy Director, they will work closely with the Institute’s leadership and communications teams, frontline fundraisers in the office of alumni Engagement and Development, Duke Health Development and Alumni Affairs, and professional and graduate school development offices to communicate Duke-Margolis fundraising priorities and ensure that they are represented in conversations with individual, corporate, and foundation prospects and donors. They maintain robust knowledge of Margolis’ work and partnerships and serve as a resource for gift officers working with prospective donors.

The ideal candidate is an accomplished administrative manager with meaningful higher education fundraising experience and an aptitude for understanding organizational dynamics and vision, as well as the shifting landscape of higher education and trends in philanthropic giving. They must be able to work collaboratively with partners across and outside the university while successfully advocating for and advancing program goals. They must have the ability to resolve diverse problems independently, know how to create consensus among disparate parties, and manage complex logistics for a variety of stakeholders across Duke University and Duke Health. They must have the ability to understand the big picture, communicating how a desired strategy or objective fits into the overall vision and mission of the organization. Strong interpersonal skills honed through the cultivation and maintenance of stakeholder relationships are also essential. Exposure to or experiences in health care, health policy, government, or the life sciences is a plus.

Duke-Margolis has offices in both Washington, DC, and on Duke's main campus in Durham, NC. The base worksite for this position will be Durham, NC, with occasional travel to Washington, DC, expected. Employees are currently working in a hybrid capacity with a combination of teleworking locally to the base office area (DC/MD/VA or NC, respectively) and in-person team collaboration days. The successful candidate will also be expected to actively participate in the campus-wide development and alumni engagement community, such as attending in-person and hybrid meetings, professional development, and events.

Work Performed

Fundraising (40%)

• Work with Margolis academic and development leadership to develop and implement comprehensive fundraising programs. This may include but is not limited to:
  • Identify stewardship needs and develop improved processes to address them – including communicating with donors about the impact of their gifts and ensuring recognition and appreciation of donors in events and communications
  • Establish a comprehensive vision and plan for unrestricted annual fund giving to Margolis, inclusive of potential donors within existing Duke Alumni and other networks and prospect pipelines beyond Duke
  • Identify, articulate, and regularly evaluate a comprehensive set of giving priorities in consultation with Margolis leadership
  • Serve as a point of contact for prospect engagement inquiries from University/Health-wide fundraisers and collaborate with these fundraisers on the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of prospects and donors
  • Partner with Alumni Engagement and Development, including but not limited to the Director of Interdisciplinary Development and Program Director for Transformation Gifts, to execute Margolis fundraising strategy related to major prospects within and outside existing Duke networks
  • Develop and maintain prospect lists by qualifying and adding prospects as they emerge and communicating these with appropriate fundraisers, concentrating strategy on prospects with high capacity and affinity as well as emerging interest
  • Partner with Interdisciplinary Development and Margolis communications, education, and research staff to develop content, assist in developing proposals, and strategize visits to advance gift discussions
  • Coordinate with Foundation Relations and Corporate Relations on proposal development for grants and corporate prospects as needed
  • Collaborate with Margolis teams to prepare and update development collateral for fundraisers such as giving opportunities or impact reports

Alumni Engagement (20%)

• Develop strategies and tactics that will strengthen the alumni network for Duke-Margolis alumni and for Duke alumni interested and active in health policy. Target areas of focus will include new communication, alumni events, and stewardship channels for the growing Margolis Scholar alumni network, and how to bridge alumni-student connections at scale.
• Partner with Alumni Engagement and Development and its Regional Directors to identify opportunities for Duke alumni to engage with Margolis research or education initiatives, as well as opportunities for Margolis students and researchers to contribute to regional Duke alumni events
• Represent Margolis at Duke alumni events on campus and regionally as needed to grow the pool of potential Duke alumni engaged with the Institute

Board Relations (20%)

• Staff the Margolis Institute for Health Policy Board of Advisors, including but not limited to the following activities: communications (collectively and with individual members); collaborating on and coordinating the development of meeting agendas and content; attending meetings
• Advise Margolis Institute leadership on board recruitment and engagement for development purposes
• Actively partner with Major & Leadership Gifts’ regional fundraisers to identify and cultivate new board members with philanthropic potential

Coordination and Administration (20%)

• Represent Margolis in meetings across Duke University and Duke Health concerning strategies for top prospects
• Facilitate the administrative execution of fundraising or gift opportunities associated with Duke-Margolis programmatic efforts, including invoicing and donor communications
• Coordinate with all relevant parties, observing protocols and procedures, concerning prospect management, assignment, and solicitation
• Other duties as assigned.

Desired Skills:

• Fundraising experience required, 5-7 years minimum, experience in higher education environments preferred. Exposure to or experience in health care, health policy, government, or the life sciences is a plus.
• High level of comfort with ambiguity and an ability to respond to change and commit to decisions under pressure
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and strategically with diverse constituencies to achieve shared success
• Capacity to influence and/or guide others toward achieving a goal or solving a problem
• Strong customer service orientation
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Team player, particularly with development colleagues
• Strong sense of organizational awareness and ability to use this to achieve objectives
• Ambition, creativity, and resourcefulness
• Attention to detail and follow-through
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• A commitment to continuous learning
• Project and data management skills
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite programs

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Engagements are renewable annually upon funding availability from the Institute. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Application Materials Required:

• Cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Three references (names and email addresses)

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Work requires communications, analytical and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program.

Experience

Work requires five years experience in alumni affairs, public  relations, fund raising, sales and promotions, marketing, student activities or a related field in order to acquire skills necessary to administer, coordinate and/or participate in general fund raising activities and proposal development. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.