Our Mission

We in Boston University Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) harness the power of philanthropy to make an excellent education accessible and welcoming to all, and to advance BU’s global leadership in research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice. To support our work, we have built—and are continuing to build—an outstanding team of dynamic, mission-driven advancement professionals who constantly strive to create an environment where everyone belongs. Where it’s not just a job, but a career and a community.

Now, our school-based Development team at the School of Law is looking for an Assistant Dean who will lead and manage the school’s fundraising and alumni engagement strategy, in concert with the University’s programs.

Development & Alumni Relations, School of Law at Boston University

The Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) Office at the School of Law is responsible for engaging and connecting with the over 25,000 alumni around the world and raising money to benefit the School of Law. The School of LAW DAR team aims to engage all our alumni in getting them to commit their time, talent, and treasure to the school. The Law School has a Dean’s Advisory Board comprising 35 members; an Alumni Association Executive Committee with over 30 active members; members of the University’s Board of Trustees and University Advisory Board, and Regional Leadership Council members. The Law School has more than 2000 donors each year, and in the last campaign raised over $150 million. We are a top-20 law school, and the Director, Alumni Relations is a critical member of the team as we look to grow our engagement of the alumni community.

Assistant Dean for Development, School of Law

Reporting jointly to the Assistant Vice President for School Development and the Dean of the School of Law, the Assistant Dean for Development is a senior team member in the Development and Alumni Relations Office and at the School of Law. The primary focus for the AD is to identify, cultivate and solicit leadership and principal gift prospects, partner across DAR and manage the Law school team of six development and alumni relations professionals.

This position will identify, integrate, and coordinate the school’s needs with fundraising plans/goals, central development efforts, and alumni programming/activities. They will work with Assistant Vice President, Senior Vice President, Dean, Development and Alumni Relations staff, alumni and volunteers to achieve goals in concert with the development master plan and will create goals & strategies that align with the school’s strategic plan.

Responsibilities:

•  Fundraising: Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising program for the School of Law including managing an active portfolio of leadership and principal gift prospects. Manage LAW Dean’s Advisory Board including identifying new Board members; planning and implementing Board meetings twice a year and optimizing Board member engagement and giving. This will involve close collaboration with the Dean, Assistant Vice President, and other DAR colleagues, faculty and senior University leadership, including the President.
•  Leadership: Provide expert fundraising counsel to the Dean, faculty, department chairs, and alumni volunteers. Build collaborative working relationships with School of LAW’s leadership, faculty, and researchers, and colleagues in the Development and Alumni Relations office. Foster productive relationships between faculty, prospects, and donors. Serve as member of the school’s senior leadership team representing DAR in faculty meetings and other assignments as deemed critical to the fundraising/alumni relations agenda by the Dean and the Assistant Vice President. Serve as a key external spokesperson for the school at industry gatherings and other events outside the University.
• Management: Lead and manage LAW-based development staff, with 4 direct reports in a staff of 6, including recruiting and evaluating staff, and assessing progress towards goals, including coaching and mentorship. Provide leadership on major gift cultivation and solicitation strategies to LAW staff, and actively participate in Development and Alumni Relations senior leadership prospect and policy initiatives.
• Communications: Working with the Law School’s Marketing and Communications team and DAR Development and Communications team, develop communications designed to enhance giving to the LAW School including LAW development website, social media, magazine and donor report. Serve as LAW information resource for Development and Alumni Relations. Guide LAW–related Major Gift and Industry Relations activity in DAR. Serve as key contact and spokesperson for School philanthropy. 

Skills

  QUALIFICATIONS:

• 14 years of relevant experience including 8 years of demonstrated leadership
• Strong development credentials including proven track record of building and developing a high-level portfolio
• Outstanding and successful experience as a fundraiser, including comprehensive management of major and principal gifts prospects
• Effective experience in enlisting and interacting with senior level leadership volunteers and committees
• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills
• Superb judgment and the sensibility to adjudicate wisely among competing priorities
• A disposition to listen and circulate widely
• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Exceptional reasoning, problem-solving and analytical skills, including an ability to translate ideas and concepts into clear, actionable steps
• Superb organizational skills and the ability to multi-task
• Ability to work independently as well collaboratively with team members
• Energy and stamina, self-confidence and humility, a strong sense of purpose, a tolerance for ambiguity and a sense of humor
• Extensive travel, nights and weekends required.

But that’s not all we’re looking for; we want someone who embodies our values:

• Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect, because we value every member’s contributions and know that leadership can come from anywhere.
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.
• Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.
• Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.
• Continuous growth and improvement, both as individuals and as a team.
•  Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter.

If this resonates with you and you want to help us in our ambitious next campaign—and maybe do some of your best work as an advancement professional— we encourage you to apply. If you are hesitant to apply because you have not previously performed every responsibility listed in the description, but you do possess transferable skills, our values, and the defined qualifications, we still want to hear from you and welcome your application.

To learn more about Development & Alumni Relations at Boston University, and other job opportunities, please stop by the DAR Talent website: https://www.bu.edu/dar-talent/.

Boston University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to complete the employment application process, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at 617-353-6474 or druckman@bu.edu.