Senior Director, Development - College of Pharmacy
Purdue Innovates
Sales & Business Development
Posted on Jul 10, 2025
This position is located in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Working for the Purdue For Life Foundation offers a unique opportunity to be part of an organization dedicated to empowering Purdue University alumni and fostering a lifelong connection to the institution. By joining our team, you'll have the chance to contribute to a mission that supports educational initiatives, scholarships, and programs that positively impact the lives of Purdue students and graduates. The Foundation's commitment to education and community engagement provides a fulfilling work environment where you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and the broader community. Additionally, you'll have access to a network of passionate colleagues and the resources needed to drive positive change, making the Purdue For Life Foundation an inspiring and rewarding place to build your career. Your next giant leap starts here!
The Purdue for Life Foundation and Purdue University College of Pharmacy are seeking a bold and visionary leader to serve as its Senior Director for Development—the lead fundraiser and strategic architect of the College’s philanthropic initiatives. This is a high-impact leadership role with significant visibility and influence, responsible for driving transformational growth and ensuring the College remains at the forefront of scientific research, innovation, and education.
Working for the Purdue For Life Foundation offers a unique opportunity to be part of an organization dedicated to empowering Purdue University alumni and fostering a lifelong connection to the institution. By joining our team, you'll have the chance to contribute to a mission that supports educational initiatives, scholarships, and programs that positively impact the lives of Purdue students and graduates. The Foundation's commitment to education and community engagement provides a fulfilling work environment where you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and the broader community. Additionally, you'll have access to a network of passionate colleagues and the resources needed to drive positive change, making the Purdue For Life Foundation an inspiring and rewarding place to build your career. Your next giant leap starts here!
The Purdue for Life Foundation and Purdue University College of Pharmacy are seeking a bold and visionary leader to serve as its Senior Director for Development—the lead fundraiser and strategic architect of the College’s philanthropic initiatives. This is a high-impact leadership role with significant visibility and influence, responsible for driving transformational growth and ensuring the College remains at the forefront of scientific research, innovation, and education.
As the lead development officer for the College, the Senior Director holds a key leadership position within both the College and Purdue for Life Foundation. Reporting to the Vice President for Development and working in close collaboration with Dean, the Senior Director will shape and lead a high-performing team of development professionals and oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive fundraising strategies. These efforts will focus on securing major and principal gifts in support of core priorities such as faculty excellence, student achievement, groundbreaking research, and strategic capital projects.
This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced development leader to play a defining role in the future of the College of Pharmacy, driving forward a culture of philanthropy and innovation. The Senior Director will personally manage a portfolio of top donors and prospects, serve as a trusted advisor to senior academic leaders, and represent the College to its most influential alumni and stakeholders. Candidates will find this position both professionally fulfilling and uniquely positioned for institutional impact at one of the nation’s top public research universities.
- Department
- Development
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Location
- Purdue for Life Foundation
- Workplace type
- Onsite
Responsibilities
- Reporting to the Vice President for Development and working closely with the Dean (Unit Head) and other development and academic staff, the Senior Director will develop and execute a plan to bring donors to the unit and the University through active use of the development process, including solicitation of major and principal gifts.
- The Senior Director is responsible for leading the effort to secure principal, major and/or planned gifts aimed at meeting the strategic goals of the school’s leadership, its programs, disciplines, and the University.
- A primary focus for the Senior Director, in consultation with the Dean and Vice President for Development, is to design and implement a comprehensive and collaborative advancement program.
- Administratively supervise development team staff.
- Frequent travel and/or evening and weekend duties are required.
- Identify, coordinate, and/or establish personal contact with current and prospective major, principal, or planned gift donors whose interest and financial capacity have the greatest likelihood of strategically meeting the College and University fundraising goals.
- Coordinate the advancement of relationships with the prospective donors by effectively orchestrating through the appropriate stages of qualification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
- Collaborate with appropriate development colleagues and academic leadership to strategically and properly qualify, cultivate, solicit or steward prospects while building continued relationships.
- Identify and establish goals and objectives to effectively and efficiently support the school’s strategic plan and fundraising priorities.
- Prepare proposals and solicit prospects for gifts.
- Host or co-host receptions and events with alumni and donors.
- Become adept at using the Salesforce database to ensure effective records maintenance, including timely filling of requests for prospect assignments, prospect strategies, contact reports, and proposals for the acquisition of major/planned gifts.
- Continually improve professional competency through participation in and/or leadership in professional organizational and other not-for profit organizations.
- Ensure effective records maintenance.
- Regularly report on the progress toward the school’s annual development plan.
Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential, including the demonstrated ability to communicate well in writing and speaking before large groups.
- Ability to lead teams effectively, and interpret and articulate the mission of Purdue University needed.
- Must be able to interact with stakeholders from a wide range of professional and cultural backgrounds.
- Ability to represent the University with tact and diplomacy and in a professional manner at all times required.
- Sound judgment, initiative, and ability to collaborate effectively required.
- Excellent supervisory, relationship building, organizational and time management skills required.
- Knowledge of finance, planned giving, alumni relations, corporate relations, and advancement communications are preferred.
- Ability to continuously improve professional competency through participation of professional education opportunities.
- Strong computer skills necessary.
Required Education, Experience and Benefits Summary
- Bachelors Degree required. Advanced degree preferred.
- Five years of experience in fund development including solicitation of major gifts and/or related work experience required.
- Knowledge of philanthropy and fundraising principles required.
- Experience managing/supervising professional staff strongly preferred.
- Experience in higher education preferred.
Job Level: Management 4
Benefits Summary for eligible employees:
- 10 paid holidays per year.
- Accrue up to 22 vacation days a year.
- Traditional pre-tax 403(b) and Roth retirement plans available.
- 10% employer contribution to your retirement plan and immediate vesting.
- Health Savings Account- earn up to $450 annually towards medical expenses.
- Employer funded Preventative Dental and Vision insurance.
- Tuition discounts on eligible programs at Purdue University and Purdue Global for qualified employees, spouses, and dependents.
About Purdue for Life Foundation
The Purdue for Life Foundation is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Purdue for Life views, evaluates, and treats all persons in all Foundation-related activities solely as individuals on the basis of their own personal abilities, qualifications, and other relevant characteristics. All qualified applicants for employment will receive consideration without regard to race, religion, color, gender, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran.
Purdue for Life will not sponsor employment authorization for this position.
A criminal conviction check and negative controlled substance test are required for employment in this position.
Purdue for Life will not sponsor employment authorization for this position.
A criminal conviction check and negative controlled substance test are required for employment in this position.
Our Hiring Process
Stage 1:
Applied
Stage 2:
Review
Stage 3:
Interview
Stage 4:
2nd Interview
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