Director of Major Gifts at Marshall University | Huntington, WV | $55K/yr – $65K/yr

Director of Major Gifts

Huntington, WV

$55K/yr – $65K/yrFull time

Posted 3 weeks ago

Job Description

The Director of Major Gifts for the Big Green Scholarship Foundation serves as a key member of the development team, responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift prospects in support of the Foundation and Marshall Athletics with preference to scholarships, capital projects, and priority initiatives aligned with the Foundation’s Executive Director and the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
Major Gift Fundraising

Identify, cultivate, and secure major gift prospects capable of giving at $10,000+ annually.
Secure major gifts in support of athletic scholarships and priority initiatives.
Meet or exceed annual fundraising goals, including metrics for dollars raised, visits and
Actively qualify new major gift prospects through research, referrals, and engagement strategies.
Utilize current systems to track donor interactions, proposals, and progress toward goals.

Collaboration & Internal Partnership

Work closely with athletics leadership, coaches, and development staff to help fundraise and collaborate with our

individual sports.

Partner with our external staff to enhance donor experience and engagement opportunities and assist in the sales

of our premium seating / areas.

Assist in executing major events, donor hospitality, donor trips and individual sporting events.
Build strong relationships with alumni, donors, fans, and community stakeholders.

Strategic Initiatives

Contribute to annual and long-term fundraising strategies for Big Green.
Support targeted fundraising initiatives.
Assist in integrating emerging tools (e.g., data analytics, AI prospecting) to enhance donor identification and

engagement.
Metrics / Key Performance Indicators

Number of major gift solicitations completed
Number of donor visits (in-person/virtual)
New major gift prospects identified and qualified

Salary Range $55,000 - $65,000; Salary is commensurate upon education, experience and internal equity Salary Type Salary Time Type Full-Time Work Location MU - Marshall University

Qualifications

Must be able to perform all essential job duties as outlined in the job description.

Required Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Experience

3–5 years of experience in fundraising, sales, or relationship management (preferably in collegiate athletics or higher education).
Demonstrated success in securing major or leadership gifts, or comparable sales achievements. Strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
Ability to travel and work evenings/weekends

Preferred Qualifications

Education

Graduate Degree or specific certifications

Experience

Experience in NCAA Division I athletics fundraising.
Familiarity with donor databases/CRMs (e.g., Paciolan, Salesforce, or similar systems).
Proven ability to manage a donor portfolio and close five- and six-figure gifts.
Understanding of collegiate athletics culture, donor motivations and the ever-changing landscape of athletics and its effects on philanthropic giving

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number MU1276E Open Date 07/27/2026 Close Date Open Until Filled Yes Special Instructions Summary

Marshall University

At Marshall University, we change lives and inspire extraordinary futures. Our students attach high value to our small class sizes, having faculty members actively instructing in the classroom, the availability of intensive advising, exceptional student success resources, modern facilities, a growing global community and robust extracurricular programming. Our faculty members are leaders, mentors and cultivators of talent. They are making a real difference in the lives of our students, many of whom arrive here with enormous potential but lack a reliable roadmap for academic accomplishment. Our alumni are the heart and soul of the Marshall family. They have gone on to lead Fortune 500 companies, win Pulitzer Prizes and become captains of industry, science, education and the arts.

Huntington, West Virginia, USA

3.5K employees (102 in marketing)

www.marshall.edu