ASSISTANT DEAN, Questrom Development & Alumni Relations
Job Description ASSISTANT DEAN, Questrom Development & Alumni Relations
Category Charles River Campus --> Professional Job Location BOSTON, MA, United States Tracking Code 25500121660509 Posted Date 5/9/2025 Salary Grade Grade 53 Position Type Full-Time/Regular
Reporting to the Associate Vice President for School Development (AVP), the Assistant Dean will work with the Dean of the Questrom School, the Vice President for Development, the AVP, the Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) partners, and volunteer leadership, to create, plan, advance and implement a wide range of fundraising activities, strategies, programs and priorities as part of the University's next comprehensive campaign and in support of the School's strategic vision. Additionally, the Assistant Dean will collaborate with DAR's Alumni Engagement team and the Questrom School of Business' Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement for enhanced cultivation of the school's alumni and industry partners.
Responsibilities:
Fundraising: Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising program for the Questrom School of Business. Actively maintain a portfolio of leadership and principal gift prospects and cultivate, solicit and steward them on behalf of Questrom. Craft and present proposals for leadership/principal gift solicitations and prepare other fundraising materials to be used to maximize philanthropy for the School's key strategic priorities. Play primary role in managing and tracking specific fundraising initiatives as agreed by the Dean and Associate Vice President in accordance with the University's and the School's strategic plan.
Leadership: Provide expert fundraising counsel to the Dean, faculty, department chairs, and alumni volunteers. Build collaborative working relationships with Questrom'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 Questrom'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 Associate Vice President. In partnership with the Dean, manage the School's Dean's Advisory Board. Work closely with board members to maximize their philanthropy to the School's key strategic funding priorities.
Management: Manage, oversee and provide mentorship for a team of 5 professionals (director of development, two senior major gift officers, senior associate director of stewardship and donor engagement, and development coordinator). Partner with Alumni Relations professionals based within Questrom's Feld Center. Supervise the office, budget and fulfill administrative duties as required by DAR, Questrom, and BU-wide operating procedures.
Communications: Serve as the School's information resource for Development and Alumni Relations. Provide communication about specific departments and programs as well as overarching School-wide initiatives. Coordinate with Major Gift Officers, Planned Giving Officers, Principal Gift Officers and the Office of Alumni Engagement in their activities on behalf of the Questrom and assist with linkage to the School's faculty and staff as needed to advance prospect activity.
Required Skills
Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. Masters preferred.
Minimum of 14 years of experience working in a development office or academic fundraising environment preferred, including developing a portfolio of prospects and soliciting gifts. Working with volunteers and international donors is ideal, along with working knowledge of a business school's development and alumni operations.
Extensive travel, nights and weekends required.
Excellent written and oral business communication skills.
Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build relationships in a highly collaborative environment. Must be able to "manage up" working directly with University leaders; engage laterally by building relationships of trust and mutual value added with colleagues across campus; and manage "down" ensuring the support and cooperation of staff both within and outside of Development.
Ability to work well on a team; flexibility to take on challenges in mid-stream; ability to delegate when appropriate.
Capacity to think strategically and creatively is necessary. This involves the ability to inquire about and listen to a prospect's needs, and then to understand and determine how to best develop a successful strategy for engagement.
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 and the defined qualifications, we still want to hear from you and welcome your application as well.
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/.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
Required Skills
Job Location: BOSTON, MA Position Type: Full-Time/Regular Salary Grade: Grade 53
