Job Details

Associate Director of Development, Athletics

Position Number: 7239815
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Development and Fund Raising

Associate Director of Development, Athletics

Requisition Number: 72722
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: University Staff
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 28-Jun-2026
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Buff Club at the University of Colorado Boulder encourages applications for two Associate Directors of Development to join our team! The Buff Club is a team of 17 members within the Office of Advancement dedicated to providing development and engagement support for CU Athletics. The primary function of this role is to increase philanthropic engagement and secure major gifts of $25,000+ on behalf of CU Athletics. This includes identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding a portfolio of donors. This position will require travel on a regular basis to meet with current and prospective donors to build relationships and conduct meetings to build relationships and advance gift conversations.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

CU Boulder Advancement is committed to a culture of joy, motivated by collaboration, passionate about excellence and driven by impact. These four values define the culture and drive engagement and fundraising success.
We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone matters and all can thrive. This dedication is rooted in our core values and our mission to drive impactful fundraising and engagement. Our team actively engages in learning, reflection, and the transformation of systems, policies, and practices that perpetuate oppressive ideologies-including racism, sexism, ableism, and heterosexism. We recognize our responsibility to lead by example in building a supportive and inclusive culture for both internal colleagues and external partners. We hold ourselves accountable through individual and divisional goals that continuously assess our progress, growth, and outcomes-ensuring alignment with our mission and values every step of the way.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Portfolio Management and Donor Engagement

Develop and manage a portfolio of individual prospects capable of making gift commitments of $25K+.
In partnership with the Senior Director of Development, develop annual goals around development work (face to face meetings, proposals, dollars raised, and collaborative solicitations).
Collaborate with the Senior Director of Development to develop strategic plan for cultivating, soliciting and stewarding each donor as appropriate, collaborating with the system's gift planning team, colleagues and academic partners when appropriate.
Conduct regular travel to visit with donors in pursuit of achieving established goals and metrics.
Leverages all available University and Athletic Department resources and assets (i.e., tickets, premium seating, parking, event attendance, etc.) to identify, cultivate, and solicit fundraising support.
Document prospect strategies and contact reports, evaluate new prospects and generate stewardship reports, and general correspondence to cultivate major gift prospects.

Other Development Duties as Assigned

Serve as a fundraising liaison to an assigned sport.
Grow philanthropic totals by deepening collaboration with advancement and other campus colleagues for enhanced donor engagement. This involves participating in regular internal meetings and engagement opportunities (task forces, frontline fundraiser meetings, etc.).
Champion a self-learner/self-starter approach and continuously look for opportunities to match donor interests with leadership initiatives in pursuit of meeting established goals and objectives.
Facilitate productive relationships daily between donors and CU administrators, faculty and staff to ensure effectiveness of programs.
Proactively represents CU Athletics at external events to identify prospects and grow network of support.
Other duties as assigned.

What You Should Know

This position is working on-site.
This position will require local, regional, and out-of-state travel to meet with donors.
This position will be required to work evenings/weekends.

What We Can Offer

The salary range for this position is $80,000-$90,000 annually. Relocation assistance is available within Advancement guidelines.Additional Athletics benefits include:

Athletic Event Tickets: Per Athletic Department Policy and NCAA regulations
Nike Elite Employee Benefit: Per Nike Elite Policy.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be dynamic. Be impactful. Be Boulder.

What We Require

Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, or a combination of education and experience may substitute.
Experience: 3+ years of professional, job-related experience.

What You Will Need

Knowledge of fundraising techniques, especially in a higher education/nonprofit environment.
Desire to learn about major gift solicitation techniques.
Strong communication skills and the ability to interact with new people on a regular basis.
Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities; able to appropriately manage time and meet set timelines.
Ability to take constructive feedback from leadership and campus partners.
Ability to champion the shared values of the Office of Advancement.
Ability to exercise a high degree of tact, discretion, and collaboration in working with a diverse range of constituents including employees, students, volunteers, alumni, donors, and campus colleagues.
Phenomenal relationship building skills.
Growth mindset, resilience, and perseverance.
Ability to travel regularly and practice fiscal management and responsibility.
Active listening skills.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

A current resume.
A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by June 28, 2026 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Associate-Director-of-Development-Athletics/72722