Senior Associate Athletic Director of Development
George Mason University
Department: Intercollegiate Athletics
Classification: Administrative Faculty
Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)
Location: Fairfax, VA
Workplace Type: On Site Required
Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa
sponsorship
Salary: Salary commensurate with education and
experience
Restricted: Yes
Criminal Background Check: Yes
Financial Background Check: Yes
Motor Vehicle Records Check: Yes
About the Department:
The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at George Mason
University proudly supports more than 500 student-athletes across
22 NCAA Division I programs. As a distinguished member of the
Atlantic 10 Conference, our teams have earned 17 conference
championships, captured NCAA titles in Women’s Soccer and Men’s
Indoor Track, and achieved national recognition with a Men’s
Basketball Final Four appearance. We also celebrate more than 30
individual national champions who exemplify excellence in
competition.
Educate: Prioritize academic achievement and recruit
student-athletes who can be successful academically, strengthen
ICA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, and provide consistent
education for coaches and sports administrators.
Compete: Position teams to consistently compete for conference
success and recruit student-athletes who possess the ability to
excel athletically from a conference and national
perspective.
Engage: Prioritize the experience and personal well-being of
student-athletes, develop and renovate athletics facilities in
accordance with University and ICA objectives and priorities,
generate resources necessary to support the student-athlete
experience, competitiveness, and infrastructure, and foster and
inspire partnerships within the department, University, the
surrounding community, and the corporate community.
The Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations division is a
comprehensive development and alumni relations enterprise with a
staff complement of approximately 125 FTE. Functional units within
Advancement include development/fundraising, alumni relations,
stewardship and donor relations, advancement communications,
special events, gift processing, research, prospect management,
gift planning, corporate and foundation relations, information
systems and management, and infrastructure services.
Advancement’s mission is to build strong, lifelong relationships
with George Mason University’s alumni and constituents while
matching their philanthropic interests with the university’s
aspirations and priorities. The division is committed to serving
the needs of the university, our alumni, and the greater community
by providing access to quality education and lifelong learning.
Respect, service, integrity, collaboration, diversity,
transparency, and creativity are the values that guide our work and
culture.
About the Position:
The Senior Associate Athletic Director of Development is the lead
fundraising officer for Intercollegiate Athletics (ICA) and is
responsible for all development-focused programs, initiatives, and
strategies designed to increase philanthropic support aligned with
ICA and University goals and objectives. The position serves as a
member of the ICA senior leadership team and partners with central
Advancement and Alumni Relations, advancement colleagues, and ICA
colleagues to advance philanthropic giving to key priorities
through ongoing annual fundraising, alumni engagement, corporate
and foundation relations, and major, principle, and planned
giving.
The Senior Associate Athletic Director of Development manages all
development activity for ICA by undertaking the identification,
cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospects with the
potential of making major gifts, those of at least $25,000, and
principal gifts, those of $1 million or more to the priorities of
the department. It also oversees all annual fund (i.e., Patriot
Club) fundraising efforts and corresponding staff members.
This position oversees the school’s capital campaign activities and
ensures the alignment of the department and University capital
campaign with any future comprehensive campaign on the part of the
university. This is a position heavily focused on networking and
building relationships and committed to the tracking of measures
and metrics to build a pipeline of donors to support the
aspirations of the Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics,
head coaches, administrative support staff, student-athletes, and
the University as a whole.
This position is expected to work a flexible schedule, including
occasional evenings and weekends, and to travel independently, both
regional and domestic.
Responsibilities:
Maintain Personal Portfolio and Supporting and Managing
Comprehensive Fundraising Program
Responsible for identifying, qualifying, stewarding, and
soliciting a portfolio of 75-90 major gift prospects and donors,
emphasizing new gifts and pledges of $25,000 and above totaling
upwards of $1-$2 million annually;
Actively engages each prospect in their portfolio to ensure
prospect movement and portfolio penetration annually;
Meets or exceeds all metrics and expectations set by Central
Advancement;
Supports successful execution of a comprehensive fundraising
program that appropriately partners with and leverages resources
from the central advancement team to accomplish objectives;
Gather data, assess prospects, and develop strategies designed
to realize individual prospects’ current and lifetime giving
potential;
Develops strategies and implementation of major and principal
gifts for corporate prospects for ICA, in concert with the central
Advancement Corporate & Foundations team;
As appropriate, is personally responsible for the direct
solicitation of gifts and for preparing the Assistant Vice
President/Director of Athletics, Head Coaches, and other members of
the ICA fundraising team and/or University to make
solicitations;
Coordinates the efforts of those who can assist in fundraising;
tracks contacts, asks, and funds raised; drafts proposals and
pledge agreements for potential donors; and proposes and
coordinates appropriate cultivation and stewardship
activities;
Maintains consistent and appropriate contact with prospects,
facilitate or make solicitations, and ensure effective
stewardship;
Completes contact reports for both the ICA database and the
central development contact reporting system;
Assists in overseeing ICA’s portfolio of donors and potential
donors individually and through the team’s management to maximize
unit revenue from philanthropic giving; and
Attends meetings on campus surrounding major gifts and central
development functions. Oversight of all annual fundraising efforts,
including the Patriot Club, sport-specific giving, and other
related booster organizations focused on raising funds, growing
membership, executing events, engagement, and stewardship
Administer a comprehensive annual plan focused on generating
$1.5 to $3 million in annual revenue for the department
Responsible for the direct solicitation of gifts and for
preparing the Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics, Head
Coaches, and other members of the ICA fundraising team and/or
University to make solicitations for annual fund and
sports-specific giving opportunities;
Builds and maintains volunteer leadership through engagement
with the Patriot Club Advisory Board and other alumni or external
constituencies key to the department’s fundraising success;
Identifies and/or develops creative engagement opportunities
with donors, alumni, and the local community to broaden the base of
support for the Athletics department and amplify its mission,
vision, and overall brand;
Displays good judgment and confidentiality; and
Travels as necessary for donor outreach and cultivation.
Supervision of Staff
Responsible for setting goals for performance and deadlines in
ways that comply with the university’s plans and vision and
communicate them to subordinates;
Organizing workflow and ensuring that employees understand
their duties or delegated tasks;
Monitoring employee productivity and providing constructive
feedback and coaching;
Receiving complaints and resolving problems;
Maintaining timekeeping and personnel records;
Passing on information from upper management to employees and
vice versa;
Preparing and submitting performance evaluations;
Hiring and training new employees; and
Ensuring adherence to legal and university policies and
procedures and undertaking disciplinary actions if the need
arises.
Performs other related duties as assigned
Required Qualifications:
Advanced degree in a related field and demonstrated successful
professional advancement and/or fundraising-related experience,
preferably in higher education; or any equivalent combination of
education and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skill,
and abilities have been achieved;
A demonstrated record of successful major gift solicitations
and experience designing and executing donor identification,
cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies;
Successful experience in planning, coordinating and conducting
major capital or comprehensive campaign efforts.
Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously and meeting
continuous deadlines;
Demonstrated ability to identify, qualify, solicit, and steward
major and principal gift donors;
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including
demonstrated writing and editing skills in preparing proposals and
drafting related correspondence;
Stellar relationship-building skills and ability to build
rapport with internal and external stakeholders around innovative
ideas and programs;
A creative approach to involve and solicit major donor
prospects and possess the ability to motivate;
Demonstrated experience with personnel management;
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and experience with
documenting appropriate information in a donor management database
system; and
Valid driver’s license: must currently possess an appropriate,
active, valid motor vehicle operator’s license that meets all of
GMU’s requirements for operating state vehicles and equipment under
Mason’s Vehicle Use Policy 1411
https://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/policies/vehicle-use/. The Office
of Risk Management reserves the right to review the driver’s
licenses and Motor Vehicle Reports (MVRs) of all candidates
selected with employment contingent upon a favorable review.
Preferred Qualifications:
Significant experience in major gifts fundraising, preferably
in higher education;
Prior fundraising experience in intercollegiate athletics or
higher education development for capital projects, athletic
development, and with comprehensive campaigns;
Familiarity with CRM fundraising software;
Demonstrate sound judgment necessary for interacting with
donors, prospects, trustees, faculty, and staff; and
Possess understanding and the ability to articulate the
accomplishments and goals of a complex organization.
Instructions to Applicants:
For full consideration, applicants must apply for Senior
Associate Athletic Director of Development at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online
application to include three professional references with contact
information, and provide a Resume for review.
Posting Open Date: April 16, 2026
For Full Consideration, Apply by: April 30, 2026
Open Until Filled: Yes
Mason Ad Statement
Mason is currently the largest and most diverse university in
Virginia with students and faculty from all 50 states and over 135
countries studying in over 200 degree programs at campuses in
Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William, as well as at learning
locations across the commonwealth. Rooted in Mason’s diversity is a
campus culture that is both rewarding and exciting, work that is
meaningful, and opportunities to both collaborate and create.
If you are interested in joining the Mason family take a look at
our current opportunities and catch some Mason spirit at
jobs.gmu.edu/!
George Mason University, Where Innovation is Tradition.
Equity Statement
George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its
community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for
employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or
veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.
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