Senior Director of Development, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $190,000 - $210,000

Position Summary

Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute is a world-class neuroscience institute, bringing together more than 850 researchers and staff to study the mind and brain in ways that lead to transformative discoveries. The Senior Director of Development leads the Zuckerman Institute’s fundraising program, focused primarily on securing major and principal gifts from individual donors, and manages an exceptional team of three development professionals.

The Senior Director of Development reports to the Assistant Vice President of Development for Strategic Initiatives in Columbia's central Office of Alumni Relations and Development (OAD), with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Director and CEO of the Zuckerman Institute. The Senior Director collaborates with colleagues across Columbia's schools and central departments and joins a vibrant community of fundraising professionals supporting more than two dozen strategic initiatives across the University.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy for the Zuckerman Institute in partnership with Institute and OAD leadership. Establish fundraising goals, align philanthropic priorities with institutional objectives, and build support among key Institute stakeholders.
• Build, cultivate, and personally manage a portfolio of approximately 50 principal and major gift prospects. Develop sophisticated engagement strategies that align donor interests with Institute priorities and partner with Institute leadership, senior University administrators, trustees, deans, faculty, volunteer leaders, and development colleagues to secure gifts of $100,000 and above.
• Serve as the lead strategic partner to Institute leadership in donor engagement efforts by developing cultivation and solicitation strategies, preparing leadership for prospect interactions, staffing high-level donor meetings, and ensuring thoughtful follow-up that advances long-term philanthropic relationships.
• Provide strategic leadership for the Institute's advisory board, called the Brain Trust, overseeing all aspects of board engagement, governance, fundraising, nominations, onboarding, and stewardship. In partnership with senior Institute leadership, shape board meeting agendas and year-round engagement strategies that strengthen board effectiveness and philanthropic support.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Deputy Director, Development Strategy and Major Gifts, providing strategic direction for frontline fundraising, campaign planning, prospect pipeline development, donor stewardship, and volunteer engagement initiatives.
• Oversee the Associate Director of Development Communications, ensuring the development of compelling proposals, stewardship reports, case materials, and other strategic communications that advance fundraising priorities and strengthen donor relationships.
• Supervise the Assistant Director, Development Programs, providing leadership for the administrative and operational functions of the development office while overseeing the planning and execution of cultivation events and other pipeline-building initiatives that increase awareness of the Institute and engage prospective supporters.
• Sustain a collaborative, high-performing team culture grounded in candor, humor, humility, excellence, accountability, and mutual support, while coaching and developing staff to achieve individual and team success.
• Serve as a member of the Institute's administrative leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, organizational decision-making, and cross-functional initiatives that advance the Institute's mission and fundraising goals.
• Perform related duties, special projects, and additional responsibilities as assigned or requested.

Primary Areas of Focus

• 35% – Cultivating and soliciting existing donors and major/principal gift prospects.
• 30% – Building and advancing a pipeline of new major and principal gift prospects.
• 15% – Leading, mentoring, and developing the development team.
• 10% – Providing strategic leadership for the Brain Trust, including meeting planning, governance, and year-round engagement.
• 10% – Partnering with senior Institute leaders and colleagues across Columbia as a member of the Institute's leadership team.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• A minimum of seven to nine years of progressively responsible development experience, primarily in major and principal gifts fundraising, or comparable senior-level experience in a philanthropic environment.
• Demonstrated success in all phases of identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding significant gifts of $500,000 or more from individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and effectively leverage senior leaders, faculty, trustees, and volunteer leaders in support of fundraising objectives.
• Must possess demonstrated experience writing proposals and other development communications.
• Must be detail oriented, use excellent independent judgment and initiative, and have a proactive donor-centric attitude when interacting with individuals, corporations, foundations, and other constituencies.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a high pressure, fast-paced environment.
• Must possess the ability to work with changing priorities and multiple projects.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, including a high level of attention to detail and active listening skills.
• Must be able to problem-solve and troubleshoot, in addition to the ability to work independently in a dynamic team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with a diverse group of academic leaders and administrators.
• Experience leading, managing, and developing professional staff, with the ability to foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• An advanced degree is preferred.
• Experience fundraising within higher education, academic medicine, scientific research, or another complex, mission-driven institution is preferred.

Other Requirements

• The successful candidate will be an effective, motivating manager, as well as fundraiser and manager of donor relationships. The individual must work well with all levels of management, be flexible in nature, have sound judgment with a collaborative style that fosters teamwork and cooperation beyond the immediate team to the broader organization.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence, with an ability to grow and maintain short and long-term productive relationships internally and externally. The capacity to clearly communicate the mission of the Zuckerman Institute is required.
• This position requires occasional evening work and travel.
• Subject to business needs, the Office of Alumni Relations and Development and the Zuckerman Institute support a hybrid work arrangement for this position, with a certain number of days each week in the office and the remainder working from home. Options will be discussed during the interview process.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.