Director of Institutional Advancement

The Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale www.slifkacenter.org seeks a visionary, strategic, and dynamic Director of Institutional Advancement (DIA) to lead its comprehensive fundraising and development operations. Serving as a vital member of the senior leadership team and a key partner to the Executive Director, the DIA will design and execute a deep philanthropic strategy to elevate Slifka Center’s advancement work to its next level of impact and sustainability.

To operationalize this strategy, the DIA’s personal portfolio will be to drive the donor cycle for principal and major gifts, building deep relationships with Yale alumni, parents, and friends of Jewish life. On an administrative level, the DIA will manage and direct the development team, establishing an organized, efficient internal structure and effective systems that consistently advance all core development activities while ensuring a culture of accountability and high-quality deliverables.

Key Portfolio Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and assess a multi-year, comprehensive institutional advancement strategy that brings new focus and expertise to major and principal gifts.
• Design and execute targeted campaigns for capital projects, endowments, and special initiatives as appropriate.
• Drive the complete donor cycle (identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship) for principal and major gifts, creating appropriate stewardship and recognition programs.
• Prioritize and direct development efforts for the Executive Director including identifying key donors, funding opportunities, opportunities for relationship impact and providing necessary prospect research and reports to maximize potential.
• Directly oversee the organization's Urim V’Tumim major gifts society.
• Manage ongoing communications with the Board of Directors and strategic stewardship of board members.
• Partner with and leverage the Executive Director, board leadership, and key volunteers for high-level solicitations, including preparatory work, strategic briefings, talking points, and tailored materials.

Key Management Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the Senior Management Team.
• Provide strategic leadership and support for development efforts for annual giving, alumni/parent relations, communications, corporate/foundation grants, and planned giving.
• Provide oversight, management, and direction for the 4-person development team, holding them directly accountable for their assigned portfolios, milestones, and work.
• Create the necessary internal structure of the development team so that they operate as an organized, efficient team utilizing effective systems, ensuring teamwork is deeply integrated and actively informs daily work with accountability for timely, efficient and high-level work.
• Maintain oversight of the advancement budget, utilizing fundraising metrics, field data, and database systems to track progress and inform strategy.
• Directly oversee and support the development staff team responsible for planning and executing:
• On-campus donor-facing events (such as reunions)
• Off-campus donor-facing events around the country (such as regular parlor meetings in New York and in other cities as appropriate)
• Digital and print communications
• Prospect research and data management
• Gift processing and donor recognition
• Grassroots and low-dollar campaigns
• Planned giving

Qualifications & Experience 

• 7–10 years of progressive fundraising experience, with a demonstrated success in securing six-figure major/principal gifts, preferably within higher education, Jewish communal organizations, or complex nonprofits.
• At least 3–5 years of experience directly managing and developing high-performing professional staff.
• Demonstrated ability to move an organization from tactical, reactive fundraising to deep, proactive, and long-term philanthropic strategy.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling donor-facing narratives and articulate the unique value proposition of Jewish life at Yale to diverse stakeholders.
• Deep familiarity with the Jewish philanthropic landscape, the Jewish calendar, religious traditions, and the nuances of working within an elite university environment like Yale.