Development Operations Group Leader

Are you ready to make a significant impact at one of the nation's leading universities? The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), the private fundraising and alumni relations organization for UW-Madison, is recruiting for three (3) Development Division Operations Group Leaders (OGL)!  The OGL will report to a Managing Group Leader (MGL), who is responsible for the overall success of their development group.

WFAA’s Development Division includes seven groups, each led by a MGL.  As an OGL, you'll have the opportunity to collaborate with development leadership and staff on strategic initiatives that support and enhance fundraising and stewardship operations within your group.  Two OGL openings exist in:

• Wisconsin Medicine: This group focuses on support for the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) and UW Health, the university’s affiliated health system.
• Academic Divisions: This group focuses on support for the UW College of Engineering, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, School of Veterinary Medicine, and Wisconsin Athletics.
• College/School Divisions: Providing support for the Wisconsin School of Business and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences development programs.

This exempt position requires significant self-directed work and the ability to exercise independent judgment in leading people and projects, while prioritizing responsibilities and communicating progress to team members. You will be part of a dynamic, fast-paced development team, where your organizational oversight, management, and leadership skills will be crucial in achieving team goals and objectives.

Who is WFAA?
The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is a private, nonprofit corporation that encourages individuals and organizations to make gifts to the university and to connect with the UW. In 2014, the UW Foundation merged with the Wisconsin Alumni Association® to better serve a growing population of UW alumni and donors. We believe that private support grows out of good relationships between campus leaders, faculty and program staff who need support, and the alumni and friends who want to invest in UW–Madison. We provide important engagement opportunities to link UW–Madison alumni to each other and to their alma mater, building a strong community of Badgers.

Diversity and Inclusion:

Just as the university community benefits from differing viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences, inclusion and diversity are imperative for the success of our mission. WFAA values people and the differences that they bring to the organization, and creates an environment in which all staff members and constituents feel respected and have opportunities to thrive

Donor and Campus Relationship Management:

• Coordinate with WFAA resources and teams to compile data for strategic planning, donor recognition, and stewardship activities.
• Implement and oversee consistent standards for customer service to VIP donors and campus partners.
• Serve as a point of contact for campus inquiries, gift agreements, and fund management.
• Provide ongoing training and project management for donor-related initiatives.

Strategy Development, Planning, and Project Execution:

• Partner with leadership to plan, implement, and evaluate strategies and projects to advance group and unit priorities and donor engagement.
• In partnership with WFAA’s Director of Development Operations, Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations, and other OGL’s, evaluate, oversee and implement organizational best practices and goals.
• Create and maintain standards for exemplary customer service to donors and campus partners.
• Oversee the development of materials for donor meetings and partner with leadership to manage Key Performance Indicators.
• Serve as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system subject matter expert and interface with relevant teams.

Stewardship:

• Act as your group’s primary point of contact for WFAA’s VIP Stewardship Experience team.
• Develop and implement stewardship recommendations and projects in collaboration with unit leads and campus partners.
• Review and assess  stewardship activities within your group while identifying new opportunities for donor engagement and impact reporting.

 Human Resource Management:

• Supervise, mentor, and assess the overall performance of your group’s development operations team.
• Identify opportunities for cross-functional training and manage project requests to promote efficiency.
• Recruit, orient, and mentor new staff while leading change initiatives.
• Oversee performance expectations and goals.
• Foster a positive work environment characterized by open communication and support.

 Campus-Wide Strategic Fundraising Initiatives:

• Manage internal coordination for campus-wide strategic fundraising initiatives in partnership with leadership.
• Facilitate education and understanding of strategic initiatives with colleagues and campus partners.
• Coordinate high-level meetings with campus and WFAA leaders.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree is preferred or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• 5+ years of relevant professional work experience in a non-profit or fundraising environment.
• 2+ years of experience in a team lead or supervisory role.
• High degree of proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint); previous experience with database reporting and constituent relationship management software, along with a willingness to explore and engage with AI solutions.

Other Qualifications:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and strong attention to detail.
• Ability to judge the relative importance of issues and act independently to address them, applying the appropriate level of urgency to achieve results.
• Self-motivation, a proactive nature, curiosity, persistence, flexibility, and dependability.
• Ability to work effectively with a team in an entrepreneurial environment and interact well with all internal and external constituents.

At WFAA, we are dedicated to creating an inspiring, creative, and respectful work environment for our employees. We offer competitive pay and an outstanding benefits program, including a generous 10% 401k contribution after just one year of service! Join us and be part of a team that values your growth and well-being. Click here to learn more about our employee benefits! 

The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer *The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is the “doing business as” name of the merged organization comprising the University of Wisconsin Foundation (advanceuw.org) and the Wisconsin Alumni Association (uwalumni.com). Its legal corporate name is registered as the University of Wisconsin Foundation