Penn State Job Catalog

Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Principal Gifts

The Principal Gift Officer leads the development and execution of fundraising strategy for university-wide strategic initiatives and interdisciplinary priorities identified in the campaign and strategic plans. This position forges collaborations that integrate executive and research leadership, strategic committees, development colleagues, and fundraising volunteers to advance case development and prospect strategy.

• Collaborate with academic and research leadership, identify focal initiatives for philanthropy and build/articulate the case for support
• Develop and execute short- and long-range strategies to identify, cultivate, and solicit assigned prospects
• Work closely with Office of University Development colleagues to coordinate strategic development and fundraising activities
• Convene discussions among academic leadership about the cross-unit collaborations essential to achieving the focus campaign priorities
• Work with analytics teams to identify current and prospective donors who may have an interest in the campaign’s imperatives and themes
• Collaborate with communication departments on the development of materials and proposals used to promote, advance, and articulate campaign goals and elevate the visibility of strategic initiatives
• Examine systemic and metric changes that incentivize academic leaders and fundraising colleagues to share in advancing philanthropic support for strategic initiatives
• Adapt DDAR procedures and systems to support donor-centered interdisciplinary fundraising activity and success
• Monitor high-level donor cultivation and solicitation activity to ensure closure of major gifts in these areas
• Operate as the lead fundraising liaison for identified strategic initiatives between DDAR and academic leadership
• Maximize philanthropic outcomes and increase transformational gifts

Level:

– Principal Professional

Base Description:

– Completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Displays mastery of defined skill areas/applications, principles, theories and practices. Evaluates and enhances existing practices. Recognizes emerging trends in area of expertise. Works independently on complex or strategic assignments. Directs and delegates appropriate tasks to others. Implements strategies to ensure achievement of initiatives. Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and deliver to broad audiences. Identifies and implements innovative solutions to important, highly complex strategic and/or operational issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Indirect supervisor for other full–time employees
– May serve as direct supervisor for part–time, student, and/or temporary workers, volunteers, or a full–time employee

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Validates and pays invoices
– Monitors and tracks budgets and funding
– May plan and forecast budgets

Problem Solving:

– Encounters complex and novel problems
– Applies policies, practices, specialized knowledge, and skills to resolve problems
– Understands benefits, limitations, and impact of potential solutions
– Anticipates potential problems and recommends possible solutions within general guidelines

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on complex or strategic assignments
– Uses existing practices as guidelines as well as working knowledge to determine specific work methods
– Carries out work activities independently, with supervisor available to resolve problems
– Reviews work of others to verify technical soundness

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members and area leads across the University
– Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and delivers to a broad variety of audiences
– Establishes and maintains networks to facilitate successful communication among units

• Comp Grade – 16
• Minimum – $123,200.00
• MidPoint – $157,100.00
• Maximum – $191,000.00