Advancement Director - Craft Education

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Grade: Professional 312

Pay Range: $109,900.00 - $170,400.00

Job Description

WGU is dedicated to making workforce-based education affordable and attainable for all by increasing and improving access to higher education and accelerating innovations in learning. WGU Advancement partners with national scale and regionally based foundations, corporations, associations, and high net-worth individuals to solicit and steward impactful investments in support of our strategic initiatives. Since 1997, WGU has redefined ways to access and attain a post-secondary credential of value and fundamentally changed American higher education to be more equitable, affordable, and achievable. As such, our donors reflect that same spirit of innovation and invention in their generosity.

The Advancement Director - Craft Education is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts of $100,000 and above from foundations, corporations, and individual constituents in support of WGU affiliate Craft Education. Acquired by WGU in 2024, Craft Education is the technical platform behind apprenticeship and work-based learning. The Craft team is building a public data utility that scales apprenticeship and ends skilled labor vacancies in the country, so the next generation can earn, learn, and build a career without taking on debt.

The qualified candidate will manage a portfolio of approximately 100-125 donor prospects and will conduct a minimum of 12-15 personal visits a month, entailing online meetings, national or regional travel. This position must work independently and collaboratively with the WGU Advancement team, the Craft Education team, and other stakeholders. The Advancement Director demonstrates progressive development experience in all aspects of fundraising, particularly major and principal gifts. The Director develops long-term relationships with various constituencies and helps ensure a pipeline of major gift donors.

• The Director selected will work primarily from a remote home office in Nashville, yet will be flexible enough to work weekly in a regular cadence as needed from Craft's downtown Nashville/The Gulch offices*

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Independently identify and manage a portfolio of 100-125 prospects/donors (foundations, corporations, alumni, friends) of Craft Education.

• Identification and progression of major gift prospects through the gift cycle: (qualification through stewardship) as well as documenting all prospects interactions, outcomes, strategies and rationales in WGU's donor management system.

• Exceptional communication skills, including proposal development (writing, editing, etc.) and an ability to pitch (written or orally) ideas and concepts to prospective philanthropic investors.

• Engages prospective donors and builds trust-based relationships.

• Develops proposals based on WGU's fundraising priorities and donor investment interests.

• Works collaboratively with the WGU Advancement team, the Craft Education team, and other internal constituents to develop both broad reach and targeted engagement opportunities.

• Assists in the development of annual fundraising goals and strategy.

• Works collaboratively across the university so that all proposals/reports are well prepared and properly vetted so that WGU is represented in a professional and thoughtful way.

• Regularly reports relevant donor activity and strategy to the WGU Advancement and Craft Education teams, and other internal stakeholders.

• Collaborates internally in adherence to processes, deadlines, budgets, policies, and procedures of WGU.

• Maintains a positive and constructive attitude while solving problems.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

• General knowledge of Advancement programs and processes.

• General knowledge of IRS rules regarding philanthropic gifts and the Donor Bill of Rights.

• Familiarity with apprenticeship programs, funding mechanisms, and ecosystem challenges and opportunities.

• Ability to demonstrate mastery in written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.

• Ability to deliver persuasive and compelling presentations to secure major gifts and donations.

• Entrepreneurial spirit and independent problem solver.

#LI-BC1

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree.

• Six (6) years of experience in cultivating and soliciting major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations as well as fundraising and relationship management experience.

• Experience in cultivating, closing, and stewarding six-figure gifts with national partners.

• The Director selected will work primarily from a remote home office in Nashville, yet will be flexible enough to work weekly in a regular cadence as needed from Craft's downtown Nashville/The Gulch offices

Up to 25% travel and some weekend work expected.

This position requires travel of up to 25% as well as some weekend work. Attendance at designated company summits is also required (typically one to two per year). Other travel will include attendance at conferences, visits to Craft client and WGU locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements.

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.