Another Source’s client, Cal State Long Beach, is recruiting an Executive Director of Principal Gifts to join their team in Long Beach, California. Go Beach!  

Here’s a little about Cal State Long Beach and the position they are recruiting for:   

Cal State Long Beach, one of the largest universities in the CSU system, is located in Long Beach on a beautifully landscaped, 320-acre campus near the ocean and the thriving downtown area. The school’s faculty and staff are engaged in a broad array of high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs, significant research, in addition to a wide range of community and professional service organizations. 

About the University Relations and Development Team: 

The University Relations and Development (URD) division at CSU Long Beach builds relationships and generates resources that strengthen the university’s capacity to achieve its mission. Within URD, the Principal Gifts program plays a key role in advancing transformational philanthropy that shapes the university’s future. The program engages the university’s most generous supporters, alumni, families, and community leaders, whose investments enable The Beach to expand opportunity, accelerate innovation, and enhance excellence across all disciplines. 

To learn more about the University Relations and Development division, please visit: https://www.csulb.edu/university-relations-and-development 

Did you know? The California State University system is the largest public four-year university system in the world, serving more than 486,000 students with the support of over 56,000 faculty and staff: Learn more here. 

About the role:  

The Executive Director of Principal Gifts plays a key leadership role in driving the university’s principal gifts strategy, with a primary focus on securing philanthropic commitments of $1 million or more. The Director personally manages a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, leading efforts in the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of transformational gifts that advance CSU Long Beach’s mission and strategic priorities. 

Partnering with senior university leadership, development colleagues, faculty, and staff, this individual will help build and manage a robust pipeline of principal gift prospects while aligning donor interests with institutional priorities to maximize long-term impact. The Director will also provide guidance to assigned development staff and collaborate closely with colleagues across University Relations and Development to achieve ambitious fundraising goals. 

The anticipated annual salary range for this position is $150,000- 170,000, commensurate with experience. 

How You Will Spend Your Time: 

60% Principal Gift Development and Fundraising 

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts of $1,000,000 and greater from individuals, corporations, and foundations. 

• Develop tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies to secure transformational gifts in alignment with university priorities. 

20% Leadership and Collaboration 

• Partner with university leadership, including the Vice President and Associate Vice President for Development, to identify strategic initiatives and opportunities for principal gift investment. 

• Collaborate with deans, faculty, and fellow directors of development to integrate principal gift fundraising into broader university efforts. 

10% Portfolio and Donor Management 

• Manage a personal portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, ensuring strategic engagement and stewardship. 

• Coordinate prospect strategies and briefings for the President, Provost, and other senior leaders involved in donor engagement. 

10% Strategic Planning and Reporting 

• Oversee the tracking and reporting of principal gift prospects and activities through the university’s advancement database. 

• Prepare proposals, gift agreements, stewardship plans, and materials to support cultivation and solicitation efforts. 

Minimum Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree required. 

• Five years of successful major gift fundraising experience, including donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. 

• Demonstrated success securing six- and seven-figure gifts. 

• Valid California driver’s license required. 

• Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed. 

• Proven ability to develop and implement strategic, donor-centered fundraising plans. 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to engage, influence, and inspire diverse stakeholders. 

• Skilled in managing complex relationships and guiding high-level volunteers and institutional leaders in donor engagement. 

• Exceptional organizational and planning abilities, with a focus on accountability and results. 

• Demonstrated integrity, professionalism, and self-direction in managing priorities and achieving goals. 

• Experience in higher education or a similarly complex fundraising environment preferred. 

Why a career with CSU is for You: 

The CSU system offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary: https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/careers/benefits/Documents/employee-benefits-summary.pdf 

• Immerse yourself: Being on campus allows you to enjoy renowned sporting events, artist events, world-renowned speakers. Stroll through trails, museums, and enjoy all campus has to offer. 

• Tuition waiver: up to 2 courses, or 6 units, per semester for employee, spouse, registered domestic partner or eligible dependent child for any of the 23 campuses.  

• Mission driven culture: Transforming the lives of a diverse student body, including first-generation students and under-represented communities. 

• Jury duty: The CSU will continue an employee’s salary while they are on jury duty, regardless of length of jury service. 

• CalPERS Retirement Plan: CalPERS is a defined benefit retirement pension plan. Lifetime medical benefits for you, your spouse, or registered domestic partner. Learn more here: http://www.calpers.ca.gov/ 

• 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Plan (Similar to a 401k plan) 

• Employees in this classification are entitled to two vacation days (16 hours) per month. 

• A healthier you. Access to athletic and gym facilities on campus  

• Transportation support. Pre-tax commuter benefits 

Equal Employment Opportunity and Non-Discrimination:  

The California State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, race, religion or lack thereof, sex, sexual orientation, transgender, or protected veteran status consistent with applicable federal and state laws. This policy applies to all CSU students, faculty and staff programs and activities. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal and state laws, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs and activities operated by the university (both on and off campus). 

Another Source works with their clients on a retained project basis. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.    

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