Director of Athletics Development/Associate Director of Athletics

Position Details

Position Information

About Fordham

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its nine colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program (EAP); tuition remission; and generous time off.

Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Title of Position

Director of Athletics Development/Associate Director of Athletics

Position Number

View Full Description

Position Details

Position Information

About Fordham

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its nine colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program (EAP); tuition remission; and generous time off.

Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Title of Position

Director of Athletics Development/Associate Director of Athletics

Position Number

A06060

FLSA

Exempt

Scheduled Hours Per Week

35

Department

Dev Investment Fund Initiative

Campus

Lincoln Center, Rose Hill

Work Arrangement

Hybrid

Hybrid Policy:

Please review the Hybrid Policy at www.fordham.edu/hybridpolicy.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Senior Director of Athletics Development/Senior Associate Director of Athletics, the Director of Athletics Development/Associate Director of Athletics works closely with colleagues within DAUR and Athletics Departments to maximize philanthropic support and nurture a healthy pipeline for Fordham Athletics. Fostering a culture rooted in care for the whole person (cura personalis), this position utilizes reflective discernment to lead the identification, qualification, cultivation, and solicitation of individual annual gift and leadership annual gift prospects. 

This position requires travel as well as evening and weekend hours.

Essential Functions

Manages and executes athletic fundraising via direct marketing and events, building an inclusive community that brings prospective annual, leadership annual, and major gift donors closer to Fordham Athletics.

Develops and executes annual fundraising plans for the Athletics Department and each component team, ensuring alignment with the University’s mission to advance the broader common good.

Builds and maintains a portfolio of approximately 100 leadership annual gift and annual gift prospects.

Utilizes reflective discernment to devise sophisticated, individualized engagement strategies for each prospect in their pool. Builds enduring relationships rooted in a mutual vision between donors and the University to solicit annual gifts and/or multi-year gift commitments at the $25,000+ level with specific solicitation goals to be determined in an annual goal-setting process.

Ensures annual giving solicitations and stewardship marketing pieces are compelling, inclusive, and capture the athletics program’s commitment to magis. Collaborates with the Fordham Fund to plan and execute athletic-specific Giving Tuesday and Fordham Giving Day opportunities.

Collaborates with the SDAD, director of athletics, coaches, and staff to determine and prioritize fundraising opportunities for the department and individual teams, translating athletic needs into compelling narratives of shared purpose.

Collaborates with DAUR colleagues to plan and execute cultivation, fundraising, and stewardship events and works closely with the Alumni Relations team to plan and execute events in conjunction with games both in New York and throughout the U.S.

Applies the principle of cura personalis to staff development, balancing ambitious goals with genuine care for team members’ well-being and professional growth.

Essential Functions Note

This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
The University may assign additional related duties as necessary.

Management Responsibilities

Supervises individual contributors (admin, clerical, maintenance) and, based on scope, occasionally other managers. Handles hiring, training, development, performance management, and corrective action, with significant input on compensation decisions.

Additional Functions

Supports team-specific volunteer groups such as the Hall of Fame Committee and Rebounders Club.

Ensures that Athletics has a meaningful presence at regional events, reunion events (Jubilee), and Homecoming, fostering community and a deep sense of shared purpose among attendees.

Required Qualifications: Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree.

Minimum of 6 years of professional fundraising experience, including demonstrated success in raising annual and leadership annual gifts.

Minimum of 3 years of supervisory experience.

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills

Demonstrated success in personally securing five-figure commitments by connecting donor passions with institutional values.

Exceptional communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to articulate Fordham’s Jesuit identity to ignite confidence and enthusiasm across diverse audiences.

Excellent judgment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, grounded in ethical discernment.

Strong time management and organizational skills, with the ability to navigate a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities while consistently striving for magis.

Proven ability to build and maintain authentic, positive relationships with diverse constituencies. Excellent active listening skills with a proven ability to engage colleagues, donors, and stakeholders with genuine respect, fostering an inclusive environment.

Demonstrated receptivity to constructive feedback and a commitment to continuous professional growth. Ability to use reflective discernment to internalize guidance, continuously refining skills.

High degree of adaptability and resilience in an evolving environment. Navigates unexpected challenges and shifting priorities gracefully, relying on thoughtful discernment to adjust strategies without losing momentum toward ambitious institutional goals.

Proven ability to approach problem-solving with curiosity and as a lifelong learner, proactively seeking out new ideas and asking insightful questions to understand complex challenges deeply.

Preferred Qualifications

Plus Delta certification.

Fundraising experience in intercollegiate athletics.

Solid command of database and CRM tools (Ellucian CRM Advance).

Minimum Starting Salary

$95,000

Maximum Starting Salary

$115,000

Note

Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills.

Is this a Union position?

No

Posting Detail Information

| Posting Number | A1150P | | Number of Vacancies | 1 | | Start Date | ASAP | | Posting Date | 09/25/2026 | | Special Instructions | | | EEO Statement |
Fordham University is committed to excellence and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.

Fordham University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. |

Physical Activity and Work Environment

Physical Activity

| Sitting | Nearly Continuously | | Repetitive Hand Motion (such as typing) | Nearly Continuously | | Hearing, Listening, Talking | Nearly Continuously | | Standing | Often | | Walking | Often | | Running | Not Required | | Bending, Stooping, Kneeling, squatting, Crouching, Crawling | Not Required | | Climbing stairs | Not Required | | Climbing ladders | Not Required | | Reaching overhead | Not Required | | Pulling, pushing | Not Required | | Shoveling | Not Required | | Lifting – up to 20 pounds | Seldom | | Lifting – up to 50 pounds | Not Required | | Lifting – over 50 pounds | Not Required |

Work Environment

| Work Environment | Office Environment:  Employees are protected from weather conditions or contaminants, but not necessarily occasional temperature changes. |

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents 1. Resume 2. Cover Letter

Optional Documents

Supplemental questions you will be required to answer on the application (No action is needed on this page)

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * Do you have a bachelor's degree?

   • Yes
   • No

2. * Do you have 6 years or more of professional fundraising experience, including demonstrated success in raising annual and leadership annual gifts?

   • Yes
   • No

3. * Do you have 3 years or more of supervisory experience?

   • Yes
   • No

4. * Are you willing and able to travel?

   • Yes
   • No

5. * Are you willing and able to work frequently during evenings and weekends?

   • Yes
   • No

6. * Are you an alumnus/a of Fordham University?

   • Yes
   • No

7. * Are you a current employee of the university?

   • Yes
   • No

Apply Now

View Less Description