Director of Development, College of Science

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.

If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or [email protected]. For UNR Med professional job postings, please contact the Office of Professional Recruitment at (775) 784-6778. 

The University of Nevada, Reno seeks dynamic Director of Development (DOD) to join the University Advancement Division in support of the College of Science. Reporting within Development and Alumni Relations, the Director will work closely with the Executive Director of Development, the Dean of the College of Science, and faculty and staff across the College of Science and the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering. The successful candidate will identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward philanthropic support; collaborate with college leadership and faculty to develop compelling fundraising priorities and proposals; and partner with Donor Relations  and Alumni Engagement to strengthen relationships with alumni, donors, and friends of the College.

Director of Development - C Level

Reporting to the Executive Director of Development, the Director of Development secures private philanthropic support for the strategic priorities of the college in collaboration with academic leadership and University Advancement. The Director manages a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, leading the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship process while expanding the pipeline of prospective donors through the development of new relationships. The Director builds strong, collaborative relationships among donors, alumni, friends, businesses, community partners, academic leadership, faculty, and staff. The position is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive fundraising plan that advances the college's priorities, with a primary emphasis on securing major gifts of $25,000 and above.

Director of Development - D Level

Reporting to the Executive Director of Development, the Director of Development is responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive fundraising program for an assigned college or school to achieve annual fundraising goals. The Director identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards high-net-worth prospects and donors while maintaining and growing a strategic portfolio of major gift donors. The Director develops and implements multi-disciplinary fundraising strategies in partnership with academic leadership and University Advancement to increase philanthropic support for the University. In addition to meeting annual fundraising objectives, the Director serves as a mentor and resource to other Directors of Development and Associate Directors of Development, sharing best practices and contributing to the continued growth and success of the University's development program.

Required Qualifications

Compensation Grade C Level

Bachelor’s Degree and four (4) years of related professional work experience OR

Master’s Degree and two (2) years of related professional work experience.

Related Experience: Successful professional experience is required, preferably in higher education fundraising, non-profit or in a related field which requires strong relationship-building and outcome driven components or related experience.

Compensation Grade D level

Bachelor’s Degree and six (6) years of related professional work experience OR

Master’s Degree and four (4) years of related professional work experience

Related Experience:

• Substantial fundraising experience which includes demonstrable experience with individuals in either a higher education, athletic development operation, sales team, or other profession that required the candidate to uncover prospects, make outreach, and meet and cultivate and solicit prospects. 

• Experience with fundraising databases, contact reports, and proposal preparation.

• Experience with a metric-driven, results-oriented environment.

• Engagement with donors to solicit high level gifts

Schedule or Travel Requirements

• Frequent local travel

• Variable work schedule to include nights and weekends

Compensation Grade

Administrative Faculty - C/D

To view the salary schedule for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select Administrative Faculty by Grade. Salary is competitive and commensurate with related education and experience.

Remarkable Retirement

Our retirement plan is beyond compare. Your 19.25% contribution is generously matched by the University.   With the faculty retirement plan, you are 100% vested your first day. Sit back and watch your retirement dollars grow!  All permanent employees on an annual "A" or "B" contract who are employed at least 50% full-time are eligible to participate in the NSHE retirement program unless they are members of PERS of Nevada. 

“I had no idea the values of the faculty retirement plan when I joined UNR. On my first day, I found out I was fully vested in my contributions and the company's 19.25% matching. I have watched my retirement grow over the years, not only in contributions, but with investments.  It is hard to put into words how appreciative I am to feel so secure in my future” – Michelle B.

Perks of Working at UNR

• Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance

• Generous annual, sick leave, long term disability and life insurance – Faculty Benefits

• E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers annual or semester memberships and spouse/domestic partner membership options.  E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center

• Reno is proud to be a University town! Many local businesses offer discounts to WolfCard holders

• Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.

• Faculty Senate is the principal representing body for faculty. Its membership includes representatives from each academic and administrative major unit of the University. Faculty Senate

• No state income tax!

Grants-in-aid for Faculty Employees

The University is proud to provide a reduced-rate tuition benefit to faculty and qualified dependents. Faculty can take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate. Dependents of faculty have unlimited credits, but in order to be eligible children must be unmarried and under the age of 24 and must receive at least 50% of their financial support from the employee and/or employee’s spouse or domestic partner.  Faculty Grants-in-Aid

Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program

The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a dual career assistance program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada. Dual Career Assistance Program

Contact Information

Karessa Skuse at [email protected] 

Please note, once you submit your application the only attachment/s viewable to you will be the attachment/s to the resume/CV section of the application. Any additional required attachment/s to the cover letter, references, additional documents sections of the application, will not be viewable to you after you submit your application. All uploaded attachment/s will be on the application for the committee to review. To request updates to attachments, prior to the committee review of applications, please contact the candidate helpdesk at [email protected].

Attach the following attachments to your application

1) Resume/CV

2) Cover Letter

3) Contact Information for Three Professional References

This posting is open until filled

Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received or a hiring decision has been made.

A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.

HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.

References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.

Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.

As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.

For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.

Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.

The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). 

About Us

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.

Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”

Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.

The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.

Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.

Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.

The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.

Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.

For more information, please visit the University’s website.