The Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the search for a Regional Director of Development, Northern California. There is no better time to join the RPI team as the Institute makes a significant investment in growing its advancement team on the eve of its 200th year of leadership, innovation, and research in 2024.

Reporting to the Director of Regional Giving, the Regional Director of Development, Northern California will develop strategic opportunities focused on engaging existing and prospective major donors with the end goal of qualifying, soliciting, and closing major gifts in the Northern California region. The Regional Director will serve as a primary strategist and co-lead for the Silicon Valley Leadership Council and will collaborate with and convene other Development and Alumni Engagement stakeholders in the region to ensure a coordinated and thoughtful approach to all activities meant to engage RPI’s leading prospects and donors. These stakeholders include but are not limited to Principal Giving, Major Giving, Alumni Relations, and School- and College-affiliated colleagues. The Regional Director will carry a portfolio of approximately 125 major gift prospects who have the capacity to make gifts in the range of $100,000 to $2.49 million The Regional Director will oversee various special projects in the region. This is a remote position based in Northern California.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is the nation’s first and one of the world’s most renowned technological research universities where students, faculty, and alumni have been defining scientific and technological advances for nearly 200 years. RPI boasts a legacy of changemakers confronting the most pressing problems facing humanity and the planet. Established in 1824 by Stephen Van Rensselaer and Amos Eaton, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private research university located in Troy, New York. Built on a hillside, RPI’s 276-acre campus overlooks the city of Troy, the Hudson River, and the Capital Region. Students at RPI can choose from more than 145 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across five schools as well as programs and certificates for working professionals. Beyond the classroom, Rensselaer develops technological leaders who are global citizens prepared to change the world with more than 200 student-led clubs, 50+ club sports, NCAA athletic teams including Division I men’s and women’s hockey and 21 teams that compete in Division III. With more than 110,000 living alumni, some of RPI’s most notable alumni were behind innovations that have improved everyday lives. 

With nine Institute-wide research centers, six Institute-wide research platforms, and $122 million in research expenditures, RPI's nearly 700 Ph.D. students are well-placed to make an impact on the world. The Institute's Office of Research drives and supports the Research Enterprise, increases Rensselaer impact and visibility, and communicates to the national and international community that Rensselaer researchers are defining the frontiers of discovery and innovation. 
Diversity is a core value at Rensselaer. The Institute is comprised of a diverse community with respect to ethnicity, race, culture, religion, national and geographic origin, gender, and gender identity. Its focus is on intellectual excellence and agility, multicultural sophistication, and a global view. That means that it is, and must always strive to be, a campus open to the full range of ideas and perspectives.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been named 51st university in the nation and 46th most innovative school, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. The Institute is also ranked seventh among New York State colleges with the highest ROI by Payscale. Individual programs within the five schools also receive national recognition. The undergraduate game design program is ranked ninth by U.S. News & World Report and seventh by GameDesigning.org. The Lally School of Management at Rensselaer has been recognized among the “Best Business Schools” by The Princeton Review and boasts the #2 M.S. in Business Analytics program in the U.S. according to TFE Times. College Factual recognized RPI as the top computer engineering technology school and second among “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Schools,” “Best Engineering Technologies Schools,” and “Best Engineering Technologies Bachelor’s Degree Schools.”

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will consider candidates with a broad range of backgrounds. A bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least seven years of progressively responsible fundraising experience in higher education, including a record of cultivation and closing major gifts, is preferred. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as well as the responsibilities and qualifications stated in the prospectus.

The hiring range for this position is $120,000 to $150,000 annually. 

To apply for this position, visit: https://opportunities.aspenleadershipgroup.com/opportunities/1290.