Description

External Retirement Plan TRS or ORP Employment Type Employee Benefits Eligibility Benefits Eligible Full/Part time Full Time Work Schedule Additional Schedule Information
8:00am-5:00pm; Must be willing and able to work evenings and weekends, as necessary.
Advertised Salary Commensurate qualifications and experience Posting Date 01/12/2026 Open until filled No Closing Date 01/16/2026 Proposed Starting Date 03/01/2026 Special Instructions to Applicants

• This position is structured as a permanent position within the Division of Development & Alumni Relations. We are unable to sponsor a work visa for this position.

Location of Vacancy Athens Area EEO Policy Statement
The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).
USG Core Values Statement
The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Position Information

Classification Title Admin Ops Specialist III FLSA Exempt FTE 1.00 Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent and 5 years of professional experience
Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of the University of Georgia is a plus.
• Awareness of higher education's mission and how that mission intersects with economic development activity.
• Awareness of regional, national, and global industry trends and their implications for university research and education.
• Ability to navigate complex academic and corporate organizations to accomplish goals.

Position Summary
The Director of Development and Alumni Relations plays a key role in advancing the University of Georgia's industry engagement efforts by designing and delivering programs that build capacity, foster collaboration, and elevate institutional visibility. This position leads a suite of professional development offerings-including an annual faculty symposium, cohort-based workshops, and monthly staff training sessions-that connect industry partners with faculty, staff, and students. By identifying skill gaps and development opportunities, the Director ensures that programming is responsive, engaging, and aligned with the university's needs and strategic priorities.

In addition to programmatic leadership, the Director also works closely with division's Office of Communications to develop a strategy for celebrating the reach and impact of corporate and foundation partnerships at UGA. The role also supports university-wide strategic initiatives, including the Business Engagement Council, leads corporate vetting processes for new leads, oversees performance reporting industry engagement across campus, and leads initiatives to improve collaboration and impact across Business Engagement, Foundation Relations, and Career Center. The role also supervises a staff position who supports programs, events, and stewardship for Business Engagement, Foundation Relations, and the Career Center.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

• Awareness of fundraising principles and practices.
• Awareness of business development strategies and tactics.
• Ability to conduct needs assessment and building training programs related to those needs.
• Experience pitching ideas or products to customers, clients, managers, or other stakeholders.
• Experience presenting information to small and large groups of stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and steward productive relationships with stakeholders representing varied perspectives.
• Experience operating effectively with stakeholders with varied perspectives.
• Ability to conceive, organize, and manage complex projects and programs.
• Ability to translate complex ideas and information into common language.
• Ability to create, organize, compare, and interpret data to drive business insights and decisions.
• Ability to communicate effectively (in written and oral form) and respectfully with stakeholders representing varied perspectives.
• Experience setting and meeting individual-level performance metrics.
• Experience supervising staff.
• Experience using software programs to accomplish job responsibilities, including Microsoft Office Suite, customer relationship management software, databases, website management and research tools, and social media applications.

Additional Division Expectations:

• Through open, honest, and respectful communication, all staff, supervisors, and colleagues of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations are expected to interact with fairness, compassion, and decency. All employees will be held accountable for meeting the expectation of promoting a stable, productive, and healthy work environment.
• Adherence to CASE standards and commonly accepted industry standards relating to fundraising are expected of all fundraisers. All fundraisers will be held accountable for meeting this expectation.

Physical Demands

• Work in a standard office environment
• Work nights and weekends as necessary
• Work using electronic mail, telephone, face-to-face discussions, paper form correspondence
• Communicate effectively in writing, speaking, and listening
• Organize and establish priorities; Remember detail; multi-task
• Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds
• Walk, stand, stoop, lift, kneel, climb

Is driving a responsibility of this position? No Is this a Position of Trust? Yes Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources? No Does this position require a P-Card? No Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position? No Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care? No Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications) Yes Credit and P-Card policy
Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.
Background Investigation Policy
Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website.

Duties/Responsibilities

Duties/Responsibilities
Strategic Initiatives

• Plan and execute industry engagement activities that bring together industry partners with faculty, staff, and students from across the university. This responsibility includes planning an annual symposium for faculty, developing and leading a cohort-based workshop series for faculty, and offering quarterly lunch and learns. Coordinate logistics in collaboration with direct report staff.
• Provide administrative support to the University of Georgia Business Engagement Council, including seeking feedback on broad-scale industry engagement and maintaining and sharing the industry scorecard.
• Serve as communication liaison to the division's Office of Communications (DARCOMM) for Business Engagement, Foundation Relations, and the Career Center. This responsibility includes developing an editorial plan for celebrating corporate and foundation partners, tracking relevant communications projects across these three functional areas, conducting needs assessments, and ensure consistency of messaging and resource sharing across functions.

Percentage of time 60 Duties/Responsibilities
Organizational Effectiveness

• Lead initiatives to improve collaboration and impact in business and foundation engagement.
• Collaborate with the division's Research and Prospect Management team to develop and implement a process for vetting potential corporate partners.
• Generate reports to illustrate the broad impact of industry engagement and foundations across key areas on campus.
• Work with the leadership of Business Engagement, Foundation Relations, the Career Center, and the Office of Talent Management to identify gaps and opportunities for skill development and leadership development and then coordinate programs to match those gaps and opportunities.

Percentage of time 25 Duties/Responsibilities
Management and Supervision

• Supervise direct report staff who support programs, events, special projects, and stewardship for Business Engagement, Foundation Relations, and the Career Center. This responsibility includes hiring, training, coaching, and evaluating performance.

Percentage of time 10 Duties/Responsibilities
Other Duties Assigned (to include, but not limited to)

• Participate in and support staff meetings, division meetings, and office events and activities.
• Complete other projects, tasks, and assignments aligned with this job description.

Percentage of time 5

Contact Information

Recruitment Contact

Contact Details
For questions concerning this position or recruitment progression, please refer to the Recruitment Contact listed below.
Recruitment Contact Name Development & Alumni Relations' Office of Talent Management Recruitment Contact Email dartalent@uga.edu Recruitment Contact Phone

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * How did you hear about this job opportunity in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR)?
   • Chronicle of Higher Education
   • DAR Careers Page
   • Handshake
   • Insight Into Academia
   • Inside Higher Ed
   • LinkedIn
   • UGAJobs (UGA's job board)
   • Other (Please provide name of source)

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

1. Resume/CV
2. Cover Letter

Optional Documents