For over 160 years, the University of Washington has been a hub for learning, innovation, problem solving and community building. Supporting this legacy and important public mission — with the goal of making the UW the world’s greatest public university, as measured by positive impact — guides everything we do in University Advancement. Bringing together development; alumni and stakeholder engagement; marketing and communications; and advancement operations, we advance the UW’s impact by developing meaningful connections that foster pride, advocacy and philanthropic support. This starts with creating a culture of belonging within our organization that values the diverse experiences and expertise of our team members, allowing everyone to thrive and to contribute their unique talents as we strive to achieve our shared goals.  

The School of Law has an exciting opening for an Assistant Dean for Development & External Relations. This is a full-time permanent position. 

The Assistant Dean for Development & External Relations provides strategic leadership for the School of Law’s advancement efforts, aligning fundraising and engagement initiatives with the School’s mission and strategic priorities. The role oversees programs that cultivate private philanthropy, strengthen relationships with key internal and external constituencies at the local, national and international levels, and promote volunteer involvement. In partnership with School leadership, the Assistant Dean supports philanthropic initiatives that advance student support, faculty recruitment and research and mission-driven community outreach. 

What You Will Do: 

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead the School of Law’s Advancement and External Relations team in close partnership and collaboration with the Dean of the School of Law as well as the Assistant Vice President, Schools & Colleges. 

• Provide strategic leadership and mentorship to the Advancement and External Relations team, fostering a high-performing, collaborative culture and guiding staff to achieve institutional fundraising and engagement goals. 

• Provide strategic, creative leadership for the Advancement and External Relations team, with oversight of day-to-day operations and budget. 

• Foster staff development and career enrichment through effective management, mentorship, and professional growth opportunities. 

• Collaborate with Centers, Institutes and Programs as well as other Directors and Assistant and Associate Deans within the School of Law to support all aspects of the School including student support. 

Fundraising

• Partner with the Dean to define and advance core fundraising priorities that align with the School of Law’s mission and strategic direction, while sustainably increasing private support. 

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects ($100,000+), cultivating strong relationships with key alumni and friends on behalf of the Dean and the School, while building a pipeline for sustainable growth. 

• Develop and implement cultivation and solicitation strategies for each assigned prospect based on established metrics. 

• Expand the School’s donor base through targeted engagement strategies. 

• Ensure fundraisers implement effective donor engagement strategies and adhere to UW Advancement protocols and metrics. 

• As appropriate or necessary to serve the School’s private fundraising efforts, coordinate and oversee the Advancement and External Relations team’s interaction with volunteer committees and boards; e.g. the Alumni Leadership Council and its committees. Identify, recruit and train volunteers, and involve them in the School’s advancement activities. 

• Cultivate and engage donors, alumni and key external stakeholders to secure philanthropic support and advance fundraising priorities. 

• Collaborate with Central Advancement to secure planned, major, corporate, foundation, and annual giving support to grow the School’s philanthropic pipeline. 

• Prepare proposals, informational materials, endowment agreements, and other communications to support major gift solicitations. 

Strategy Development

• As part of the University-wide Advancement planning process, and in concert with the Dean of the School of Law and Assistant Vice President, Schools & Colleges, establish both long-term and short-term fundraising strategies for the School’s overall Advancement and External Relations activities.    

• Guide and evaluate fundraising programs, major and principal giving strategies, assess progress toward goals and report regularly on results to the Dean and Assistant Vice President, Schools & Colleges.  

• Facilitate and manage partnerships and shared resources with central advancement in support of programs and strategies for securing private support for the School. 

• Integrate and jointly coordinate marketing efforts with University Marketing and Communications and alumni engagement with Alumni and Stakeholder Engagement/UWAA. 

• Develop and execute communications strategies that advance the School’s private fundraising priorities with internal and external stakeholders. 

• Orchestrate campaign planning and execution aligned with the School of Law and University strategic plan. 

• Actively steward and build on the success of past campaigns to support future multi-million-dollar endeavors in future campaigns. 
    

Other duties as assigned 

What You Bring: 

• Strong experience managing and developing staff and/or teams, with a demonstrated track record as a successful fundraiser, preferably in a complex higher education setting, with management, budgeting and operational experience.   

• Knowledge of alumni and stakeholder engagement/development/marketing and communication principles. 

• Knowledge or familiarity with the legal field. 

• Ability to understand and articulate academic values within the legal profession and collaborate effectively with faculty, administrators, staff, students, judges, bar associations, alumni and donors. 

• Ability to coordinate and strengthen the work of a national volunteer fundraising group composed of senior leaders from the legal, business and nonprofit sectors. 

• Ability to analyze data to make strategic decisions and measure outcomes. Ability to identify issues, propose solutions, and execute plans with meaningful results. Ability to initiate, organize and follow-up.  

What You Can Expect: 

• This position requires a regular on-campus presence to support effective collaboration and engagement. 

• Ability to work evening and weekend hours, as necessary, on short or limited notice. 

• Frequent local and occasional international travel expected.  

• Ability to lift 20 pounds regularly and up to 40 pounds occasionally for event setup and tear down.  

• During events (from setup to tear down) or on event days: 

• Ability to stand 4 or more hours continuously. 

• Ability to walk 4 or more hours continuously. 

Recruiting Instruction: 

Please submit a cover letter that highlights your qualifications, directly relevant experience and interest in advancing the mission of the legal field through this role. Applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.