Senior Development Executive-Northeast Region
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, widely known as “the university that built the nation of Israel,” was founded on Mount Scopus in 1918 (30 years before the founding of the State of Israel) by visionaries including Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Chaim Weizmann, and Martin Buber. Opened in 1925, The Hebrew University is now Israel’s premier academic institution and the country’s research powerhouse.
The Hebrew University enrolls 23,500 students from Israel and 70 other countries in its seven academic Faculties in the Humanities, Science, Law, Social Sciences, Agriculture, Dental Medicine, and Medicine, and 14 schools. Its students, faculty, and alumni have won eight Nobel Prizes. For more information, visit here.
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY (AFHU)
AFHU is a national, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in New York City. AFHU was founded in 1925 to raise awareness of and support for The Hebrew University. Through the philanthropic leadership of American Friends across the U.S., AFHU helps the University to recruit and retain outstanding faculty, build teaching and research facilities, provide scholarships and fellowships, and advance basic and applied research in a myriad of vital fields.
AFHU’s national and regional programs, events, and missions to Israel promote a greater appreciation of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s breadth and scope of achievements, and the university’s pivotal role in educating leaders for the State of Israel. By nurturing Israel’s greatest natural resource—the intellectual strength of the nation’s people—AFHU helps The Hebrew University improve human health, lead the way with agricultural innovation, spearhead the latest breakthroughs in brain sciences, and illuminate the world through the humanities.
AFHU has a staff of 45 professionals with regional offices in New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and a satellite office in Philadelphia. With an endowment of over $700 million, AFHU raises approximately $60 million each year and growing. AFHU’s contribution is over half of the University’s overall fundraising goal. For further information on AFHU, visit www.afhu.org
NORTHEAST REGION
The Northeast Region is located at the National Headquarters on Water Street in Manhattan’s Financial District and has a total staff of seven. The region spans Philadelphia to Boston and raises approximately $11 million annually. This position will concentrate on prospects and donors in the New York metropolitan area.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Northeast Region seeks an exceptional front-line development executive who wants to join a dynamic team of professionals to work on a major-gifts-driven campaign. S/he will have a unique opportunity to incorporate their diverse fundraising skills from direct solicitations, major event management, educational programming, and planned giving.
In particular, AFHU expects this position to develop prospects in law, finance, and real estate for which the organization provides many opportunities to cultivate these individuals. The region hosts parlor meetings with visiting faculty members, alumni gatherings, luncheons, leadership forums, and award dinners. This past year, of course, programs had been held virtually. The hallmark event of the Northeast Region which takes place each spring is NEXUS: ISRAEL, an interactive one-day conference with 300 leading business professionals and innovators. This past year the conference was virtual and attracted 5000 donors and prospects.
The ideal candidate will have a successful track record of soliciting major gifts, event-management experience, excellent communication skills with prospects and donors, and a strong familiarity with the Jewish philanthropic community. S/he will also possess a deep commitment to the mission and future of AFHU and be energized by its vital contribution to The Hebrew University.
AFHU is currently working remotely, but it is anticipated that a part-time return to their offices will occur after the holidays this fall.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
This position is an opportunity to align yourself with one of the world’s top universities. The University has received international attention for advances in medicine, the invention of new drug platforms, major archaeological discoveries, and international partnerships reflective of the University’s global stature. From bioengineering to brain research, and from law to human rights, The Hebrew University offers donors and prospects a wealth of investments to interest their philanthropic giving. Donors can leverage their gifts knowing that research and discoveries made at The Hebrew University, not only help Israel but their gifts that go further in Israel than in the United States.
The staff at AFHU is highly-regarded in the Jewish philanthropic community, and the Executive Director of the Northeast Region is seeking candidates who are creative and have intellectual curiosity; AFHU is large enough so that there are opportunities for growth. The Senior Philanthropy Executive will not be a cog in a wheel, but a vital and appreciated member of a team. S/he will have the opportunity to grow the awareness of the work of The Hebrew University in the Northeast Region, try new ideas, involve new and younger donors, and raise more funds to enable the University to turn dreams into realities. Towards that end, this position will need to expand the pipeline of prospects.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
QUALIFICATIONS