Executive Brief

Director of Development II, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering & School of Materials Science and Engineering
Georgia Tech Institute for Technology

The Organization: Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institute for Technology (Georgia Tech)

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech's faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top 20 universities for research and development spending and No. 1 among institutions without a medical school.

Georgia Tech - At a Glance:

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything they do:

  1. Students are our top priority.
  2. We strive for excellence.
  3. We thrive on diversity.
  4. We celebrate collaboration.
  5. We champion innovation.
  6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
  7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
  8. We act ethically.
  9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

  • Georgia Tech is ranked #3 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs. All of Georgia Tech's graduate engineering programs rank in the top 10 (Source: U.S. News & World Report).

  • Scheller College of Business ranks #21 among all Undergraduate Business Programs and #17 for their Part-Time MBA (Source: U.S. News & World Report). 

  • Computer Science ranks #6 by U.S. News & World Report's Undergraduate Program Rankings, #7 by U.S. News & World Report's Graduate School Rankings, #17 by Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and #28 in The Guardian's QS World University Rankings.

  • In the category of Statistics and Operational Research, Georgia Tech ranks #9 in The Guardian's QS World University Rankings. Georgia Tech's graduate urban planning program is ranked #6 in the U.S. and #2 in Big City Programs by Planetizen.

  • The Institute is consistently rated among the top universities in the nation for graduation of underrepresented minorities in engineering, physical sciences, and architecture and planning.
     
  • With more than 60 chartered student organizations exploring religious, racial, sexual, and ethnic identity (but open to all), Georgia Tech's students find a way to celebrate, strengthen, and share their part of the robust cultural melting pot that thrives in the university's community.

Georgia Tech Office of Development (DEV)

The Office of Development is committed to securing the philanthropic resources that are transforming Georgia Tech. We engage alumni, friends, families, corporations, and foundations in the life of the Institute and encourage financial investment in Tech's future.

The fundraising team at Georgia Tech currently consists of 100+ professionals who are focused on securing transformative philanthropy (major and principal gifts) to support the strategic priorities of the Institute and its colleges, schools, and programs including Athletics.

College & School Representatives
College & School Representatives

From endowed chairs and professorships to undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and facilities, donors can support the college, school, or academic program of their choice.

 Corporate Engagement
Corporate Engagement

Building partnerships with the corporate community is a top priority for Georgia Tech. Working together, the group grows philanthropy and helps companies connect to Tech through research, recruitment, and diversity initiatives.

 Foundation Relations
Foundation Relations

Support from foundations provides vital resources for Georgia Tech strategic initiatives, making it possible for the Institute to advance knowledge across all disciplines.

 Gift Planning
Gift Planning

Gift planning begins with a donor's desire to make a gift. Whether the choice is a bequest provision in a will or revocable trust, or a life-income gift, the gift planning team assists with all gifts.

 Intercollegiate Athletics
Intercollegiate Athletics

Athletic excellence has long been a source of pride and passion at Georgia Tech. The university wants to become one of the elite athletics programs in the nation with the best combination of athletics and academics.

 International Development
International Development

Georgia Tech's vision of leadership in the 21st century is a global one. Moving international efforts to the next level cannot happen without private philanthropy.

 Parent Giving
Parent Giving

Parents play a vital role in the life of Georgia Tech. Through advocacy, volunteering, and philanthropy, they have a unique opportunity to become stakeholders in every Yellow Jacket's future.

 Regional Development
Regional Development

Regional development representatives travel extensively, connecting with alumni and friends and sharing opportunities for supporting Georgia Tech through private philanthropy.

 Reunion Giving
Reunion Giving

Each year, milestone reunion classes celebrate through combined philanthropic giving that advances Georgia Tech and enhances opportunities for students – today and for generations to come. 

For the calendar year 2025, the DEV team’s efforts resulted in over $417.6 million in new gifts and commitments. This monumental success fuels momentum for Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech, the most ambitious philanthropic effort in the Institute’s history, which now totals $1.83 billion and counting. Calendar Year 2025 places Georgia Tech on pace to achieve its $2 billion campaign goal by the end of 2027. To learn more about Transforming Tomorrow and the other thematic priorities of the campaign, click here.

“Georgia Tech’s brand has never been stronger. People close to campus and those across the nation are seeing Georgia Tech as a problem-solver in a changing world. We simply can’t thank our friends, alumni, volunteers, and staff enough for the great work that’s being done on so many levels.”  – Jim Hall, Vice President for Development.

Georgia Tech Office of Development (DEV) - Leadership Spotlight:

 Jim Hall
Vice President of Development

Jim Hall serves as Vice President for Development at Georgia Tech. He has been with the Institute since 1998 and served as Senior Associate Vice President for Major Gifts and Next Generation Philanthropy, overseeing fundraising efforts across Georgia Tech’s colleges, schools, units, and international programs. A top fundraiser for the Institute, Hall previously served as Associate Vice President for Development (Athletics) and Executive Associate Athletics Director with the Georgia Tech Athletic Association, where under his leadership the Alexander-Tharpe Fund reached record levels of giving. Athletics Initiative 2020, a three-year campaign to raise $125 million, exceeded its goal by more than 40%.

Hall secured multiple seven-figure commitments in support of Tech Athletics and academic priorities across the Institute. In 2010, he was named University Division Fundraiser of the Year by the National Association of Athletic Development Directors, and he served as Georgia Tech’s Interim Vice President for Development in 2022. Prior to joining Georgia Tech, Hall led intercollegiate athletics fundraising and the letter winners association (I-Club) at Indiana State. He previously worked in development at the University of Oklahoma, where he helped launch the Sooner Club. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Hall assumes the role as Georgia Tech continues Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech, the Institute’s more than $2 billion comprehensive campaign to support students, advance research and innovation, enhance campus and community, and expand Georgia Tech’s global impact.

Dave Zaksheske
Assistant Vice President of Development, College of Engineering

Dave Zaksheske is Assistant Vice President of Development for the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech, the largest engineering college in the United States, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping the College's fundraising strategy. A key member of the senior leadership team for both the Office of Development and the College of Engineering, Dave reports to both the Vice President of Development and the Dean of the College of Engineering. Under Dave’s leadership, the College of Engineering has contributed more than $640 million towards Georgia Tech's ambitious goal of $2+ billion in their current comprehensive campaign, running until December 2027, reinforcing its reputation as a world-class research and educational institution. In his current role, Dave provides strategic oversight and direction for all fundraising efforts across the College's eight academic units. His expertise in cultivating philanthropic support, managing donor relationships, and spearheading large-scale development initiatives has been instrumental in advancing the College’s mission of innovation and excellence.

Prior to this, Dave served as Georgia Tech’s Senior Director of Development for the Western United States, where he established a high-performing team that significantly boosted philanthropic contributions out of the region. Dave's career at Georgia Tech began with roles of increasing responsibility on Tech’s Corporate Development team, where he managed a global portfolio of corporate partners. Dave’s work in corporate development fostered industry collaboration in areas such as research, recruitment, economic development, and continuing education. Before joining Georgia Tech in 2014, Dave held senior fundraising roles at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, part of the Woodruff Arts Center, and led marketing communications efforts at Delta Cargo, a division of Delta Air Lines. At Delta, he also served as Chair of Marketing and Communications for the SkyTeam Cargo Global Strategic Alliance, where he coordinated marketing strategies across global partners.

Dave holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA.

Georgia Tech, School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Offering excellent undergraduate and graduate programs in the nation’s largest college of engineering, Georgia Tech's School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering provides students with incomparable opportunities, countless options for collaboration with experts in other fields across campus, and access to some of the best research and academic facilities available in higher education. Boasting world-class professors, the School has one of the largest faculties of any chemical engineering program nationwide. The faculty members are leaders in their research fields and recipients of many of the most prestigious awards given to professionals in the discipline.

With some of the most eminent minds and access to the biggest and best laboratories, the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering is known for producing a high volume of innovative research that addresses some of the biggest problems facing humankind today, including developing new therapeutics for diseases, designing sustainable systems for improving the environment, and creating more efficient methods for producing new and better technologies.

Georgia Tech, School of Materials Science and Engineering

Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) is an enabling discipline that focuses on developing processes needed to design and create materials with atomic and molecular scale structures that provide the properties necessary for meeting performance requirements for functions and applications for meeting next generation societal challenges.

Graduates with an MSE degree guide the selection of materials for application-specific performance requirements. They design and create materials with required properties, e.g., metals lighter and stronger, ceramics tougher, polymers degradable, and composites more affordable. They develop processes employing environmentally friendly, low-cost, sustainable, manufacturing approaches, with strategic use of rare materials and natural resources.

MSE at Georgia Tech is amongst largest, most diverse, and top ranked materials program in the U.S. At the School, undergraduate education covers wide range of academic areas spanning Structural and Functional materials, Polymers and Textiles, & Biomaterials. Throughout GT student's learning experience, instruction is by expert in both traditional and advanced fields. Individualized academic advisement and mentoring is available for all students. There are many Co-op, Research, Study-abroad, and Business Option opportunities for students at the School of Materials Science and Engineering.

The Opportunity: Director of Development II, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering & School of Materials Science and Engineering

Georgia Tech - Director of Development II, School of ChBe and School of MSE - Job Description (PDF Download)

Position Summary

The Director of Development II, School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and School of Materials Science & Engineering will be an experienced and successful fundraiser responsible for planning and implementing a coordinated program of fundraising activities. The Director will use advanced relationship-building skills to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major and principal gift prospects, including individuals, corporations, and/or foundations. This position will establish and effectively manage relationships with critical, high-profile prospects. The Director will design and implement strategic fundraising plans as well as manage special events to involve and cultivate prospects. The Director will collaborate with deans and faculty, and coordinates with other development and alumni relations staff. This position will be required to identify stewardship opportunities for major donors and may service complex fundraising markets or regions. Typically, this position solicits gifts in the range of $100,000 to $5 million and manages a portfolio size (average annual fundraising accountability) of $2.5 million to $3.5 million. The prospect pool managed is up to 150 prospects. This position will interact on a regular basis with major and principal donors and prospective donors. This position typically will advise and counsel: Deans, school chairs, faculty, academic unit and program leadership, unit volunteer leadership, and other development officers. This position will supervise a team of two.

The Role and Responsibilities

  • Design and implement comprehensive fundraising plans for assigned college, school, program, region, or constituency.
     
  • Use advanced professional relationship building skills to develop and implement plans and strategies for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major and principal gift donors and prospective donors.
     
  • Close major gifts and commitments, personally and consistently, with a typical gift solicitation range of $100,000 to $5 million. Maintain ongoing relationships and provide exceptional donor stewardship to encourage future giving.
     
  • Establish and maintain a high degree of collaboration with other development officers and staff, as well deans, school chairs, faculty, and other Institute academic and executive officers.
     
  • Submit timely contact reports, prospect plans, and solicitations into tracking system.
     
  • Prepare written development materials including case statements, proposals, and fundraising initiative/ campaign related literature for assigned college, school, and/ or program(s).
     
  • Manage special events and/ or advisory board meetings to involve and cultivate prospects.
     
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills and Qualifications

  • Broad knowledge of fundraising approaches.
     
  • Highest levels of interpersonal skills, ethical standards, and good judgement.
     
  • Excellent skills in building long-term relationships.
     
  • Persuasive written and verbal communications skills.
     
  • Abilities in prioritizing, negotiating, influencing, strategic planning, project management, program administration and organization.
     
  • Self-motivation, ability to work independently and as a team member.
     
  • Capacity for multi-tasking.
     
  • Use of office-related computer applications is required.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
     
  • Four to six years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising and/or relevant experience in sales and marketing, or other related fields.
     
  • Travel is an essential part of the position as is participation in evening and weekend activities.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's Degree.
     
  • Eight plus years of proven experience and results in soliciting and closing seven-figure major gifts in a higher education setting and a campaign environment.

Applications & Nominations

The Georgia Institute for Technology has partnered with Boyden Executive Search. For more information about this opportunity or to submit a cover letter and resume, please email:

Lisa Vuona
Managing Partner, Boston
lvuona@boyden.com
LinkedIn

Lisa Vuona has decades of experience in executive search and human resource management, primarily in the non-profit, healthcare and education sectors. She is distinguished by her track record and network, and by her approach, which combines the strategic power of data with a finely tuned ability to understand the client’s organization and identify high-caliber leaders who fit the culture.

Leslie Smith
Executive Search Consultant, Boston
leslie.smith@boyden.com
LinkedIn

Leslie Smith has helped numerous individuals and organizations achieve their goals. She works with non-profits and educational institutions, helping to define leadership needs and connecting them with the right talent. Along with extensive knowledge of the non-profit sector, she has a passion for strengthening mission-driven organizations and advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Don’t check off all the boxes or meet every single requirement? We have learned that potential candidates hesitate when applying for a job unless they meet every single requirement. Boyden Boston is dedicated to inclusivity and valuing diversity and equity in the workplace. If this opportunity excites you, but your background may not be a perfect match, we still encourage you to apply.

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