Associate Director of Development, Office of Housing Administration (Administrator I)

Position Summary

Join San Diego State University’s dynamic University Relations and Development team as the Associate Director of Development —a mission-driven fundraising professional dedicated to expanding opportunities for student success. This role focuses on securing philanthropic support for initiatives that address housing and food insecurities and enhance the on-campus residential experience for students. As part of a collaborative, high-performing development team, you will cultivate and steward major gifts, identify new donor markets, and advance strategic fundraising goals that have a direct impact on student well-being and academic achievement.

Key Responsibilities :

• Build and manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, cultivating meaningful relationships with individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Develop and implement fundraising strategies for student housing and basic-needs initiatives, including scholarships, stipends, and capital renewal projects.
• Partner with university leadership, the Office of Housing Administration, and URAD colleagues to align philanthropic opportunities with institutional priorities.
• Conduct donor research, prepare proposals, and steward donors through personalized engagement and recognition efforts.
• Lead or support special events and volunteer initiatives that strengthen alumni and community connections.

Why Join Us?

At SDSU, you’ll be part of a nationally recognized advancement team committed to transforming lives through education and philanthropy. You’ll work alongside passionate colleagues in a supportive, inclusive environment where innovation and collaboration are encouraged. The University Relations and Development division has a proven record of success and is preparing for its next ambitious chapter. This is your opportunity to make a lasting difference by helping students thrive, both inside and outside the classroom.

Position Information

Department Summary

University Relations and Development (URAD) shares the university’s vision and mission underscored in the 2020 five-year strategic plan. The plan identifies five strategic priorities including : Becoming a Premier Public Research University : A New Kind of Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI); Resilience. Designed to Thrive; We Are SDSU; Equity and Inclusion in Everything We Do; and Students at Our Core.

Units of URAD work together to create enduring relationships with alumni, parents, donors, students and the community, to generate private support for SDSU students, faculty and a diverse number of programs. URAD handles a range of services encompassing stewardship, events, gift administration, communications and more.

Within URAD, the departments of Development, SDSU Alumni, Planned and Annual Giving, Special Events and Donor Relations, Marketing and Communications, Financial Management, Data Management, Prospect Research and Management and Operations are making a difference in the lives of SDSU’s 39,000 students.

URAD had another record-setting fundraising year in 2023-2024 with $131.9M total raised. Other superlatives in 2023-2024 include 2,251 scholarships awarded, 14,750 total gifts, and 5,006 first-time donors. The latest fundraising success can be credited to the university’s goal of building a world-class university campus, research center, and multi-use stadium in Mission Valley to serve higher education, the public good, and the community’s goals and aspirations.

SDSU has been recognized several times for its exceptional development program by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). With the support of loyal donors and working alongside SDSU’s visionary faculty and staff leaders, SDSU builds lifelong relationships with over 500,000 alumni, friends and the community that advance the mission of SDSU.

The Division of Business and Financial Affairs is responsible for ensuring a safe, productive campus environment while providing the highest quality service in support of academic excellence through thoughtful stewardship of financial, technological, infrastructure, and human resources at San Diego State University.

The Office of Housing Administration (OHA) is a self-funded operation responsible for planning, providing, and administering housing operations, services, and facilities with over 100 employees and over 150 student assistants with an annual operating budget exceeding $145,000,000. OHA provides housing for over 8,900 students in 25 communities with over 2 million sq. ft. of residential facilities. The OHA manages the operation of residence halls, apartments, conference and event spaces. The OHA supports the educational mission of the Residential Education Office (REO) while providing business operations for all housing-related functions in support of a quality environment to enhance the student educational experience.

Education and Experience

Key Qualifications

Compensation and Benefits

At San Diego State University, we value our team members and offer a competitive salary that reflects your qualifications and experience. But that’s just the beginning! Our exceptional benefits package is designed to support your well-being and work-life balance :

The expected hiring salary for this position ranges from $80,000 - $86,508 annually.

SDSU Values

At SDSU, our diversity gives us power and benefits every single member of our community. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU provides equal opportunity for all in education and employment. We encourage all members of our community to purposefully learn from one another through open and respectful dialogue and responsible engagement. We strongly preserve the right to free expression and encourage difficult conversations that help lead to improved individual and community learning and cohesion.

Principles of Community

At San Diego State University, we are a community of diverse individuals who have and represent many perspectives, beliefs, and identities. This diversity lends our community strength, and we commit to creating and sustaining an inclusive and intellectually vibrant environment that benefits all members of our university.

SDSU’s Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that is intended to evolve over time. The statement reflects the ideals we are encouraged to uphold in our interactions with one another.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, San Diego State University (SDSU) provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. SDSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

SDSU is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At SDSU, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.