About NECO

Founded in 1894, the New England College of Optometry (NECO) is the oldest continuously operating school of optometry in the United States and a national leader in the education and preparation of tomorrow’s eye care providers. As one of only three independent, private, nonprofit colleges of optometry, NECO is uniquely positioned to innovate, respond quickly to the evolving needs of the profession, and shape the future of vision health.

With approximately 520 students, a $32M operating budget, a $75M+ endowment, state-of-the-art clinical training facilities, and deep community and industry partnerships, NECO continues to advance its mission through excellence in education, clinical care, and research. To learn more, visit www.neco.edu.

The Opportunity

NECO seeks an experienced, hands-on, collaborative and strategic Director of Development to build, elevate, and lead NECO’s fundraising initiatives. This leader will have broad responsibility for designing the strategic direction, foundational systems, and operational infrastructure needed to build a sustainable, high-performing fundraising program. Core areas of responsibility include:

• Development (annual, leadership, major, principal, and planned giving)
• Corporate and foundation relations
• Alumni engagement and event management 
• Donor relations and stewardship
• Advancement operations and data systems
• Advancement communications and marketing
• Comprehensive campaign planning and execution

NECO is preparing to launch its first comprehensive capital campaign in 2026, a transformative five-year, $10M initiative to secure institutional priorities, strengthen NECO’s national reputation, and expand its impact. The feasibility study portion has been completed and NECO is beginning its silent phase of the capital campaign, with $1.6M raised/committed to date (as of December 31, 2025) for the campaign. 

Philanthropic revenue has stabilized to approximately $1M annually over the last two years, with the expectation of increasing this to $1.5M to $2M annually. The next Director of Development will be charged with building on this momentum and laying the durable foundation - strategy, staffing, systems, pipelines, stewardship, and culture - needed to grow philanthropy to $2M + annually during and after the campaign.

Serving as NECO’s chief fundraising strategist, this leader will architect a long-term advancement plan aligned with the College’s strategic priorities and will work in close partnership with the President, President’s Leadership Team, Board of Trustees, Alumni Board, Director of Marketing, VP of Professional Affairs, faculty leaders, corporate partners, and external stakeholders. This is a rare opportunity to shape the trajectory of a historic, mission-driven institution as it enters a new era of transformation, aspiration, and philanthropic growth.

This position reports directly to the Executive Vice President and COO. 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Advancement Leadership

• Develop and implement a multi-year fundraising strategy focused on building a sustainable and scalable fundraising program.
• Lead the creation of a comprehensive campaign plan, including campaign readiness, case development, volunteer recruitment, pipeline development, and long-term philanthropic strategy.
• Create and lead an internal Campaign Steering Committee and external Campaign Leadership Committee, ensuring clear strategy, management, accountability, and volunteer engagement.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the President and Board of Trustees, providing insights on philanthropic trends, donor behavior, campaign performance, and emerging opportunities.
• Foster a college-wide culture of philanthropy, educating and partnering with faculty, staff, students, and senior leaders to strengthen engagement and impact.

Major, Principal & Planned Gifts

• Manage a personal portfolio of 75 – 100 high-capacity prospects, including alumni, trustees, corporate leaders, and foundation partners. Conduct 80 face-to-face or Zoom annual visits with prospects. 
• Design and execute individualized strategies for major, principal, and planned gift prospects, securing commitments ranging from $10,000 to $1M+.
• Establish metrics, systems, and accountability structures for donor engagement and revenue growth across the advancement team.
• Collaborate with academic and clinical leaders to develop compelling philanthropic priorities and giving opportunities.

Stewardship & Donor Relations

• Build and oversee a best-in-class stewardship and donor relations program that deepens donor engagement, increases retention, and meaningfully recognizes generosity.
• Create individualized stewardship strategies for major and principal donors, ensuring timely reporting of impact, personalized communications, and meaningful ongoing engagement.
• Partner with faculty, clinical leaders, and students to create donor impact stories that illustrate the transformative effect of philanthropy at NECO.
• Oversee and enhance all donor recognition programs, including giving societies, endowed fund stewardship, scholarship reporting, donor honor rolls, and special recognition opportunities.
• Ensure that every donor, at every level, receives thoughtful, timely, and accurate acknowledgment and appreciation.
• Develop stewardship communications in partnership with Marketing & Communications, including digital content, impact reports, and campaign stewardship collateral.
• Establish stewardship metrics and performance indicators that align with NECO’s broader advancement strategy.

Organizational & Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing advancement team, including an Assistant Director, Program Specialist, and a part-time Alumni Liaison.
• Build capacity by hiring, coaching, and developing staff with an emphasis on collaboration, accountability, innovation, and data-driven decision making.
• Oversee annual budgeting, resource allocation, workflow optimization, and planning necessary to support campaign and institutional priorities.
• Advance professional development, goal-setting, and performance evaluation practices across the team.

Alumni & Constituent Engagement

• Reimagine, strengthen, and expand NECO’s alumni relations program to increase alumni pride, connection, involvement, and philanthropy.
• Partner with the Alumni Board to deepen alumni volunteer leadership and advance engagement strategies aligned with institutional priorities.
• Oversee the planning and execution of signature alumni events including reunion, regional gatherings, industry conference receptions, and student–alumni initiatives.
• Ensure alignment and collaboration between alumni engagement, development, and student services.

Corporate, Industry and Foundation Relations

• Collaborate with the VP of Professional Affairs to deepen NECO’s long-established relationships with industry partners while proactively cultivating new corporate and foundation prospects to support research, clinics, scholarships, pipeline programs, and strategic institutional priorities.
• Lead the strategy, development, and submission of high-quality proposals, grant applications, and sponsorship packages to corporations, foundations, and other organizations, ensuring alignment with funder interests and NECO’s mission and goals.
• Oversee the full lifecycle of corporate and foundation funding, from prospect identification and cultivation through proposal development, award management, reporting, and renewal, building a sustainable portfolio of institutional supporters.
• Coordinate and guide industry and foundation engagement across academic, clinical, and administrative units to ensure consistency of messaging, avoid duplication of outreach, and maximize philanthropic and strategic outcomes.
• Partner with faculty, institutional leaders, and program directors to identify compelling funding opportunities, translate academic and clinical priorities into strong cases for support, and develop budgets and narratives that meet sponsor requirements.

Advancement Operations & Communications

• Oversee a high-functioning advancement services operation, including gift processing, database management (Little Green Light), prospect research, donor analytics, reporting, and compliance.
• Ensure data integrity, strong fiscal oversight, and seamless collaboration with the Business Office for gift reconciliation and fiscal reporting.
• Partner with Marketing & Communications to develop compelling philanthropic messaging, donor impact communications, digital engagement strategies, and campaign branding.
• Provide regular updates and reports to the Board of Trustees, President’s Leadership Team, and other key stakeholders on fundraising progress, trends, and performance metrics.

Qualifications 

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in fundraising, including major/principal gift work and campaign leadership. 
• Proven success in designing and managing comprehensive campaigns from silent phase through public launch and completion.
• Demonstrated success building and leading high-performing teams.
• A strong track record of securing major, principal, and planned gifts.
• Experience working with volunteer leaders, boards, and senior academic or clinical leadership.
• Sophisticated understanding and experience of the fundraising enterprise—from pipeline development to stewardship and operations—with experience in higher education or healthcare strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with higher education, healthcare, or medical education environments is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred. 
• Ability to work nights and weekends, as needed, as well as occasional overnight-travel. 

Leadership Strengths

• A strategic and systems-oriented thinker with the ability to build fundraising infrastructure from the ground up.
• A collaborative, relationship-centered leader who thrives in a mission-driven environment.
• A team builder who fosters a culture of transparency, creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• A catalyst for philanthropy who      inspires trust and confidence among donors, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, able to articulate NECO’s mission and impact with clarity and authenticity.
• Strong planning, analytical, leadership, and organizational abilities.
• Diplomacy, discretion, and professionalism in all interactions with donors and stakeholders.
• An aptitude for creative and innovative-driven solutions to advancement. 
• A commitment to data-informed decision making and operational excellence.
• The ability to influence and effect positive change in a matrixed operation.

Salary Range: $130,000 to $150,000 annually

NECO is an Equal Opportunity employer and encourages all qualified candidates to apply.

New England College of Optometry offers a robust benefits program including:

• 3 plan options for BCBS medical coverage (employer subsidized at 75% or greater)
• Mental Health and Wellness benefits
• BCBS Dental
• Discounted vision services
• 13 paid holidays and generous paid time off for sick, vacation, and personal days
• Employer-paid life insurance, and short-term and long-term disability
• Voluntary Insurance: life, critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident,
• Voluntary Benefits: employee discounts and pet insurance
• 9% employer contribution to a 403(b) retirement plan after 1 year of service with no vesting schedule or match requirement
• Qualified Public Service Loan Forgiveness Employer