Organization: Union Theological Seminary
Department: Academic Office
Reports to: Associate Dean for Academic Administration
Salary: $80,000

Position Summary

The Registrar oversees all aspects of student academic records and enrollment management, including course registration, enrollment reporting, classroom scheduling, class rosters, final grading, transcript requests, enrollment verification, graduation clearance, and compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The Registrar also serves as the institution’s School Certifying Official (SCO) for VA educational benefits.

Key Responsibilities

• Student Records & Data
• Maintain and update student demographic and enrollment data, sharing relevant information with other offices as needed.
• Configure the Student Information System (Jenzabar SONIS) for academic years, enrollment status, class rosters, final grade entry, course offerings, and registration.
• Coordinate with the enrollment team to transfer incoming student application data from the Slate admissions platform into student records, including demographic and program information in Jenzabar SONIS, and application materials in the document management system (OnBase).
• Enforce policies governing student enrollment and course record-keeping, including faculty rosters, permanent student records, official transcripts, grading, leaves of absence, withdrawals, and statistical reporting.
• Oversee course registration, cross-registration at other institutions, and auditor registration, including communication and enforcement of deadlines, accurate record-keeping in SONIS, and management of registration forms (Formstack).
• Ensure accuracy of official student transcripts.
• Maintain thorough knowledge of FERPA and apply it consistently to protect student privacy and records.

Scheduling & Catalog

• Produce the annual course catalog and semester course schedule, distributing drafts for review prior to publication.
• Oversee development of the academic calendars for the Manhattan and northern campuses two years in advance.
• Assign and reserve rooms for classes and exams.
• Schedule final exams and coordinate modern language exams (held twice per semester).
• Assist in new and adjunct faculty onboarding by creating profiles and credentials in SONIS.

Degree Completion & Graduation

• Participate in the commencement planning team, maintaining a shared calendar across offices and attending regular planning meetings.
• Coordinate academic aspects of commencement for the Manhattan and northern campuses, including: diploma orders, program names, regalia orders and distribution, student procession/seating, and commencement awards and prizes.
• Record graduations in SONIS and ensure accuracy of official transcripts following each graduation date; ensure appropriate records are uploaded to OnBase for each graduate

Reporting & Compliance

• Submit monthly enrollment reports to National Clearing House (NSC).
• Respond to student-requested enrollment verifications.
• Prepare data for internal offices, external audits, and federal, state, and accrediting agency compliance reports.
• Prepare materials for the Committee on Standing’s review of students with deficient grades.
• Attend spring Mid-Program Review (MPR) conferences as an academic office representative, responsible for submission and accuracy of assessment reports.

Committee & Cross-Office Collaboration

• Serve on the Academic Office team, the Bursar-Admissions-Registrar-Financial Aid team, the Incoming Student Onboarding team, the Academic Affairs Committee (ex officio, as note-taker), and the Committee on Standing.
• Partner closely with the Associate Dean for Academic Administration, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the Bursar, and Director of Housing and Campus Services; provide timely information to the Finance Office and Office of Admissions and Financial Aid as needed.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in a relevant field preferred; plus 3-5 years of registrar’s office or related experience.
• Proficiency with relevant Student Information Systems and Learning Management Systems (Jenzabar SONIS and Moodle preferred), data management and analysis, workflow/automation tools, compliance and security protocols, and general office software (Microsoft Suite).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a diverse institutional culture and with varied constituencies.
• Excellent judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to organize and manage complex record-keeping functions.
• Sound judgment in protecting student data and responding appropriately to data requests.
• Ability to prepare, maintain, and interpret statistical data.
• Knowledge of FERPA, VA/SCO requirements, federal enrollment reporting requirements, IPEDS reporting, and other applicable federal and state regulations and best practices.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain the highest levels of confidentiality.
• Strong customer-service orientation, with a willingness to respond promptly and attentively to students, faculty, and staff.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and respond gracefully to interruptions.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this position is $80,000. Union offers a comprehensive employee benefits program, including contributions to medical, dental, and vision insurance plans, as well as an employer contribution to a TIAA retirement plan account, after 1 year of employment. This is a full-time and exempt position.

Ability to Commute: New York, NY 10027 (required)
Work Location: In person

Reports to: Vice President for Partnerships
Team: Development
Location: Morningside Heights, New York, New York
Classification: Exempt, Full-time
Work Arrangement: Hybrid; four days on campus and one day remote each week
Salary: $145,000 – $165,000
Supervisory Responsibility: None initially; may supervise 1 – 2 frontline fundraisers as the team expands

Position Overview

We’re looking for someone who understands what makes Union distinct. Grounded in the Christian tradition, Union welcomes people of all faiths and none, embraces interreligious engagement, and brings faith and scholarship to the work of social justice. Its diverse community of students and alumni reflects these commitments.

The Senior Director of Development, Major Gifts will serve as Union’s senior frontline fundraiser, with primary responsibility for cultivating and stewarding major donor relationships, including alumni and other key supporters, soliciting significant gifts, and securing philanthropic commitments from new and existing donors. The role will play a key part in sustaining and expanding Union’s individual giving program through major gifts that advance the institution’s mission and priorities.

Approximately 80% of this role will be dedicated to direct fundraising, personally engaging donors, strengthening relationships, making solicitations, and closing gifts. The remaining 20% will focus on campaign strategy in partnership with the Vice President for Partnerships and, as the team grows, managing and coaching one to two additional frontline fundraisers.

This is a senior, hands-on role for an accomplished development professional with a demonstrated record of personally securing six-figure gifts and the experience to pursue seven-figure opportunities. The ideal candidate brings sound fundraising judgment, deep experience stewarding donor relationships, and the confidence to move significant philanthropic opportunities from cultivation through commitment.

The Senior Director will work closely with the Vice President and receive support from colleagues responsible for Advancement Services, institutional fundraising, and Communications, allowing this role to remain focused on individual donors and fundraising results.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gifts and Donor Relationships (80%)

• Personally manage an active portfolio of major donors and prospects, with primary responsibility for cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and securing significant gifts.
• Build and sustain meaningful donor relationships, connecting philanthropic interests with Union’s mission, programs, and institutional priorities.
• Develop and execute individualized solicitation strategies, moving prospective gifts from cultivation through commitment.
• Identify and qualify major gift prospects, strengthen existing relationships, and pursue opportunities for increased and sustained philanthropic support.
• Partner with the Vice President, President, trustees, and other institutional leaders on significant donor relationships, ensuring thoughtful engagement, preparation, and follow-through.
• Maintain consistent personal engagement with donors and prospects through visits, substantive conversations, and timely follow-up.
• Document donor conversations, solicitation strategies, next steps, and anticipated gifts in Union’s donor records.
• Steward major donors and significant commitments, building lasting relationships that encourage continued and future giving.

Campaign Strategy and Team Leadership (20%)

• Partner with the Vice President for Partnerships to develop and execute major gift fundraising strategies supporting institutional priorities, including operating support, endowment growth, facilities, and academic programs.
• Contribute to fundraising strategy for targeted and institution-wide campaigns, including capital and endowment initiatives, and help develop compelling cases for major gift support.
• Identify leadership gift opportunities and develop donor solicitation approaches in support of campaign goals, coordinating with planned and annual giving strategies as appropriate.
• As the team expands, manage and coach one to two additional frontline fundraisers, providing guidance on donor relationships, portfolio development, solicitations, and fundraising performance.
• Help ensure major gift fundraising activities and donor strategies remain aligned with Union’s broader development priorities.

Collaboration and Accountability

The Senior Director will work within a coordinated Development structure, with colleagues providing specialized support so the role can prioritize donor relationships and closing gifts.

• Advancement Services: Provides donor data, prospect research, gift processing, reporting, and analytics to support portfolio management, solicitation strategies, and fundraising performance.
• Foundation Fundraising/Grant Writer: Leads foundation and other institutional relationships, grant proposals, and related fundraising activities.
• Communications: Supports donor-facing materials, fundraising messaging, storytelling, and campaign communications, while the Senior Director owns donor strategy and the substance of each ask.
• Vice President for Partnerships: Partners on campaign strategy, institutional fundraising priorities, significant donor relationships, and executive-level solicitations.

The Senior Director will be accountable for major gift fundraising results, including meaningful donor engagement, solicitations, gifts secured, and the continued development of qualified major gift opportunities. The role requires clear communication about fundraising progress, anticipated commitments, opportunities, and challenges.

Qualifications and Experience

Required

• Demonstrated success personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing six-figure gifts in nonprofit development or a related philanthropic setting.
• Substantial experience managing major donor relationships and portfolios, including developing solicitation strategies and stewarding significant philanthropic commitments.
• Strong ability to build trust and sustain relationships with donors, institutional leaders, and other key stakeholders.
• Sound fundraising judgment, including the ability to understand donor interests, recognize opportunities, and secure significant commitments.
• Strong organizational and portfolio management skills, with the ability to manage multiple donor relationships and fundraising priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the confidence and professionalism to represent Union in conversations with major donors and institutional leaders.
• A genuine understanding of and commitment to Union’s mission, interreligious community, and work in social justice.

Preferred

• Demonstrated experience cultivating, soliciting, or closing seven-figure gifts.
• Experience in higher education advancement or major gift fundraising within a mission-driven institution.
• Experience identifying and securing unique gifts that bridge sectors or different industries.
• Experience using Raiser’s Edge or a comparable fundraising CRM for donor and portfolio management.
• Experience partnering with presidents, trustees, and senior institutional leaders on significant donor cultivation and solicitation.
• Experience contributing to capital, endowment, or other major fundraising campaigns.
• Experience mentoring, coaching, or supervising frontline fundraising professionals.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means significant philanthropic gifts secured, strong and growing major donor relationships, and a well-managed portfolio of opportunities supporting Union’s institutional priorities.

The Senior Director will be an active and effective frontline fundraiser, consistently engaging donors, advancing solicitations, and securing commitments. They will also bring experienced judgment to campaign planning and, as the team expands, help develop additional successful fundraisers.

Above all, we’re looking for a senior development professional who knows how to build trust with donors, make meaningful asks, steward relationships, and close significant gifts in support of Union’s mission.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $145,000 – $165,000. Union offers a comprehensive employee benefits program, including contributions to medical, dental, and vision insurance plans, as well as an employer contribution to a TIAA retirement plan account after one year of employment. This is a full-time, exempt, hybrid position, with four days on campus and one day of remote work each week. The role requires some travel and occasional evening and weekend work to support donor engagement, Board meetings, and institutional events.

HOW TO APPLY

For confidential consideration, please submit your résumé and a brief response (300 words maximum) to one of the following prompts, in lieu of a traditional cover letter. Please omit donor names and identifying details.

Option 1: Describe a donor relationship where you pursued a significantly larger gift than the donor had previously made to your organization. How did you determine whether the relationship was ready for that ask, what was the outcome, and what, if anything, would you do differently today?

OR

Option 2: Describe a significant gift you played a central role in securing, where the connection between the donor’s interests and your organization’s priorities was not immediately clear. How did you identify common ground, and how did that shape your approach and the eventual gift?

Please email your materials to [email protected] and indicate the specific job title in the subject line. Both a résumé and a response to one prompt are required for consideration. No phone calls, please. Only candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

About Union

Since 1836, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York has forged a distinctive vision for theological education—one that centers rigorous scholarship and personal faith in an urban context so that they might respond to the needs of the world. Progressive theology has long taken shape at Union, where faith and scholarship meet to reimagine the work of justice. Today, Union trains people of all faiths and none who are called to the work of social justice, forming courageous leaders who make a difference wherever they serve.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Union Theological Seminary is an Equal Opportunity Employer and acts in accordance with applicable laws in all of our hiring and employment practices. Union considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, ability, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other protected factor under federal, state, or local law.

Applicants and employees are protected under federal law from discrimination. For more information, please see the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s “Know Your Rights” notice at www.eeoc.gov/poster.

All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by their supervisor.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.