Director of Annual Giving
Company:
Assumption University
Job Location:
Category:
Other Executive
Type:
Full-Time
Job Details
Description
BASIC PURPOSE:
In support of the mission of the University, the Director for Annual Giving is responsible for the strategy, management, and execution of comprehensive annual giving program that reaches out to all of Assumption University's constituencies, including alumni, parents, students, student athletes, faculty, staff, and friends of the University through a variety of distinct programming including direct mail, digital communications, social media, and personal solicitation. The Director will have responsibility to coordinate University-wide annual giving efforts - primarily the Assumption Fund - toward successful outcomes based on fundraising goals and metrics established annually.
The Director will also support expanding the President's Council (PC) Giving Society, which is comprised of donors who give at least $1,500 annually, through the University's annual giving program. This position is responsible for this giving society in terms of cultivation and solicitation of this important group with a focus on membership/revenue and retention of donors. The Director also works with the Office of Alumni and Donor Engagement on the stewardship of PC donors through various forms of print and electronic communication.
To secure these important gifts, some type of personal connection is often required. This position coordinates UA fundraising staff on strategies to solicit annual gifts at the PC level.
The successful candidate will have a positive, can-do attitude and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. She/he needs to be able to juggle a wide-variety of tasks and projects simultaneously, make decisions independently, as appropriate, and always position Advancement and Assumption in the best way possible. She/he should have a deep understanding of philanthropy and the impact it has on the student experience, and enjoy working with a wide variety of personalities and work styles.
ACCOUNTABILITIES:
MENTAL DEMANDS: The mental demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Examples of mental demands include reading (documents), detailed work, confidentiality, language, math, reasoning, oral communications, written communications, customer contact, multiple concurrent tasks, constant interruptions, and performing calculations when necessary.
Qualifications
Education
Required
Bachelors or better.
Experience
Required
5 years:
Development or relevant experience with progressive leadership responsibilities, preferably in an academic setting.
Description
BASIC PURPOSE:
In support of the mission of the University, the Director for Annual Giving is responsible for the strategy, management, and execution of comprehensive annual giving program that reaches out to all of Assumption University's constituencies, including alumni, parents, students, student athletes, faculty, staff, and friends of the University through a variety of distinct programming including direct mail, digital communications, social media, and personal solicitation. The Director will have responsibility to coordinate University-wide annual giving efforts - primarily the Assumption Fund - toward successful outcomes based on fundraising goals and metrics established annually.
The Director will also support expanding the President's Council (PC) Giving Society, which is comprised of donors who give at least $1,500 annually, through the University's annual giving program. This position is responsible for this giving society in terms of cultivation and solicitation of this important group with a focus on membership/revenue and retention of donors. The Director also works with the Office of Alumni and Donor Engagement on the stewardship of PC donors through various forms of print and electronic communication.
To secure these important gifts, some type of personal connection is often required. This position coordinates UA fundraising staff on strategies to solicit annual gifts at the PC level.
The successful candidate will have a positive, can-do attitude and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. She/he needs to be able to juggle a wide-variety of tasks and projects simultaneously, make decisions independently, as appropriate, and always position Advancement and Assumption in the best way possible. She/he should have a deep understanding of philanthropy and the impact it has on the student experience, and enjoy working with a wide variety of personalities and work styles.
ACCOUNTABILITIES:
- Develops and guides the overall strategy and direction for the Annual Giving program, focusing on shaping a sustainable tradition of annual support from alumni, employees, students, parents, and other supporters of the University.
- Fifty percent of the Director's time is spent managing a prospect pool of between 75-100 prospects with annual goals for personal contacts and giving outcomes. Focus is on identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding annual and annual leadership gift prospects and donors capable of making 4-figure to 5-figure gifts.
- Collaborates with Alumni and Donor Engagement on the common goal of building awareness of, engagement with, and giving to Assumption University through the annual giving program with a focus on the growth of the President's Council Giving Society, particularly through stewardship.
- Coordinates with appropriate staff, including the Director of Communications & Stewardship, the Manager of Digital Strategy and the Manager of University Advancement Operations, to create all electronic and direct mail campaigns, both in-house and with outside vendors.
- Assists the Leadership Giving Officer/Athletics and the Department of Athletics in garnering annual support for the University's 26-sport NCAA Division II athletics program.
- Records fundraising progress via contact reports, cultivation and solicitation updates, correspondence, and other documentation; recording this information in Slate in a timely and effective manner.
- Attends regular Prospect Strategy meetings and ad hoc sessions designed to discuss cultivation and solicitation strategies, and general fundraising progress.
- Communicates with Advancement Services regarding donor record updates and major giving potential within the Annual Giving donor pool as a means of building a leadership annual giving program (defined as gifts of $1,500 or more).
- Builds and maintains an in-depth knowledge of Assumption, its funding priorities, and giving opportunities in order to articulate a compelling case for support to all constituents.
- Attends special events representing the Advancement Team as a means of educating and engaging donors.
- Performs data analysis and manipulation related to all aspects of the annual fund program. Uses statistics to evaluate current Annual programs and to make recommendations for program changes.
- Plan, develop and monitor annual giving budget to support the strategy; ensure maximum cost-benefit ratio is achieved.
- Uses data analytics to assist and increase fundraising outcomes.
- Collaborates with the Vice President for University Advancement and the Senior Associate Vice President to plan and implement divisional priorities and strategies consistent with the priorities of the University.
- Responsible for working closely with the Advancement research team to identify additional leadership annual gift prospects based on wealth screenings to ensure a healthy pipeline for the University.
- Must be willing to contribute actively to the mission of the University as well as show an understanding of and a respect for the Catholic and Assumptionist identity of Assumption University.
- Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.
- Minimum of five years development or relevant experience with progressive leadership responsibilities, preferably in an academic setting.
- Excellent communications and organizational skills.
- Ability to work evenings and weekends, and to travel.
- Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
- Strong knowledge of computer systems.
- Ability to engage and motivate staff members and volunteers.
- Research and analytical skills required.
- Interacts on a frequent daily basis with other IA office staff, members of the Information Technology Department, and other external constituencies.
- Interacts on a regular basis with the President's Office, University Deans, administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, donors, and friends of the University.
MENTAL DEMANDS: The mental demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Examples of mental demands include reading (documents), detailed work, confidentiality, language, math, reasoning, oral communications, written communications, customer contact, multiple concurrent tasks, constant interruptions, and performing calculations when necessary.
Qualifications
Education
Required
Bachelors or better.
Experience
Required
5 years:
Development or relevant experience with progressive leadership responsibilities, preferably in an academic setting.
