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General Summary
The Director of Annual & Special Giving reports to the associate vice president for communications and engagement and is responsible for setting strategy and executing yearly plans to increase the number of alumni donors, and overall number of donors, and funds raised from individuals giving $49,999 and less annually. This position is responsible for strategy, oversight, and execution of annual giving activity designed to meet yearly and campaign goals including traditional direct response outreach, digital philanthropy, leadership annual giving, and participation-level stewardship. This position supervises a team of three FTEs.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Strategy, oversight, and execution of a multidimensional annual giving and leadership annual giving program, including:
  • Traditional direct marketing campaigns around university and Advancement funding priorities, including direct mail, email, and phone channel outreach.
  • Digital philanthropy, including national and university giving days (Blue Demon Challenge), crowdfunding, and digital advertising.
  • Targeted philanthropic engagement with select affinities or specialized initiatives, including faculty/staff, parents, graduating class, and recent alumni.
  • Leadership annual giving/pipeline activity, to increase the number of giving $1,000 or more on an annual basis.
  • Stewardship and retention activity for individuals giving $1,000 and less annually.
• Assessment, reporting, and data analysis.
  • Regularly evaluate programming, emerging tools and technologies, and industry best practices to augment the existing programs.
  • Establish annual goals for donors, revenue, and other associated metrics, utilize dashboards and reports to monitor progress, and share ongoing results.
  • Provide effective analysis to colleagues and supervisors for use in management decision-making.
  • Utilize results, predictive modeling, and other analytic tools to drive future activity.
  • Collaborate with prospect management to develop and implement a methodology for leadership annual giving portfolio creation and ongoing management.
• Staff and Portfolio Management
  • Identification, qualification, cultivation, and solicitation of leadership annual giving prospects to create and grow a pipeline of 1898 Society members and major gift donors.
  • Strategic and management direction to Annual Giving staff (3 FTEs), including through annual performance appraisals and operating plans. Participate in professional development programs and facilitate staff involvement.
• Collaboration with other areas within and outside of Advancement involved with annual giving goals.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience

• Bachelors of Science or Arts.
• Minimum 5-7 years in annual giving fundraising.

Preferred Requirements