Associate Director, Proposals and Gift Documents

Posted on 01/29/2021

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Daytona Beach, FL

Job Description

The Associate Director of Proposal Writing and Gift Documents is primarily responsible for researching, assembling, and writing most gift proposals to individuals, corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. The Associate Director is responsible for crafting all donor gift agreements. The Associate Director intakes, tracks, and reports on the completion of requests to create proposals. Working with Directors of Philanthropy, conducting additional research, and interviewing faculty, administrators, and students as necessary, the Associate Director synthesizes this information and articulates a clear and compelling case for support to prospective donors.

For gift proposals, the Associate Director is responsible for managing and reporting on workflow; creating and updating basic proposal templates and standardized supporting documents; training colleagues in fundamentals and best practices of proposal writing; conducting ongoing professional development to maintain their own effectiveness; and recording interaction with private foundations in the institution’s donor database. The Associate Director will develop, maintain, and circulate a proposal-cycle calendar for corporations and private foundations and identify and pursue or share prospective opportunities.  When working with corporations or foundations, the Associate Director will coordinate closely with Corporate Relations and the office of sponsored programs.

In collaboration with Philanthropy Office leaders and solicitors, the Associate Director is charged with crafting gift agreements, memos of understanding and related documents in a manner compliant with institutional policies, applicable governmental regulations, and philanthropy best practices. The Associate Director is responsible for managing and reporting on workflow for such documents; proactively researching academic programs to affirm the logic of gift documents as presented; communicating to teammates changes in practice or policy, and delivering training to elevate their competencies; and contributing to the accuracy of records in the donor database.

The ideal candidate shall be an outstanding communicator, writer, and editor; professional, poised, and polished; a proactive, creative, and tenacious problem solver; nurturing of professional and client relationships; positive in their outlook; and discrete with confidential material.  Candidates must possess the ability to work with sense of urgency, high attention to detail, and commitment to producing excellent, finished work with minimal oversight.

Research, assemble and write gift and philanthropic grant proposals and briefing documents  

  • Craft philanthropic proposals for individuals, corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations that have been requested by solicitors. Establish a modest goal for conducting own solicitations
  • Conduct supporting research to prepare for writing
  • Interview administrators, faculty, students, and staff as necessary to complete research
  • Track and report intake of proposal writing requests and manage workflow
  • Craft documents (e.g. white papers) to support solicitation efforts, with collaboration of PAE Communications
  • Identify new opportunities for private foundation and corporate solicitations or letters of inquiry
  • Develop & process gift agreements, such as Memos of Understanding, Addenda, etc.
  • Work with solicitors, draft all gift documents, including MOU’s, Addendums, Amendments, LOI’s, etc.
  • Manage and report on workflow of gift documents in process
  • Confirm MOU logic by researching, for example, referenced programs or scholarship eligibility requirements
  • Maintain, enhance, and communicate related policies and/or procedures
  • Resolve questions / seize opportunities for document enhancement
  • Ensure records are accurate in enterprise data systems

Administration

  • Manage database entries for granting organizations that are pursued
  • Manage and report on workflow and the status of proposals
  • Develop and maintain an annual proposal calendar, reflecting routine due dates for proposals at specific organizations
  • Assemble and maintain accuracy and currency of portfolio of common attachments (e.g. 501c3 letter, etc.)
  • Create and regularly update copy for proposal templates and communicate their availability to solicitors
  • Deliver ongoing training to colleagues on how to support all workflows
  • Collaborate with the Office of Sponsored Programs & Corporate Relations as needed
  • Complete annual and ongoing professional development and training to maintain skills at a high level

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • 5 years of professional proposal writing, foundation relations, or equivalent experience

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Preference for those with experience in higher education philanthropy.

Knowledge

  • Experience as a professional writer of successful proposals
  • Development best practices
  • Experience working with client-relationship management software or similar databases
  • Fundamentals of fund raising and/or sales
  • An understanding of charitable giving legal guidelines, especially as applied in gift proposal language and gift document construction
  • Proper business correspondence
  • Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Use of general office equipment and computer
  • Use of the internet as a productivity or research tool
  • Business and professional etiquette
  • Basic understanding of research, including online research

Skills

  • Outstanding written and editing skills
  • Excellent oral communication skills
  • Analyze and synthesize prospect reports, maps, tables, graphs, and other technical information
  • Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills
  • Problem solving skills, emphasizing a solutions-oriented mentality
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Judgment, diplomacy and client-relations skills

Abilities:

  • Work in a team environment, being self-motivated, well prepared, with routinely follow through.
  • Demonstrate strong character, emphasizing integrity, caring, and honesty, as well as loyalty to the institution.
  • Develop proficiency with the university’s alumni portal software
  • Develop proficiency with university’s fundraising database/software
  • Maintain positive and respectful engagement with colleagues and clients
  • Effectively prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously with effectiveness and poise

To apply for this job please visit embryriddle.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com.