Director of Annual Giving

Posted on 03/26/2021

Eureka College

Eureka, IL

Reports to: Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Position Summary: The Director will serve as the strategic leader for annual giving across Eureka College. The Director will demonstrate extensive experience with executing visionary annual giving programs at the higher education level that meet ambitious quantitative objectives. Well versed in industry best practices, the Director will lead direct marketing (mail and email), Phonathon, crowdfunding, and special initiatives, including Giving Day, for constituent groups including alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and friends of the College.

Serving as a strong collaborative partner, advisor, and mentor to staff across the College with annual giving responsibilities, the Director will be responsible for developing a transformative vision for the program across the College to meet goals for increased retention and acquisition of donors, and a strengthened pipeline of donors, with emphasis on support from undergraduate alumni.

This position will report, and collaborate with the VP of Institutional Advancement

Essential Functions: 

  • Serve as lead College strategist for annual giving programs;
  • Develop and execute comprehensive transformational strategies for annual giving that achieve the College goals for donor retention and acquisition, growth in both donors and dollars, and increased support from undergraduate alumni;
  • Identify and execute targeted annual giving strategies for key audiences, including LYBUNTS, SYBUNTS, futures/non-donors, undergraduate alumni, recent graduates, graduate alumni, reunion-year alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and students;
  • Act as enthusiastic champion for innovation within the Annual Giving program;
  • Advise and mentor staff in the College with annual giving responsibilities;
  • Continually evaluate existing programs, strategies and tactics and recommend and implement future approaches for annual giving;
  • Monitor industry best practices, trends, issues, and technologies, and propose innovative strategies and tactics to advance divisional and College objectives;
  • Identify and track appropriate metrics, and develop reports to monitor and shape program success;
  • Collaborate closely with colleagues in Advancement to execute strategies for leadership annual giving;
  • Partner with Communications and Marketing on cultivation and stewardship programs for annual giving donors; and
  • Collaborate with colleagues in Alumni Affairs, Communications and Marketing, Development, Gift Planning and Advancement Services to further the College goals for annual giving.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities: 

Supervisory Requirements: 

Supervise student worker(s) who provide administrative support for the office. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Education: 

Essential: A bachelor’s degree is required for this position with preference for marketing.

Experience: 

  • expertise in annual giving and direct marketing principles, strategies and tactics;
  • outstanding strategic communications, writing, and editing skills;
  • extensive experience with digital and direct marketing;
  • knowledge of audience analysis, marketing analytics, and metrics;
  • experience with Raiser’s Edge NXT or similar software;
  • strong analytical, research, and problem-solving skills;
  • the ability to maintain composure when dealing with difficult situations, and meet deadlines;
  • creativity in developing innovative annual giving and strategies; and
  • the ability to contribute in a high-performing team environment.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

  • Strong organizational skills
  • Excellent written and oral communications skills
  • Strong computer skills
  • Personable; willingness to learn, initiative taker
  • Ability to develop and maintain excellent relationships to support goals/mission.
  • Desire to work in a highly collaborative team-based environment.
  • Ability to plan for the big picture while attending to numerous details.
  • Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities/activities.
  • Able to work flexible hours, which include evenings and weekends.
  • Director works with other departments to ensure coordination of special events, public relations, and outreach.

Working Conditions: 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time.

Work Schedule: Normal work day is Monday through Friday 8:00AM to 5:00PM, including one hour allocated for lunch. Flexibility is needed for periodic evening and weekend hours for donor events and meeting deadlines.

Application Contact: 

Kathleen Hermacinski, Human Resources: [email protected]