Position Overview

Ohio Wesleyan University seeks an Assistant Director of Annual Giving to increase philanthropic support for the annual giving program. Reporting to the Director of Annual Giving, and partnering with the University Advancement staff, the Assistant Director is responsible for the personal cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors, specifically focusing on reunion and class leader fundraising initiatives, the strategic use of video, text solicitation, and student philanthropy.

The successful candidate will communicate the goals and mission of Ohio Wesleyan University to a diverse group of donors, alumni, parents and friends through face-to-face and virtual meetings, substantive phone conversations, and in writing. Additionally, the successful candidate will think creatively about how to communicate the impact of annual gifts in a visual medium (i.e. video). The successful candidate must be comfortable soliciting alumni and parents for annual gifts. Some travel required to meet with prospects in Ohio.

The successful candidate will have experience in annual giving, with a strong emphasis on volunteer management. The candidate must be collaborative and able to thrive in a team environment. Experience working with diverse audiences and in higher education or non-profit organization preferred.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

• In partnership with alumni relations, administers the recruitment, training, motivation, and management of diverse fundraising volunteers for five class reunion programs and approximately 20 non-reunion classes, including young alumni.
• Provides information and assistance to reunion and class volunteers to support their peer-to-peer recruitment, solicitations, and other assignments. Follows up with volunteers to ensure completion of assigned responsibilities.
• Develops fundraising goals and strategies to realize both leadership gifts and participation for the annual giving program. This encompasses both leadership reunion gifts and extensive reunion class participation.
• Identifies, cultivates, solicits and stewards current and potential donors to the annual giving program by engaging prospects in a variety of media (face-to-face, virtual, phone, in writing). A minimum of 75 meetings is expected, in addition to extensive phone calls.
• In partnership with alumni relations and career connection teams, sets and administers text message solicitation strategy, as part of the comprehensive annual giving communications plan.
• Oversees GiveCampus Spotlight product, working with University Advancement colleagues to conceptualize and build branded video pages for purposes including volunteer engagement, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develops and implements student philanthropy education program, in partnership with annual giving intern and student organizations (i.e. Senior Class Council and Ohio Wesleyan Student Alumni Association), to build an understanding of philanthropy and increase participation in the senior class gift.
• Effectively communicates results of contacts to appropriate personnel, such as other University Advancement and University staff, and utilizes Raiser’s Edge to document call reports and other relevant information about donor and prospect moves management.

Qualifications:

• Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of two (2) years of fundraising experience (or transferable skills including customer service, sales, public speaking, or communications), preferably in the field of higher education in which at least one (1) year included personal solicitation of donors or management of volunteers.
• Other qualifications include: the ability to travel for occasional personal solicitation and to attend regional events and to work occasionally on weekends and evenings, the capacity to organize and work with a diverse group of volunteers, strong computer skills, attention to detail, ability to take initiative, excellent verbal and written communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills, and a valid drivers’ license.
• Experience with data manipulation (Microsoft Excel and/or Access), query/report writing, and data analysis preferred.