Position Overview

The Annual Giving Officer (AGO) reports to the Director of Leadership and Major Gifts and is responsible for coordinating and executing high-volume personalized outreach to pre-qualified donor prospects and emerging donors. The AGO is also responsible for building, and continually growing, the annual giving program at Rhode Island College as annual giving is recognized as the foundation and primary enabling component to build successful major and planned giving programs.

The Rhode Island College Foundation, established in 1965, is a separate not-for-profit organization devoted to raising funds for the benefit of Rhode Island College. The Foundation also exercises fiduciary responsibility over endowments and other philanthropic investments made to benefit Rhode Island College. The Foundation is the primary source of private support to the college as it achieves its mission to offer accessible higher education of the finest quality to traditional and non-traditional students from around the state, the region, and beyond

Primary Purpose

The Annual Giving Officer (AGO) is responsible for coordinating and executing high-volume personalized outreach to pre-qualified donor prospects and emerging donors. The AGO is also responsible for building, and continually growing, the annual giving program at Rhode Island College as annual giving is recognized as the foundation and primary enabling component to build successful major and planned giving programs.

Essential Duties

• Coordinate and execute high-volume personalized outreach to pre-qualified donor prospects and emerging donors
• Routinely engage 1,000+ pre-qualified donor prospects and emerging donors throughout the year by utilizing digital channels (emails, video, social media) and traditional channels (print, mail, phone).
• Develop and coordinate a comprehensive mass marketing strategy which includes, coordinating the design and writing the copy for all annual giving appeal print and digital materials, and responsibility for all web-based marketing including emails and gifts made through the RIC website.
• Implement the plan, continually evaluate progress and refine the segmentation and customization strategies to increase giving levels.
• Plan, execute and manage a comprehensive annual giving program with a focus on increasing both dollars and donors.
• Create and execute donor acquisition and retention strategies in order to promote sustained recurring giving throughout a donor’s lifetime.
• Collaborate with development and alumni staff to ensure that a portion of the donor’s gift each year is allocated to the Annual Fund in order to demonstrate the impact on the College and maintain a high level of alumni participation.
• In collaboration with the Interim Executive Director and Director of Leadership and Major Gifts, develop a detailed plan and timeline for the annual giving program.
• Collaborate with the staff responsible for stewardship and gift accounting to ensure timely recognition of gifts made to the College and to recognize giving appropriately at various levels.
• Build a program that utilizes prospect’s existing relationship with the College and personal networks by developing strategies for cohorts such as class years, reunions, affinity groups, geography, degree, etc.
• Create and implement personalized messaging and segmentation strategies that continually evaluate progress
• Continually refine the segmentation and customization strategies to increase giving levels.
• Recruit, inspire, coordinate, and support volunteers including but not limited to current students and alumni.
• Successfully and effectively directly solicit donations, both in person and by phone.
• Visit (in-person/virtually) annual donors and volunteers, working as an important member of the development team to help identify major gift prospects.
• Working in conjunction with the alumni relations team, plan and coordinate reunion class giving.
• Work effectively in fundraising databases both for record keeping and report generation.
• Focus on stewardship of first-time donors and past donors (LYBUNTs and SYBUNTs) throughout the year and perform research in support of donor cultivation.
• Develop and coordinate foundation events.

Occasional Duties

• Assume responsibility for such related activities as may from time to time be assigned by the Director of Leadership and Major Gifts and Interim Executive Director of the Rhode Island College Foundation.
• Work occasional non-standard hours to meet with donors and volunteers.

Required Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge

• Excellent verbal and writing skills.
• Proficiency in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge or similar donor management system.
• Working understanding of fundraising including campaign planning and implementation.
• Ability to facilitate a diverse volunteer base; and documented ability and background to lead a -multifaceted annual fund program.
• Evidence of initiative and organizational ability.
• Ability to generate and to maintain good interpersonal relationships with professional colleagues and the community in general.
• Knowledge of and ability to manage office and record keeping procedures
• Ability to work non-standard hours and travel locally.

Required Qualifications