Position Summary: 

The Executive Director of Annual Giving and Advancement Services is critical to University of Georgia’s efforts to identify and cultivate private support across all schools, colleges, and units on campus. This leadership position manages the offices of Annual Giving and Advancement Services and serves as a key member of the senior development leadership team and is an active participant in making strategic decisions related to department initiatives. The Executive Director is responsible for developing specific metrics and performance plans that hold all units accountable for overall production. This position reports to the Senior Executive Director of Development in the Office of Development.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the Annual Giving, Advancement Services, and Records teams
  • Prepare for approval, direct, and coordinate the department’s financial and budget activities to fund operations and maximize efficiency.
  • Structure, appoint, and lead department heads within the department of Alumni Relations.
  • Establish, delegate, communicate, monitor, and reinforce staff assignments, accountabilities, performance expectations, and goals for staff reporting to this position.
  • Analyze operations to evaluate and continuously improve the performance of the department and its staff in meeting objectives.
  • Direct, plan, and implement policies, objectives and activities to ensure continuing maximization of returns on investment of staff and resources toward activities.
  • Establish and nurture strong relationships with academic leaders, senior staff, and DAR colleagues across campus to create a collaborative team environment and to advance alumni engagement at all levels within the University.
• Strengthen and expand the comprehensive Special Giving programs including Parents & Families, Parents Leadership Council, Presidents Club, University Partners, Senior Signature, Faculty/Staff Campaign, Matching Gift Programs, Recent Graduate Programs, and other specialized efforts.
• Design and implement a comprehensive marketing plan for the Georgia Fund, including use of personal solicitation, telemarketing, on-line gifts, and direct mail to obtain and encourage new and increased gifts for restricted and unrestricted needs.
• Oversee all activities related to the preparation of written materials (brochures, correspondence with donors/prospects, direct mail copy, special campaign materials, phone scripts, periodic reports, etc.) used in promoting, enabling, and stewarding annual gifts.
• Collaborate with other Executive Directors within the division on all fundraising activities

Minimum Qualifications: 

Requires at least a baccalaureate degree in the field.  Please contact your Human Resources office for an evaluation of education/experience in lieu of the required minimum qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Advanced degree preferred.
• Ten years of progressive leadership experience in a large organizational setting.
• Demonstrated experience building teams, creating innovative development programs and understanding development systems, processes and databases.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating on large cross-functional projects.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Competencies: 

• Knowledge of fundraising and development practices and strategies.
• Knowledge of strategic planning, human capital development, and performance assessment.
• Ability to build and lead cross-functional teams in a higher education setting.
• Ability to cultivate and effectively manage multifaceted, long-term, and mutually beneficial alliances with donors and alumni.
• Ability to develop, operationalize, and execute plans for visioning, strategy, human capital development, and unit performance.
• Ability to effectively interact with a range of internal and external stakeholders spanning organizational verticals and hierarchy.
• Leadership skills to motivate team members toward performance goals.
• Change management skills.
• Strong diplomatic skills to manage diverse relationships.
• Effective written and oral communication skills to communicate to a wide range of stakeholders.
• Collaboration skills to work effectively with internal and external teams.
• Strategic thinking skills to develop and executive short- and long-range goals.

Additional Division Expectations: 

• Through open, honest, and respectful communication, all staff, supervisors, and colleagues of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations are expected to interact with fairness, compassion, and decency. All employees will be held accountable for meeting the expectation of promoting a stable, productive, and healthy work environment.
• Adherence to CASE standards and commonly accepted industry standards relating to fundraising reporting are expected of all fundraisers. All fundraisers will be held accountable for meeting this expectation.

Physical Demands:

• Work in a standard office environment
• Travel in and out of state
• Willingness and flexibility to work nights and weekends necessary
• Work using electronic mail, telephone, face-to-face discussions, paper form correspondence
• Communicate effectively in writing, speaking, and listening
• Organize and establish priorities; Remember detail; Multi-task
• Lift and/or move up to 20 pounds
• Walk, stand, stoop, lift, kneel, climb

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ([email protected]).