Summary of Position

In partnership with the Executive Director of NEP, the CHHS Director of Development, and the CHHS Annual Giving Officer, the ADO will lead the expansion of existing fundraising efforts ($450K/year from +/-1,000 donors) and transform them into a high-caliber, high-ROI program that reflects NEP’s unique culture, mission, goals, and strategic plan. In these efforts, s/he will work closely with board members, senior leadership, community members, donors, NEP participants, as well as advancement colleagues, and will implement systems and structures for planning and decision making around development, build pipelines of prospects, and strengthen the foundation of a comprehensive campaign.

The NEP Assistant Director of Development (ADO) will join the University of New Hampshire Foundation and Northeast Passage at an inflection point for both the university and NEP as we move forward with the quiet phase of an ambitious fundraising campaign. The ADO builds and expands relationships with constituents – predominately comprised of non-alumni friends of the university who affiliate primarily with NEP – in ways that have a quantifiable impact on philanthropic achievement for NEP. S/he will drive entrepreneurial initiatives and new engagement practices through which NEP can capitalize on the energy of a passionate and loyal constituent base. The ADO will embrace goal-oriented outcomes and will be a strategic, creative thinker who is passionate about the fundraising potential for NEP. S/he will have a proven track record in fundraising or a closely related field of expertise, and will possess outstanding interpersonal competencies, the ability to effectively engage volunteer leadership, and a deep commitment to instilling practices and a culture within advancement that reflects the unique spirit of NEP and its synergies with UNH.

Additional Job Information

About Northeast Passage (NEP): The mission of Northeast Passage is to empower people living with disabling conditions, both visible and invisible, to define, pursue and achieve whole life health, community engagement and fulfillment through the purposeful use of sports and recreation; to develop and promote best practices in the fields of Therapeutic Recreation and Adaptive Sports. Northeast Passage does this by developing, delivering, and evaluating innovative barrier-free recreation and health promotion programs. Our guiding principles are promoting client independence through education and problem solving, creating opportunities, and collaborating with others to create a strong network of accessible recreation. NEP’s vision is: the relentless pursuit of a barrier-free world for individuals with disabilities. Northeast Passage sits within the UNH College of Health & Human Services

About the College of Health & Human Services (CHHS): The College of Health and Human Services inspires students to become strong, compassionate leaders who transform and improve the health and human services environment across the state, the region and the world. Led by engaged faculty and practitioners who are renowned in their fields, the College of Health and Human Services offers dynamic academic programs infused with applied learning and innovative research that prepare students for success.

About the UNH Foundation (UNHF): Established in 1989, UNHF exists to build private support for the University with the goal of strengthening programs, supporting students, and providing new opportunities for faculty excellence. Now in the silent (planning) phase of its current campaign, UNHF wrapped up a successful $300M+ campaign, “CELEBRATE 150: The Campaign for UNH” in 2018 and obtained new funds from 45,000+ donors for need-based and merit scholarships, opportunities that complement classroom experiences, expand research excellence, improve recruiting of top faculty and strengthen infrastructure.

UNH Diversity Statement: The University of New Hampshire is committed to building and nurturing an environment of inclusive excellence where all students, faculty, and staff can thrive. We also are committed to providing open and inclusive access for all alumni, volunteers, learners, employees, and visitors seeking to participate in our programs and activities. We venture to sustain a campus environment that fosters mutual respect and understanding. We believe diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are foundational values inextricably linked to achieving our core educational mission and embrace the many characteristics of our community members that make them uniquely themselves. Here, you belong and all are welcome.

Other minimum qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of 1-3 years of fundraising experience (or equivalent experience e.g. sales/marketing)
• A working knowledge of donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, about fundraising support. Requires the ability to change the thinking of, or gain acceptance of, others in sensitive situations
• Strong interpersonal skills including negotiation and communication; able to reach across a wide variety of audiences for different areas of ethics and compliance
• Ability to provide effective project management
• Sensitivity and experience interacting with internal and external constituents who are diverse in characteristics such as age, education level, race, gender identity and expression, ability, and socioeconomic backgrounds in a culturally competent and supportive manner
• Ability to travel on behalf of the university including local, regional, and domestic trips
• Demonstrated understanding of the relevance of philanthropy
• Demonstrated understating of the responsibility to maintain sensitive information
• Sound written and oral communication skills; builds rapport in an open, friendly, and accepting way; listens attentively
• Sound judgment and ability to work well as part of a team, including collaboration with diverse university units and others
• Commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and advancement

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with volunteer management
• Proficiency in database technologies and Microsoft Office
• Familiarity with Northeast Passage programs
• Knowledge of the fundraising profession, theories, and standards
• Knowledge of philanthropy policies, practices, and systems

Salary Information

Salary is complemented by a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, retirement, tuition, and paid time off.

Institution Information

The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast, and is convenient to New Hampshire’s lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.

The UNH Diversity Resource Guide with information and programming available in the seacoast area, New Hampshire and the region can be found here: https://www.unh.edu/hr/diversity-resource-guide

Duty/Responsibility

Front-Line Fundraising:

• Manage and actively expand a portfolio consisting of NEP supporters; maintain frequent contact with these individuals to build relationships and increase philanthropic support.
• Conduct up to 150 visits each year with individuals via Zoom, phone, and/or in-person; meeting this activity goal will require travel across the state, region, and, on occasion, the U.S.
• Solicit gifts for NEP and achieve a personal and unit-wide annual revenue and donor participation goal.
• Partner with colleagues across UNH Advancement to plan effective engagement, solicitation, and stewardship strategies that will move prospects forward.
• Qualify prospects for potential major and planned giving capacity and interest and provide background to appropriate colleagues to effectively move individuals through their philanthropic journey with NEP.
• Work closely with the UNH Institutional Giving team to ensure a coordinated approach to foundation and corporate philanthropy solicitations.

Duty/Responsibility

Fundraising Initiative & Volunteer Management:

• Participate in the planning and execution of NEP fundraising events, programs and initiatives; board meetings; cultivation events and related programs.
• Consult with staff from across NEP to provide guidance on any fundraising efforts they may be conducting to ensure they have a coordinated strategy and follow UNH Foundation policies and procedures.
• Engage, educate and train key volunteers on development strategies and recruit new volunteers.
• Partner with colleagues on the UNH Annual Giving team on all fundraising direct marketing efforts and communications being executed (mail, phone, email, social media, etc.) and on messaging/strategies. Utilize predictive analytics scores and other tools available for segmentation and prioritization.
• Serve as NEP’s representative for The (603) Challenge by securing underwriter funds, coordinating multi-channel outreach and strategies and motivating faculty and staff to participate.
• Work collaboratively to support the university’s overall annual giving and other fundraising goals.

Duty/Responsibility

Strategic Planning & Management:

• Implement an effective fundraising strategy for NEP that aligns with the Executive Director’s vision and priorities, and also with the overall UNH development strategy for the university that aims to significantly increase philanthropy as part of the comprehensive campaign.
• Aid in determining NEP’s annual fundraising metrics and goals, regularly monitoring progress through reporting; work to ensure these goals are achieved.
• Work closely with other UNH Development staff to ensure fundraising strategies align with overall development efforts and to strategize on plans for individual prospects.