Position Summary: 

This position is on-site on our Cullowhee campus. The director’s primary responsibility is the strategic execution and management of a comprehensive annual giving program, including the coordination and oversight of supporting initiatives in the areas of development, alumni engagement, and donor relations. The director develops a coordinated matrix of communication and solicitation strategies involving email, direct mail, phone, online/social media, text, and face-to-face solicitation, all focused on shaping a sustainable tradition of annual support. In addition, the director will foster the growth of best practices in the supporting areas of gift processing, data management, and donor relations as related to annual giving and the University as a whole. The director will work in partnership with the Director of Donor Relations to support two annual giving societies:  the 1889 Club (unrestricted giving) and the Shetland Society (faculty/staff giving). The director has a keen appreciation for the foundation of annual giving as the enabling component of successful major and gift planning programs. The director is responsible for ensuring that the University is a leader among peers as measured externally in terms of total dollars, total donors, percentage of participation, consistency of giving and average gift size and measured internally in terms of clean data, ease of access to data and timely donor stewardship. The Director of Annual Giving is an EHRA non-faculty, direct fundraising position that reports to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Development.
The director will supervise the Assistant Director of Annual Giving, whose responsibilities include phonathon solicitations, Chatty Cat engagement officer (phonathon staff) management, and personal solicitations through a small lead annual giving portfolio.  The director will also supervise the Assistant Director of Student and Young Alumni Engagement, whose responsibilities include philanthropic programming for alumni of the last ten years and students, management of a lead annual prospect portfolio, and management of student engagement and young alumni programming such as the P.A.W.S. mentoring program.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required;
• Five years of fundraising and/or experience in higher education required;
•  Strong managerial, leadership and supervisory skills;
•  Demonstrated organizational and communication skills as well as ability to work with and motivate other development professionals and volunteers;
• Demonstrated analytical and fundraising skills with the ability to recognize opportunities, identify critical, high pay-off activities and prioritize them to attain goals within a budget;
• Excellent skills and understanding of computer and constituent software required;
•  Experience with data management, segmentation, and reporting;
•  Experience using a CRM database system;
•  Proficient in social media and online engagement;
•  Ability to write annual giving content for print and web;
•  Ability to manage external vendors for project timeline, budget, and efficiency
•  Ability to work independently and within a team environment;
•  Willingness and ability to travel and to work nights and weekends, as required.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• A master’s degree in a related field;
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge;
• Experience with data visualization tools such as Advizor;
• Experience with additional annual giving technology tools such as GiveCampus, Spotlight, and Thankview

Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation; National Guard or veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Additionally, the University promotes the realization of equal employment opportunity for minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans through its affirmative action program.
Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (828) 227-7218 or email at [email protected].