Job Overview

The Phonathon Manager oversees the planning and execution of the Phonathon program and all related contact, funding, relational, supervisory, and evaluative goals to help achieve the annual Wheaton Fund goal. They will report to the Director of Annual Giving and oversee a team of student leaders responsible for leading their peers on a nightly basis. They are also responsible for managing the budget of day-today Phonathon operation expenses in addition to the allotted Student Wage budget.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day Phonathon operations, supervising student personnel, facilitating nightly Phonathon shifts, and communicating regularly with the Director of Annual Giving on progress toward goals, strategy, and potential challenges.
• Recruit, interview, hire, and coordinate employment of all Phonathon student personnel, and manage related payroll and tax paperwork for each employee.
• Facilitate ongoing student training on the essentials of fundraising for the Wheaton Fund and best practices in phone solicitation while maintaining Wheaton’s relational, donor-centric approach to fundraising and our strong commitment to alumni, parents, and friends of the College.
• Create an atmosphere of respect, enthusiasm, empowerment, and professionalism amongst Phonathon student staff to achieve Phonathon goals.
• Monitor caller performance, conducting at least two evaluations with each caller during the course of the academic year.
• Customize Phonathon scripts for various constituents, preparing student callers for conversations with all segments of Wheaton’s constituency.
• In cooperation with the Director of Annual Giving, set the annual Phonathon solicitation calendar and strategy to ensure that the phone program supports overarching Annual Giving goals and priorities. Work closely with Annual Giving staff to adapt strategy as needed throughout the year.
• Cooperate and collaborate with the Advancement Services department to support a streamlined process for pledge and gift processing.
• Manage support technologies related to Phonathon by creating and overseeing campaigns in Five9, serving as liaison with vendors, and regularly using report tools to produce historic comparisons and analyze segment performance, caller statistics, and pledge status.

This job description is intended to represent key areas of responsibilities; specific assignments may vary from time to time, and other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Previous management and Phonathon fundraising experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated organizational, interpersonal, analytical, and verbal and written communication skills.
• Team player able to collaborate with people internal and external to the organization.
• Demonstrated commitment to students and desire to support their development.
• Technical competencies, particularly in Excel, Five9 and Ellucian CRM or similar programs.
• Some evening work required.

As a Christ-centered community, Wheaton College faculty and staff must affirm the College’s Statement of Faith as expressing their own theological convictions and agree to live by the moral standards in Wheaton’s Community Covenant, modeling these commitments for the Christian formation of our students. Wheaton College faculty and staff also support the Christ-Centered Diversity Commitment which highlights our desire to treat all individuals as equal image-bearers of Jesus Christ through diversity, inclusion, justice and unity.