Oglethorpe University
Associate Director Annual Giving
Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30383
Job Details
Job Location Oglethorpe University - Atlanta, GA
Position Type Full-Time Staff
Education Level Bachelor's
Travel Percentage Negligible
Job Category Education
Description
The Associate Director of Annual Giving, reporting to the Senior Director of Alumni Engagement and Giving, is responsible for leading the strategy, planning, and execution of annual giving programs at Oglethorpe University. This role is focused on cultivating a culture of philanthropy among alumni, friends of the university, parents, faculty, staff, and students to increase annual participation and philanthropic support. The Associate Director develops multi-channel campaigns, builds and manages a donor pipeline, and partners across campus to advance university-wide fundraising priorities.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership Design and implement a comprehensive annual giving strategy that aligns with the university's advancement goals and priorities, with a focus on unrestricted giving. Develop and execute solicitation strategies to grow the base of annual donors and increase donor retention. Campaign Management
Oversee the planning and execution of annual campaigns, including direct mail, email, social media, crowdfunding, and giving days. Campaigns include (but are not limited to) Faculty and Staff Campaign, Senior Class Campaign, Fall and Spring Appeals, Calendar Year End Campaign, GivingTuesday, Fiscal Year End Campaign, and OU Giving Day. Create and manage a calendar/schedule of multidimensional appeals that leverage a variety of media (e.g., electronic solicitation, direct mail appeals, events) to communicate with potential and current donors. Coordinate with university communications and marketing to ensure message consistency and brand alignment. Leverage university milestones (e.g., reunions, homecoming, day of giving) to promote giving. Donor Engagement & Stewardship
Manage a portfolio of leadership annual giving prospects, cultivating and soliciting gifts of $1,000-$5,000. In collaboration with the Assistant Director of Donor Stewardship and Events, implement and grow donor recognition and stewardship programs tailored to annual fund donors. Collaborate with alumni relations to engage affinity groups, young alumni, and volunteers in giving efforts. Cross-Campus Collaboration
Partner with faculty, staff, athletics, Oglethorpe Museum of Art, and other key stakeholders to support department and program-specific fundraising initiatives. Partner with cross-campus partners to collect stories and data on the impact of annual giving. Serve as a campus resource for best practices in annual giving. Data Management & Reporting
Set measurable goals and monitor progress for participation, revenue, and donor engagement Partner with the Advancement Operations team to analyze donor behavior and campaign effectiveness. Monitors key performance indicators (KPIs), reports progress toward annual goals and uses insights to continuously improve outreach and segmentation strategies. Work with Advancement Operations to segment audiences and ensure accurate donor records. Manage Oglethorpe's crowdfunding platform, Almabase. In collaboration with Advancement Operations, manage Oglethorpe's partnership with Double the Donation. Qualifications
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in: communications, business, nonprofit management, philanthropy, or marketing. Minimum of 3-4 years in fund development, sales, higher education, or other relevant experience. Experience in direct response, including digital and online fundraising campaigns. Experience requesting, analyzing, and leveraging data to inform program goals and plans. Demonstrated ability to work in a team-oriented environment. Appreciation of, a sensitivity to, and respect for a diverse academic environment, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of many social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information in a professional manner. Demonstrated ability to successfully balance, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks in an active, fast-paced environment, while providing superior constituent service. Strong writing and editing skills. Excellent oral and interpersonal skills, including diplomacy, to function effectively among campus fundraisers, high-level campus administrators, volunteers, and other constituencies to bring large-scale projects to completion. Ability to work in a team environment. Strong initiative, creativity, and attention to detail. Technologically skilled and familiar with Raiser's Edge/fundraising databases, and other software applications
Job Location Oglethorpe University - Atlanta, GA
Position Type Full-Time Staff
Education Level Bachelor's
Travel Percentage Negligible
Job Category Education
Description
The Associate Director of Annual Giving, reporting to the Senior Director of Alumni Engagement and Giving, is responsible for leading the strategy, planning, and execution of annual giving programs at Oglethorpe University. This role is focused on cultivating a culture of philanthropy among alumni, friends of the university, parents, faculty, staff, and students to increase annual participation and philanthropic support. The Associate Director develops multi-channel campaigns, builds and manages a donor pipeline, and partners across campus to advance university-wide fundraising priorities.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership Design and implement a comprehensive annual giving strategy that aligns with the university's advancement goals and priorities, with a focus on unrestricted giving. Develop and execute solicitation strategies to grow the base of annual donors and increase donor retention. Campaign Management
Oversee the planning and execution of annual campaigns, including direct mail, email, social media, crowdfunding, and giving days. Campaigns include (but are not limited to) Faculty and Staff Campaign, Senior Class Campaign, Fall and Spring Appeals, Calendar Year End Campaign, GivingTuesday, Fiscal Year End Campaign, and OU Giving Day. Create and manage a calendar/schedule of multidimensional appeals that leverage a variety of media (e.g., electronic solicitation, direct mail appeals, events) to communicate with potential and current donors. Coordinate with university communications and marketing to ensure message consistency and brand alignment. Leverage university milestones (e.g., reunions, homecoming, day of giving) to promote giving. Donor Engagement & Stewardship
Manage a portfolio of leadership annual giving prospects, cultivating and soliciting gifts of $1,000-$5,000. In collaboration with the Assistant Director of Donor Stewardship and Events, implement and grow donor recognition and stewardship programs tailored to annual fund donors. Collaborate with alumni relations to engage affinity groups, young alumni, and volunteers in giving efforts. Cross-Campus Collaboration
Partner with faculty, staff, athletics, Oglethorpe Museum of Art, and other key stakeholders to support department and program-specific fundraising initiatives. Partner with cross-campus partners to collect stories and data on the impact of annual giving. Serve as a campus resource for best practices in annual giving. Data Management & Reporting
Set measurable goals and monitor progress for participation, revenue, and donor engagement Partner with the Advancement Operations team to analyze donor behavior and campaign effectiveness. Monitors key performance indicators (KPIs), reports progress toward annual goals and uses insights to continuously improve outreach and segmentation strategies. Work with Advancement Operations to segment audiences and ensure accurate donor records. Manage Oglethorpe's crowdfunding platform, Almabase. In collaboration with Advancement Operations, manage Oglethorpe's partnership with Double the Donation. Qualifications
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in: communications, business, nonprofit management, philanthropy, or marketing. Minimum of 3-4 years in fund development, sales, higher education, or other relevant experience. Experience in direct response, including digital and online fundraising campaigns. Experience requesting, analyzing, and leveraging data to inform program goals and plans. Demonstrated ability to work in a team-oriented environment. Appreciation of, a sensitivity to, and respect for a diverse academic environment, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of many social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information in a professional manner. Demonstrated ability to successfully balance, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks in an active, fast-paced environment, while providing superior constituent service. Strong writing and editing skills. Excellent oral and interpersonal skills, including diplomacy, to function effectively among campus fundraisers, high-level campus administrators, volunteers, and other constituencies to bring large-scale projects to completion. Ability to work in a team environment. Strong initiative, creativity, and attention to detail. Technologically skilled and familiar with Raiser's Edge/fundraising databases, and other software applications