Rhode Island School of Design
Annual Giving Officer
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) seeks two Annual Giving Officers to join Institutional Advancement (IA). If you're looking to join a cohesive and talented team dedicated to engaging alumni, parents and friends through creative outreach strategies, we are interested in hearing from you. Reporting to the Director, Annual Giving Programs, the Annual Giving Officer is responsible for the management of donor relationships in support of RISD. This position plays a key strategic role in RISD's Annual Giving efforts as we work to establish a more robust culture of philanthropy both on campus and in the wider RISD community. In their frontline fundraising work, the Annual Giving Officer will employ an in-depth donor-centric management mindset to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward new and existing donors in support of RISD. They will develop an annual plan to cultivate and solicit a portfolio of prospective and current donors for annual support. The Annual Giving Officer creates personalized engagement plans for each assigned donor and conducts meaningful personal local and virtual visits to secure gifts. The Annual Giving Officer also plays a vital role in building a robust donor pipeline, serving as a key conduit between the annual fund level and major gift level of giving. The successful candidate will thrive in a campus environment that is committed to advancing the principles of social equity and inclusion, environmental and climate justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities. Essential Functions:
Frontline Fundraising Responsibilities: Tasked with personally executing solicitations and closing gifts to secure annual fund gifts for both the RISD Fund and the Museum Annual Fund. Conduct independent research through the Institutional Advancement database, Internet sources, and referrals from RISD representatives and volunteers to identify and appropriately engage prospective donors. In conjunction with the combined assigned portfolio of current and prospective donors, conducts meaningful solicitation, stewardship, and cultivation visits either in person or virtually. Develop and execute an annual solicitation plan for submitted proposals and gift closures providing gift projections of commitments. Maintain a rigorous schedule of personal contacts with assigned prospects, creating moves management plans related to them that include strategies of engagement and solicitations. Collaborate with the RISD Fund, Alumni + Family Relations, and Donor Engagement teams to leverage appropriate Alumni Association, 1877 Society, and volunteer opportunities for select prospective and current donors. Seamlessly transition newly identified prospective and current donors with a major gift capacity to Philanthropy Officers for further relationship development. Utilize Raiser's Edge NXT system, which identifies, assigns, rates, and tracks assigned prospects, to comply with department policies and procedures. Additional Functions:
Performs other related duties as assigned, including but not limited to assisting with planning, implementing and staffing key events and meetings, as needed. Some travel is required for the role. Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience:
Bachelors' Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Three years of progressively responsible experience in development and fundraising or similar transferable experience required; experience in the higher education or nonprofit sector preferred. Customer service experience required. Strong preference for applicants with experience in initiating and securing a high volume of development visits and personally soliciting gifts. Ability to work in a performance-based environment with tracking of meeting goals, contacts, and dollars raised. Knowledge of the principles and practices of development and fundraising with an understanding of individual giving programs, such as direct mail, phone-a-thons and personal solicitation programs. Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills and a proven ability to create and foster excellent relationships between donors and an organization. Demonstrated ability to engage as a positive team member who establishes productive relationships, demonstrates respect and facilitates understanding by considering and integrating diverse viewpoints. Demonstrated ability to be detail-oriented and thorough; skilled at anticipating and preventing potential problems and handling a wide variety of tasks with efficiency and accuracy. Demonstrated skill in adapting to and performing work effectively in a high-volume, high-accountability, confidential environment with multiple and changing priorities. Exceptional organizational, logistical, time management, and planning skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks/projects simultaneously. Ability to self-motivate and work independently. Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally, in writing and electronically. Ability to analyze, synthesize and organize data, and present findings in a comprehensible manner for different audiences. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google drives/folders/forms. Preferred experience using NXT/Raiser's Edge. No Union Work Schedule: 35 hours per week; 12 months per year Employment Status: Full-time; Exempt; Regular Grade: 535EX Work Modality: Hybrid Eligible Documents Needed to Apply: Resume (Required) Cover Letter (Required) Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents. The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements. RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) seeks two Annual Giving Officers to join Institutional Advancement (IA). If you're looking to join a cohesive and talented team dedicated to engaging alumni, parents and friends through creative outreach strategies, we are interested in hearing from you. Reporting to the Director, Annual Giving Programs, the Annual Giving Officer is responsible for the management of donor relationships in support of RISD. This position plays a key strategic role in RISD's Annual Giving efforts as we work to establish a more robust culture of philanthropy both on campus and in the wider RISD community. In their frontline fundraising work, the Annual Giving Officer will employ an in-depth donor-centric management mindset to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward new and existing donors in support of RISD. They will develop an annual plan to cultivate and solicit a portfolio of prospective and current donors for annual support. The Annual Giving Officer creates personalized engagement plans for each assigned donor and conducts meaningful personal local and virtual visits to secure gifts. The Annual Giving Officer also plays a vital role in building a robust donor pipeline, serving as a key conduit between the annual fund level and major gift level of giving. The successful candidate will thrive in a campus environment that is committed to advancing the principles of social equity and inclusion, environmental and climate justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities. Essential Functions:
Frontline Fundraising Responsibilities: Tasked with personally executing solicitations and closing gifts to secure annual fund gifts for both the RISD Fund and the Museum Annual Fund. Conduct independent research through the Institutional Advancement database, Internet sources, and referrals from RISD representatives and volunteers to identify and appropriately engage prospective donors. In conjunction with the combined assigned portfolio of current and prospective donors, conducts meaningful solicitation, stewardship, and cultivation visits either in person or virtually. Develop and execute an annual solicitation plan for submitted proposals and gift closures providing gift projections of commitments. Maintain a rigorous schedule of personal contacts with assigned prospects, creating moves management plans related to them that include strategies of engagement and solicitations. Collaborate with the RISD Fund, Alumni + Family Relations, and Donor Engagement teams to leverage appropriate Alumni Association, 1877 Society, and volunteer opportunities for select prospective and current donors. Seamlessly transition newly identified prospective and current donors with a major gift capacity to Philanthropy Officers for further relationship development. Utilize Raiser's Edge NXT system, which identifies, assigns, rates, and tracks assigned prospects, to comply with department policies and procedures. Additional Functions:
Performs other related duties as assigned, including but not limited to assisting with planning, implementing and staffing key events and meetings, as needed. Some travel is required for the role. Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience:
Bachelors' Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Three years of progressively responsible experience in development and fundraising or similar transferable experience required; experience in the higher education or nonprofit sector preferred. Customer service experience required. Strong preference for applicants with experience in initiating and securing a high volume of development visits and personally soliciting gifts. Ability to work in a performance-based environment with tracking of meeting goals, contacts, and dollars raised. Knowledge of the principles and practices of development and fundraising with an understanding of individual giving programs, such as direct mail, phone-a-thons and personal solicitation programs. Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills and a proven ability to create and foster excellent relationships between donors and an organization. Demonstrated ability to engage as a positive team member who establishes productive relationships, demonstrates respect and facilitates understanding by considering and integrating diverse viewpoints. Demonstrated ability to be detail-oriented and thorough; skilled at anticipating and preventing potential problems and handling a wide variety of tasks with efficiency and accuracy. Demonstrated skill in adapting to and performing work effectively in a high-volume, high-accountability, confidential environment with multiple and changing priorities. Exceptional organizational, logistical, time management, and planning skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks/projects simultaneously. Ability to self-motivate and work independently. Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally, in writing and electronically. Ability to analyze, synthesize and organize data, and present findings in a comprehensible manner for different audiences. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google drives/folders/forms. Preferred experience using NXT/Raiser's Edge. No Union Work Schedule: 35 hours per week; 12 months per year Employment Status: Full-time; Exempt; Regular Grade: 535EX Work Modality: Hybrid Eligible Documents Needed to Apply: Resume (Required) Cover Letter (Required) Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents. The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements. RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.