The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation in Annapolis, Maryland, is looking to hire a full-time Executive Director, Annual Giving Program to join the Development Team.
Alumni, parents, and friends from around the country work closely with the Development Team to enhance their engagement with the Naval Academy through the Naval Academy Foundation. Our team is committed to building lifelong relationships with highly dedicated donors and leadership volunteers to deepen their connection to the mission of the Naval Academy through philanthropy. Our mission is achieved by working one-on-one with donors as well as engaging others interested in supporting the Academy through high-impact events featuring faculty, staff, and other alumni.
ABOUT THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY (USNA) ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND FOUNDATION
The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association and the United States Naval Academy Foundation are two independent, not-for-profit corporations sharing a single president and CEO and operating as a fully integrated organization in support of the Naval Academy and its mission. The organization’s focus and core competencies are engagement and philanthropy in pursuit of closely aligned missions.
Our Mission: The course set by Alumni Association founders in 1886 remains true today: to serve and support the United States, the Naval Service, the Naval Academy, and alumni by:
- Furthering the highest standards at the Naval Academy.
- Seeking out, informing, encouraging, and assisting outstanding, qualified young men and women to pursue careers as officers through the Naval Academy.
- Initiating and sponsoring activities that perpetuate the history, traditions, memories, and growth of the Naval Academy, and bind alumni together in support of the highest ideals of command, citizenship, and government.
This position is responsible for leading, managing, conceptualizing, organizing, and implementing a comprehensive Annual Giving Program. The primary goal is to maximize unrestricted gifts supporting the Naval Academy and the Alumni Association and Foundation from alumni, parents, and friends, ensuring long-term growth. The Executive Director must develop and employ new strategies for acquiring and retaining donors, including targeted initiatives using wealth screening, analytics, social media, and mobile-friendly online giving, complementing traditional fundraising methods.
The role reports to the Executive Vice President at the Foundation and is part of the Foundation’s Executive Leadership Team. The Director of President’s Circle, the Class Giving Team, and the Parent Giving team will report to this position. Infrequent travel may be required.
Responsibilities
Program Design and Implementation
- Design and execute the Annual Giving program to meet goals for raising annual, especially unrestricted, gifts. This includes managing phone/mail solicitations, direct mail, electronic campaigns, and the Great Class Challenge.
- Manage solicitation strategies, collateral materials, data segmentation, and vendor coordination.
- Develop an integrated calendar and schedule for solicitations, working closely with vendors and internal teams.
- Lead the Annual Giving team and collaborate with other departments and volunteer groups to support fundraising efforts.
Coordination
- Coordinate with the Regional Development Team and other stakeholders to ensure smooth operations.
- Plan and manage activities of the Council on Annual Giving and develop communications supporting solicitations.
Progress Reporting and Accounting
- Monitor progress against goals, adjust strategies as needed, and prepare reports.
- Ensure accurate accounting of all fundraising activities.
Budget
Develop and manage the budget for the Annual Giving Team in coordination with relevant departments.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- 5-7+ years of annual fund experience, preferably in educational development.
- Experience with data management, volunteer management, and fundraising software such as Blackbaud CRM or similar.
- Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and budgets effectively.
- Enthusiasm for the mission of the Naval Academy.