Whitman College
Digital Leadership Annual Giving Officer
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington, United States
WHITMAN COLLEGE
Located in the historic community of Walla Walla, Whitman's vibrant and beautiful tree-lined campus is home to an intellectually diverse, dynamic, welcoming and supportive community of some 500 staff and faculty serving approximately 1,500 students from the local region and across the globe. With exceptional students, accomplished faculty and staff, and a fiercely loyal and growing number of engaged alumni, Whitman College continues to build on its national reputation for academic excellence as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.
Whitman College is cultivating a community built on inclusion and belonging. We recognize the value of those who can offer historically underrepresented perspectives and encourage applications from those whose background, knowledge, and insights from lived experience can add to the college's working and learning environment. Whitman College is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer (EEO).
POSITION PURPOSE
The Digital Leadership Annual Giving Officer (Digital LAG Officer) is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding leadership-level annual donors through virtual channels. This role focuses on building strong, meaningful relationships with a portfolio of prospects, primarily through digital tools such as video calls, email, social media, and digital engagement platforms. This role will also strengthen the connection between alumni volunteers and current students in support of Whitman's priority for strong graduate launches.
This position reports to the Director of Annual Giving and works as part of the Annual Giving team. The Digital LAG Officer will play a key role in expanding the college's base of leadership annual giving donors-typically those contributing $1,000 to $25,000 annually-and will help build the pipeline for major gifts and long-term philanthropic engagement.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
Portfolio Management - 60%
Manage a portfolio of approximately 200-250 leadership annual giving prospects across the country, with an emphasis on virtual and digital outreach. Conduct 10-15 virtual meetings per week. Develop and implement personalized engagement solicitation (i.e., events, mentoring, affinity groups, etc.), and stewardship plans for each donor. Solicit gifts of $1,000-$25,000 with a focus on unrestricted annual support or specific institutional priorities. Achieve annual visit, solicitation, and revenue goals as established with the Director of Annual Giving. Coordinate with colleagues in major gifts, planned giving, and alumni relations to ensure donor experiences are cohesive and collaborative. Digital Engagement - 30%
Plan, develop and execute digital engagement campaigns that support alumni relations, fundraising, student career development, and community outreach goals. Use video messaging, social media, and CRM-driven communication strategies to reach donors in a personalized, scalable way. Collaborate with colleagues from the Career and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) to develop personalized and scalable content for a student audience that promotes student-alumni connection and mentorship. Leverage donor and student data and segmentation to create customized campaigns and outreach strategies. Participate in Giving Day and digital campaigns by soliciting peer-to-peer gifts and leading targeted efforts for portfolio donors. Data & Reporting - 10%
Maintain accurate and timely records of all donor interactions in the college's CRM system (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Salesforce). Track and report on performance metrics including contacts made, meetings held, solicitations, revenue secured, click-thrus and impressions. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
Must be able to explain and/or demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. Specifically,
Strong oral and written communication skills Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills Must be highly organized, able to think strategically, handle multiple tasks, prioritize work, and meet deadlines Comfort and effectiveness with digital communication tools and virtual relationship-building. Ability to positively and actively contribute to Whitman College's core values of diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism and access. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's degree. 2+ years of experience in fundraising, sales, or relationship management, preferably in a higher education or nonprofit setting. OR a combination of relevant education, training, and experience. Whitman College values diverse pathways to acquiring skills and knowledge and encourages applicants to demonstrate how their background aligns with the role.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Experience soliciting leadership annual gifts or managing a donor/prospect portfolio. Experience building communication content for a student audience. Familiarity with advancement CRMs (e.g., Slate, Raiser's Edge, Salesforce), video engagement platforms, and email marketing tools. Understanding of higher education fundraising and donor lifecycle strategies. Please note that while the description details both required and preferred qualifications, we want applicants to be aware that they do not need to have all of the preferred qualifications to be considered for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications and have passion for the work, you are encouraged to apply.
WORKING CONDITIONS
This position may require some travel, occasional weekend and evening work.
BENEFITS
Whitman College offers a competitive benefits program that is designed to attract qualified candidates and retain talented employees. Full-time employees enjoy the following benefits:
Medical/Dental/Vision Insurances.
Basic life, accidental death and dismemberment and long term disability insurances with the capability to elect additional voluntary coverage.
403(b) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan with a 10% matching contribution after eligibility requirements are met.
Paid Time Off: 20 accrued vacation days, 12 accrued sick days, 13 paid holidays.
Tuition Remission - Dependent Children
Employee tuition waiver for two Whitman courses per semester.
Employee Assistance Program
Relocation assistance for eligible employees.
Learn more about benefits eligibility here.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION FOR JOB CANDIDATES
Contact Human Resources regarding requests for disability accommodation in the employment application process.
APPLICATION REVIEW
Application review will begin on September 20, 2025, and continue until the position is filled.
START DATE
November 2025
Located in the historic community of Walla Walla, Whitman's vibrant and beautiful tree-lined campus is home to an intellectually diverse, dynamic, welcoming and supportive community of some 500 staff and faculty serving approximately 1,500 students from the local region and across the globe. With exceptional students, accomplished faculty and staff, and a fiercely loyal and growing number of engaged alumni, Whitman College continues to build on its national reputation for academic excellence as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.
Whitman College is cultivating a community built on inclusion and belonging. We recognize the value of those who can offer historically underrepresented perspectives and encourage applications from those whose background, knowledge, and insights from lived experience can add to the college's working and learning environment. Whitman College is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer (EEO).
POSITION PURPOSE
The Digital Leadership Annual Giving Officer (Digital LAG Officer) is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding leadership-level annual donors through virtual channels. This role focuses on building strong, meaningful relationships with a portfolio of prospects, primarily through digital tools such as video calls, email, social media, and digital engagement platforms. This role will also strengthen the connection between alumni volunteers and current students in support of Whitman's priority for strong graduate launches.
This position reports to the Director of Annual Giving and works as part of the Annual Giving team. The Digital LAG Officer will play a key role in expanding the college's base of leadership annual giving donors-typically those contributing $1,000 to $25,000 annually-and will help build the pipeline for major gifts and long-term philanthropic engagement.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
Portfolio Management - 60%
Manage a portfolio of approximately 200-250 leadership annual giving prospects across the country, with an emphasis on virtual and digital outreach. Conduct 10-15 virtual meetings per week. Develop and implement personalized engagement solicitation (i.e., events, mentoring, affinity groups, etc.), and stewardship plans for each donor. Solicit gifts of $1,000-$25,000 with a focus on unrestricted annual support or specific institutional priorities. Achieve annual visit, solicitation, and revenue goals as established with the Director of Annual Giving. Coordinate with colleagues in major gifts, planned giving, and alumni relations to ensure donor experiences are cohesive and collaborative. Digital Engagement - 30%
Plan, develop and execute digital engagement campaigns that support alumni relations, fundraising, student career development, and community outreach goals. Use video messaging, social media, and CRM-driven communication strategies to reach donors in a personalized, scalable way. Collaborate with colleagues from the Career and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) to develop personalized and scalable content for a student audience that promotes student-alumni connection and mentorship. Leverage donor and student data and segmentation to create customized campaigns and outreach strategies. Participate in Giving Day and digital campaigns by soliciting peer-to-peer gifts and leading targeted efforts for portfolio donors. Data & Reporting - 10%
Maintain accurate and timely records of all donor interactions in the college's CRM system (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Salesforce). Track and report on performance metrics including contacts made, meetings held, solicitations, revenue secured, click-thrus and impressions. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
Must be able to explain and/or demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. Specifically,
Strong oral and written communication skills Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills Must be highly organized, able to think strategically, handle multiple tasks, prioritize work, and meet deadlines Comfort and effectiveness with digital communication tools and virtual relationship-building. Ability to positively and actively contribute to Whitman College's core values of diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism and access. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's degree. 2+ years of experience in fundraising, sales, or relationship management, preferably in a higher education or nonprofit setting. OR a combination of relevant education, training, and experience. Whitman College values diverse pathways to acquiring skills and knowledge and encourages applicants to demonstrate how their background aligns with the role.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Experience soliciting leadership annual gifts or managing a donor/prospect portfolio. Experience building communication content for a student audience. Familiarity with advancement CRMs (e.g., Slate, Raiser's Edge, Salesforce), video engagement platforms, and email marketing tools. Understanding of higher education fundraising and donor lifecycle strategies. Please note that while the description details both required and preferred qualifications, we want applicants to be aware that they do not need to have all of the preferred qualifications to be considered for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications and have passion for the work, you are encouraged to apply.
WORKING CONDITIONS
This position may require some travel, occasional weekend and evening work.
BENEFITS
Whitman College offers a competitive benefits program that is designed to attract qualified candidates and retain talented employees. Full-time employees enjoy the following benefits:
Medical/Dental/Vision Insurances.
Basic life, accidental death and dismemberment and long term disability insurances with the capability to elect additional voluntary coverage.
403(b) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan with a 10% matching contribution after eligibility requirements are met.
Paid Time Off: 20 accrued vacation days, 12 accrued sick days, 13 paid holidays.
Tuition Remission - Dependent Children
Employee tuition waiver for two Whitman courses per semester.
Employee Assistance Program
Relocation assistance for eligible employees.
Learn more about benefits eligibility here.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION FOR JOB CANDIDATES
Contact Human Resources regarding requests for disability accommodation in the employment application process.
APPLICATION REVIEW
Application review will begin on September 20, 2025, and continue until the position is filled.
START DATE
November 2025