Responsibilities:

The Director of Annual Giving will be responsible for providing strategic leadership to and oversight of a multi-million dollar Annual Giving program of both unrestricted and restricted giving opportunities. Specific responsibilities include: strategizing and planning for multi-million dollar annual operating fundraising goals; overseeing strategic use of volunteers in the annual giving program; personally qualifying, cultivating, and soliciting annual leadership donors and prospective donors; and analyzing data on annual giving performance and utilizing it to make decisions about program direction and orchestration. The Director will manage the Assistant Director of Annual Giving and collaborate with the Director of Major and Planned Giving on comprehensive campaign solicitations that will achieve the annual operating fundraising goals.

Qualifications include 7+ years of development experience as well as  proven skill at conceptualizing, drafting and editing annual fund appeals; volunteer management; personal gift solicitation; organization and management of processes; and initiative-taking and working independently and as a collaborative team player.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Lead the annual giving program
  • Develop and implement annual giving strategies to upgrade and encourage loyalty among existing donors, identify and qualify donors for the major gifts pipeline, and acquire new and recapture lapsed donors
  • Orchestrate and oversee a collaborative and engaging Reunion Giving program
• Conduct leadership gift solicitations for annual giving
  • Manage a portfolio of approximately 50 leadership annual giving prospects ($1,883 – $50,000)
  • Document all prospect and donor contacts in accordance with the moves management system in the database system
  • Participate in moves management meetings
• Lead development and maintain consistency of Annual Giving messaging used in solicitations, volunteer work, and recognition and stewardship. Collaborate with the Assistant Head of School for Advancement, Chief Communication Officer, Senior Director of Development, and Assistant Director of Annual Giving to ensure alignment of Annual Giving messaging with the School’s message
• Create segmented appeal structure to target donors by giving behavior and constituency
• Working with the Director of Advancement Services, analyze data, volunteer feedback and donor analytics to inform strategic decisions for the Annual Fund.
• Coach the Assistant Director on creative strategies for the direct mail program and annual giving volunteer program
• Collaborate with Advancement Services and Donor Relations colleagues to ensure gifts to the Annual Fund are acknowledged and stewarded appropriately.
  • Author, sign, and personalize acknowledgement letters
• In partnership with the Assistant Director manage leadership, parent and alumni volunteer solicitors for annual giving
  • Lead and oversee identification, recruitment, and training of Annual Giving volunteers
  • Personally manage Leadership Annual Giving Volunteers
  • Ensure volunteer solicitation success and enjoyment including appropriate recognition
• Oversee the pledge reminder process
• Demonstrate a commitment to best practices and current innovations in annual giving
  • Provide leadership to the advancement team for evolving fundraising innovations