Position Purpose 

This position is responsible for continued execution of a premier Family Giving and Engagement program. Leads Dartmouth College development programs for families (parents, grandparents, etc.), including legacy families, of current and former students capable of making leadership gifts in support of Dartmouth College’s institutional priorities. Manages a team of four. Leading by example, the Director will effectively manage a portfolio of prospects and serve as a liaison for development efforts, creating and implementing strategies designed to further loyalty, engagement and financial support of the College. Sets a personal example of frontline fundraising success, carrying a portfolio of high potential prospects.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with eight or more years of fundraising, marketing, or sales experience (or the equivalent), preferably in higher education
• Evidence of successful solicitations at leadership giving level, with gift planning experience preferred
• Strong staff management abilities
• Professional credibility, intellectual depth, maturity, wisdom, and collaborative skills to garner the trust and confidence of the President, academic leaders, senior staff, faculty, Trustees, alumni, volunteers and other key constituents
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; excellent presentation skills; excellent relationship-building skills
• Knowledge of trends in development in the field of philanthropy; context and perspective on benchmarks and performance standards
• Energetic, flexible, adaptable, collaborative and proactive; a leader who can positively and productively impact both strategic and tactical fundraising and development initiatives
• Demonstrated experience in galvanizing volunteers to the highest levels of satisfaction and performance
• Demonstrated analytical and strategic thinking capabilities; innovative
• Team player; Collegial and service-oriented
• Tolerance for ambiguity
• Engaging personality and sense of humor
• Well-refined organizational skills; ability to analyze and synthesize data to inform decision making
• Demonstrated initiative and creative energy
• Entrepreneurial skills
• Negotiation and persuasion abilities
• Experience working with parents in educational setting preferred
• Previous parent volunteer experience preferred

Key Accountabilities

• In close partnership with the Associate Vice President for Development, develops an ambitious strategic and operational fundraising plan to meet short and long-term goals for the Family Giving and Engagement program. Develops and leads Family Giving and Engagement infrastructure and solicitation program to support major gift fund raising from parents, grandparents, and legacy families and develops the strategy for a comprehensive engagement program for families (parents, grandparents, etc.) engagement. Coordinates overall strategy for cultivation and solicitation of Principal and Leadership Giving family prospects, managing leadership and principal gift-level families of current and former students. Promotes maximum involvement with and giving to Dartmouth, including annual, capital and planned gifts, from identified portfolio of prospects. Partners with Gift Planning officers to devise an overall strategy for cultivating, soliciting and stewardship of potential planned gift donors. Ensures stewardship is provided to donors on existing endowment and current-use funds. Provides general oversight for the planning, invitation process and execution of special events on-campus (i.e. Family Weekend and Family Fellows Weekend), off-campus receptions and other programs that involve Principal and Leadership Giving families with high-level institutional representatives. Coordinates strategies and staffing of entire pool of parents and family prospects. Leverages smart use of data to inform decisions and efficiencies. Evaluates existing programs and strategies and using research, data and evaluation tools to propose program changes. Remains current on trends in family giving, strategies and services offered by other non-profits. Performs periodic benchmarking studies of peer institutions to ensure Dartmouth develops and maintains ‘best in class” program. Oversees the Family Giving and Engagement program budget. 25%
• Develops and implements comprehensive cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for approximately 85-100 families. Works both independently and in concert with senior officers, Trustees, other colleagues and volunteers to implement strategies including direct solicitation of gifts. Qualifies identified prospects through individual visits, advises research department of potential new prospects and assumes specific responsibility for prospect activity. Contributes to research and analysis to determine capacity, inclination, and interests of prospect pools. Devises individualized involvement/engagement strategies for all prospects using a “top-down” approach to ensure that highest rated prospects receive the most attention. Schedules appointments and oversees the preparation of necessary materials, including funding proposals, briefings for senior officers and Trustees and scheduled stewardship reports, for all assigned prospects utilizing campus resources. Identifies prospects to participate in specific events, committees, or other programs that promote the cultivation process. Responds quickly and effectively to strategic opportunities for increased prospect engagement. Travels to cultivate and solicit families. 25%
• Oversees staff and works with development colleagues to align institutional priorities with fund-raising plans and targets. Recruits, retains, motivates, coaches and mentors development professionals. Leads staff by example, demonstrating successful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of key donors and serves as a resource to staff on matters of prospect strategy and offers new approaches and techniques. Maintains a leadership style that is open and fluid and empowers staff through active communication and delegation. Creates an environment of respect, accountability, motivation, professional growth and high productivity. Sets the bar high on commitment to excellence and pursuit of high-performance levels across metrics. Sets clearly defined and measurable goals for the team; establishes appropriate metrics to assess individual and team performance; such systems should inspire all staff and engender commitment to reaching personal goals and to raising maximum dollars for the professional schools. Ensures a culture where effective teamwork, collaboration and innovation are expected, recognized and rewarded; leads by example with regard to professionalism, creativity, entrepreneurship, appropriate risk-taking and cross-organizational cooperation and synergistic integration. 30%
• Coordinates with campus partners (Parkhurst, Alumni Relations, etc.) to execute premier Family Giving and Engagement program. Promotes family philanthropy based on a thorough understanding of the student and family experience at Dartmouth through relationships with the Dean of College and other offices on campus. Ensures that the stewardship of these donors makes supporting Dartmouth a personally fulfilling experience, conveys to donors that the institution and its leaders care deeply about its supporters and appreciates what they have done for the College, demonstrating impact of their support. 10%
• Manages volunteer leadership programs to facilitate involvement and solicitation activity. Trains and supports fund raising volunteers, individually and in committees and creates a strong and enduring culture of volunteerism at Dartmouth. Considers approaches to reach out to under-represented prospects, including international constituents, people of color, etc. 10%