Basic Function and Responsibility: 

Qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward leadership prospects and donors at the $1,000 level and higher. Identify and encourage increased philanthropic support for the College with a specific focus on the Leadership Giving Society levels. Cultivate relationships with Denison alumni, parents, and friends to increase the number of donors who give annually to the Denison Annual Fund at the $1,000+ level.

Essential Job Functions: 

Qualification and Solicitation of Leadership Gifts: 80%

• Develop and implement solicitation strategies for the annual solicitation of donors and prospective donors of $1,000 or more, with an emphasis on securing unrestricted support for the Denison Annual Fund. Solicitation activities are primarily focused on personal and/or virtual visits. At the end of the tax and fiscal year, make phone solicitations to those unable to be personally reached, or as reminder calls for donors.
• Conduct feasibility of prospective donors comprised of alumni, parents, friends, faculty and staff, to determine annual travel schedule and establish goals to be met for the: 1) number of in-person visits 2) number of in-person solicitations 3) number of recommendations of prospects to the major gifts program based on an annual review and analysis of the potential donor pool. And 4) generating additional donors making gifts of $1,000 or more to the Denison Annual Fund.
• Document all personal visits and appropriate phone and email contacts in the database. Ensure all next steps, pledges and recommended actions are recorded and follow-up on appropriately.

Leadership Giving Pool Management and Divisional Collaboration: 20%

• Identify, with the assistance of the Associate Director of Prospect Development, Denison alumni, parents and friends who have the capacity to become leadership donors to the Denison Annual Fund and ensure they are coded appropriately in Raiser’s Edge NXT.
• At the close of the fiscal year, conduct an Annual Review process which includes identification of prospects to be tracked at the annual fund level, and the coordination with the Major Gifts Program officers to determine the Annual Fund solicitation plan for each tracked prospect in the upcoming fiscal year and ensure entry into Raiser’s Edge NXT takes place.
• Identify $1,000+ Annual Fund LYBUNTS and $1,000+ open Annual Fund pledges to ensure personal follow-up and renewal of these donors by gift officers, Annual Fund colleagues and other program areas.
• Throughout the year perform a range of data monitoring for annual fund solicitations to inform and improve the solicitation process, including: review of open pledges and pledge schedules for those in annual fund solicitation pool; monitoring of overlapping Campaign/Major Gift solicitations planned for those in annual fund solicitation pool; ongoing data integrity tests to identify and resolve entry errors; and preparation of monthly reports for the leadership of Annual Fund on solicitation status. Document processes as needed.
• Participate in periodic donor strategy reviews, divisional planning meetings and briefing sessions in order to raise substantial funds to support the Denison Annual Fund.
• Assist with the expansion of volunteer programs by identifying and recruiting new volunteers to meet division needs and priorities. Oversee the Parent 2 Parent leadership outreach program in collaboration with the Major Gift Officer for Parent and Family Philanthropy.

Other duties & expectations include:

• Participate in professional development activities to stay current with trends in the field.
• Attend and staff events including Big Red Weekend, Commencement, Reunion Weekend, Volunteer Summit Weekend, and other events as deemed appropriate by Advancement leadership.
• Collaborate with other campus offices to meet Denison’s fundraising objectives.
• Participate as an active member of the University community by attending regular campus meetings and events and perform other duties as assigned.

Supervision Received: Reports to the Director of the Annual Fund

Qualifications: 

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree with three or more years of previous fundraising/alumni relations experience in a university setting or the equivalent level of responsibility and achievement in the sales or marketing field.
• Outstanding initiative, excellent organizational, interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills.
• Proficiency in applications including MS Word and Excel.
• Successful candidate must demonstrate enthusiasm for a collaborative work environment.
• Ability to handle confidential material with the utmost discretion
• Extensive travel. Willingness to work evenings and weekends; travel up-to 75% of the time.
• Strong Excel skills including filtering, formulas, pivot tables are required.

Preferred:

• Demonstrated experience in personally soliciting gifts. Appreciation for the transformative educational experience offered within the private liberal arts.
• Fundraising experience in a university setting.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of development and fundraising with an understanding of individual giving programs, such as direct mail, phone-a-thon and personal solicitation programs is preferred.
• Experience in initiating and securing a high volume of development visits preferred.
• Knowledge of modern data management practices and techniques, including models of analysis that lead to effective decision making.
• Experience using Raiser’s Edge NXT.