Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy, the Director of Annual Giving is a senior role that is responsible for developing and refining a comprehensive campaign a strategy and leading annual giving efforts across direct mail, social media, crowdfunding and digital marketing to reach philanthropic engagement goals on behalf of the entire university. This position provides direction in designing, implementing, and evaluating annual giving initiatives whose purpose is to build a long-term base of support for the University. This critical work includes direct marketing activities to acquire, re-activate, retain, and upgrade annual donors with an emphasis on growing Seton Hall’s donor base, donor retention rate, and dollars raised. This leadership role will be active and collaborative across central and school-based teams to increase alumni engagement and grow Seton Hall’s base of annual donors. The director will lead the annual Giving Day campaign, ensuring cohesive strategy and brand across all philanthropic units at the University.

The Director will be involved in all aspects of Alumni Engagement, including communication, digital, experiential, leadership giving and volunteer engagement by working collaboratively in a fully integrated engagement team. The Director will manage a minimum of two professional staff positions.

Position Accountabilities: 

• Direct the designing, writing and generating of solicitation communications via fundraising appeal direct mail letters, e-solicitations, social media, webpages, crowdfunding and University publications by working collaboratively with the communication and digital engagement team. Enhance an integrated appeal calendar with the Alumni Engagement team, and partners in the Law School and Athletics fundraising units. Create a universitywide crowdfunding program to raise funds for a variety of campus initiatives. Focus on building the donor base by monitoring and tracking day-to-day progress and building the base of annual supporters. Provide diverse opportunities for alumni to make philanthropic investments that are meaningful to the donor and support the institution’s mission and strategic goals. Stay current on annual giving trends and innovations in higher education through reading and professional development activities and incorporate this knowledge into Seton Hall’s plans. In conjunction with Advancement Services, utilize and improve data management, analytics and reporting to optimize the various components of philanthropic programs at Seton Hall University. Helps set aggressive but attainable goals for growing our annual base of donors. Help to retain donors through annual giving stewardship activities. Prioritize campaign fundraising initiatives and themes in annual giving appeals.
• Work collaboratively with University Advancement and campus partners, and as an integrated member of the Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy team. Participate in all aspects of alumni engagement, including philanthropy, communication, digital, experiential, leadership giving and volunteerism. Build mutually beneficial relationships that inspire loyalty and financial support, strengthen the institutions reputation and involve alumni in meaningful activities to advance the institutions mission. Serve as an active liaison to the Alumni Board.
• Focus on identification and activation of new prospective donors; maintain an active schedule of contacts, activities and solicitations with individuals capable of making leadership annual gifts. Generate a new pipeline of donors through solicitations of assigned constituent groups such as schools & colleges, clubs and Seton Hall University programs. Identify and help build a pipeline of donors for both Leadership Annual Giving officers and Development, while also building your own individual prospect list. Manage a small portfolio to meet or exceed annual fundraising goal set by AVP.
• Supervise the positions of Associate Director of Philanthropic Engagement and Secretary. Motivate staff, set aggressive but attainable goals and lead the team to hit fundraising and engagement goals. The Associate Director will be responsible for the digital engagement center, student fundraising, crowdfunding and other mass appeals, with a focus on building the annual giving dollars and donors.

Required Qualifications: 

BA and 3-5 yrs experience in Annual Giving and a successful track record in leadership annual giving and/or major gift fundraising with proven success soliciting leadership Annual Fund gifts.

Applicants are asked to provide name and contact information for 3 professional references.

Seton Hall University is committed to programs of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and the principles of affirmative action.