Position Summary

The Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Office of Development (VP&S OOD), a part of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), is dedicated to facilitating relationships that support the vision and mission of CUIMC and VP&S: to transform health by driving discovery, advancing care, and educating leaders.

The Associate Director of Annual Giving will serve as an integral member of the OOD Annual Giving team. Reporting to the Executive Director of Development, Annual Giving, the Associate Director will help design and implement strategies to strengthen philanthropic support from alumni, donors, and friends of VP&S.

The Associate Director will plan and execute Annual Giving direct appeals for VP&S Alumni, including mail and e-solicitations. They will also help build the Leadership Annual Giving program, focusing on unassigned donors with giving capacity between $10,000 and $100,000. The Associate Director will play a critical role in building a robust donor pipeline and facilitating the transition of qualified donors to major gift portfolios. This work will include personalized outreach, thoughtful stewardship, and the development of innovative strategies to inspire giving.

In addition, the Associate Director will manage the Your Columbia Peer-to-Peer fundraising program. Working closely with the Executive Director, Major Gift Officers, and key volunteers, the Associate Director will promote the program, assist donors in creating and managing fundraising pages, and support efforts to increase engagement and participation. Together with the Executive Director, the Associate Director will develop strategies to strengthen awareness of the program and ensure its continued growth and success.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic and collaborative professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment, demonstrates exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, and is deeply committed to advancing the mission of VP&S and Columbia University.

Responsibilities

• Manage the VP&S Alumni Annual giving programs including direct mail and e-solicitations. Increase focus on retention and upgrade strategies. – 25%
• Manage the Leadership Annual Giving program, including engagement of unassigned Annual Giving level donors. Develop annual revenue and retention targets. – 25%
• Serve as the primary staff member for the Your Columbia Peer-to-Peer fundraising platform/initiative. – 25%
• Analyze data, monitor progress toward goals, and recommend opportunities for growth and refinement of annual giving initiatives. – 10%
• Develop and edit appeal letters and other marketing materials as needed. – 5%
• Prepare and manage program budgets. – 5%
• Other duties and special projects as assigned. – 5%

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in education and experience, plus three years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in Annual Giving and /or frontline fundraising.
• Experience in Peer-to-Peer fundraising experience.
• Experience with Salesforce CRM.

Other Requirements

• Ability to organize and manage projects, as well as take initiative and work independently and as part of a team.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.
• Strong writing and analytical skills with experience maintaining data and information in a fundraising database, such as Salesforce.
• Capability to use data and metrics to analyze programs and make informed decisions.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills are required.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills necessary.
• Experience with Peer-to-Peer fundraising software and Salesforce Marketing Cloud is desirable.
• This position requires work beyond regular hours, including evenings and weekends, as projects and events require.
• Cover letter required.