About the Position:

Drew University, one of the nation’s leading liberal arts universities located in the New York City suburb of Madison, New Jersey, invites applications for the position of Director of Annual Giving.

The Director of Annual Giving is responsible for the development and management of a comprehensive, strategic, and integrated effort to build Drew’s base of annual donors, with a particular focus on increasing both unrestricted giving to the University and the percentage of alumni of Drew’s College of Liberal Arts who annually make gifts. He or she will coordinate a year-round donor acquisition, cultivation, and retention program that will involve direct mail, e-mail, social media, phon-a-thons, and personal outreach. He or she is also charged with overseeing class agents and reunion volunteers, planning and implementing reunion and affinity group giving programs, and managing a portfolio of leadership annual fund (Drew Society) donors and prospects.

The Director of Annual Giving reports to the Vice President for University Advancement and is a senior member of the Advancement team. He or she will have regular contact with trustees, the President, other senior administrators, faculty, staff, current students, alumni leadership, parent volunteers, and other external constituents.

In conjunction with other key leaders and stakeholders, he or she will build a program based on best practices and utilize a market-informed approach to annual giving.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement the annual giving program from concept to completion, which includes: the creation and dissemination of all appeals, both print and digital; the strategic use of social media in engaging alumni, parents, and friends and encouraging their philanthropic support; oversight of the phon-a-thon; planning and implementing reunion and affinity group giving programs; and the development of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for a portfolio of ~125 high-level annual fund donors and prospects.
• Collaborate with Advancement colleagues to support the identification and engagement of prospective major gift and planned giving donors.
• Provide leadership to the Advancement team related to annual giving strategies, tactics, and plans.
• Perform comprehensive data analysis related to all aspects of the annual giving program, with a view to evaluating current programs and making recommendations for program changes.
• Collaborate with the Communications office to ensure brand attributes and messaging are incorporated into annual giving appeals, marketing, and other materials.
• Supervise and mentor a professional and support staff of five individuals.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Vice President for University Advancement.

Key Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in the advancement field, preferably in a higher education setting, including a strong documented record of gift solicitation and volunteer management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of constituent relations and fundraising for higher education.
• Track record of motivating, developing, and mentoring professional and support staff.
• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive program for annual gifts, establishing goals and objectives that translate into annual operating plans and appropriate staff assignments.
• Experience with strategic and annual planning, project management, and process improvement efforts is essential.
• Analytic and data mining skills are strongly preferred, including an understanding of segmentation and new media marketing.

To enrich education through diversity, Drew University is an AA/EOE.  Please email your cover letter and resume in confidence by clicking below.

About Philanthropy at Drew University:

Drew University’s Office of University Advancement performs three interrelated responsibilities for the University:

• Engage various constituent groups (alumni, parents, faculty, students, corporations and foundations) in the mission and work of the University;
• Promote sustainable relationships between and among the University and the constituent groups; and
• Secure their support, philanthropic and otherwise, for Drew’s various needs and priorities.

There are currently 25 staff members in the Advancement office, led Dr. Kenneth Alexo, Jr., who has served at Drew for 15 years, the last three as Vice President for University Advancement. The average tenure of an Advancement staff member level is six years. The annual budget for the Advancement office is approximately $3.3 million.

Drew’s $80 million campaign, One and All: The Campaign for Drew, is expected to close in June of 2016.  The campaign has funded scholarships, internships, endowment, and capital improvements to Drew’s University Center (now named the Ehinger Center) and its main science facility. The campaign has received eleven seven-figure gifts.

Overall philanthropic commitments in 2015 exceeded $12.5 million, with $2.1 million in annual fund (directly budget-relieving) gifts. The undergraduate alumni participation rate was 26 percent, placing Drew in the top quartile of its peer and aspirant group of national liberal arts universities.