The Assistant Executive Director is responsible for using best-practice methodologies for annual giving programs with an emphasis on traditional and digital mediums. The position assists with the overall planning, integrated strategy, and execution of the comprehensive annual giving program.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Plans and implements the comprehensive annual fund campaign using appeals, donor recognition, and volunteers; manages annual fund calendar and ensures strategies and plan remain on target.
• Collaborates with Executive Director and presents annual plan to Advancement leadership to develop strategic initiative to implement; provides periodic updates and escalates concerns or issues timely.
• Manages and provides analysis on Annual Fund Program and Development reporting to maximize performance; identifies challenges and timely communicates potential solutions to leadership to ensure corrective measures are quickly employed.
• Utilizes data and analyses to employ the appropriate strategic tools that incorporates a variety of tools and tactics (direct mail, digital communications, phonathons, social media campaigns, reunion giving, leadership annual giving, crowdfunding, and other channels).
• Collaborates with the Executive Director to implement a centralized annual giving strategy; manages and employs appropriate marketing and content creation
• Manages the marketing strategy for Annual Giving Program and coordinates the execution of those efforts that may include direct mail campaigns, email campaigns, and crowdfunding to engage and steward donors.
• Enhances and maintains inbound development tools including annual giving webpage and giving forms.
• Strengthens annual giving digital messages through email, social media, crowdfunding, and webpage.
• Creates personalized experiences for annual giving donors from solicitation to stewardship by utilizing digital messaging strategies to improve segmentation.
• Assists in opportunities to develop annual giving donors to major giving donors using donor-centered development strategies.
• Develops stewardship programs that help retain and move donors to higher levels of annual giving.
• Manages assigned prospect portfolio.
• Assists with timely donor recognition and stewardship programs.
• Coordinates, creates and manages key fundraising events/activities (alumni reunion class gifts, giving days direct mail campaigns, athletic fundraising and annual golf tournament).
• Supports efforts of the gift officers for annual fund solicitations; attends regular prospect meetings with development officers with the goal of reaching annual fund metrics.
• Participates in University and community events to represent the University and to build relationships.
• Assists with hiring, training and developing of staff for the Advancement team.
• Works collaboratively to ensure timely submission of meaningful contacts, prospects, and donors, gift/grant agreements, calendaring/completion of required reports, and other stewardship post-gift reports.
• Remains knowledgeable of the issues facing higher education and private religious institutions.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college/university required, Master’s degree or higher preferred.
• 5 years of proven or applicable experience in digital development activities and fundraising. Previous experience using crowdfunding platforms, preferably GiveCampus.
• Must have experience utilizing data and developing informed decisions for giving strategies.
• Must clear and maintain a favorable background investigation and clearance
• Must have valid driver’s license, motor vehicle liability insurance and personal injury insurance; or have a self-reliant source of transportation to conduct business on a daily basis
• Must be able to work some nights, weekends, travel, and attend special events as needed.
• Must have the ability to demonstrate intermediate level skills in MS Office and Office 365 (Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook and PowerPoint) including applicable technology and software programs to support fund-raising efforts (i.e. Raiser’s Edge); Experience with virtual meeting platforms such as zoom; Excel experience (VLOOKUPs, conditional formatting, etc) highly desirable.
• Ability to interface frequently with administrators, faculty, staff, students, donors, trustees and high profile individuals in the community. Must be highly responsive to the needs of others.
• Be competent using computers and technology to support fund-raising efforts.
• Ability to think independently and take initiative to plan and implement effective partnerships and relationships that sustain existing gifts and generate new gifts, including prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Ability to stay informed of activities of the University in order to effectively articulate and incorporate relevant information in an oral and a written case for support.
• Ability to function as a team player in the overall fundraising activities of the University, including working some nights, weekends, occasional travel, and attending special events as necessary.
• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate records and reports, as well as maintain confidentiality of all records and information.
• Ability to communicate and interact in an effective and appropriate manner with diverse populations, the University community, and the public.
• Ability to write error-free correspondence.

Physical Demands: 

• Working conditions are in an office environment and university campus setting. Must be able to move across the university campus to conduct day to day business.
• While performing this role, the employee will be regularly required to sit, walk, and stand; talk and hear, both in person and by telephone; and use hands repetitively to operate standard office equipment; and occasionally required to lift up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Frequently communicates with others using approved technological resources; must be able to exchange accurate information through designated systems within a timely manner.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

St. Mary’s University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Equal Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion and encourages all qualified candidates apply.