The Assistant Director of the Oxy Fund, Leadership Giving, will report to the Director of the Oxy Fund and work closely with the entire Frontline Fundraising team (annual giving, major giving and planned giving). In addition to routine annual giving responsibilities, this external-facing fundraising position is responsible for soliciting leadership-level gifts ($1,000 – $100,000) for the Oxy Fund. This driven, goal-oriented individual will concentrate their efforts on the acquisition, renewal and increase of leadership-level gifts, thus growing financial support of Occidental year-over-year and strengthening the base of future major donors.

This position will manage a young alumni fundraising strategy with the goal of driving participation and creating life-long engagement. The Assistant Director will serve as the point person for all strategic elements of GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) giving, including young alumni fundraising events, solicitations, stewardship, and the management of the GOLD Alumni Committee.

Job Duties: 

Leadership Giving (50%)

• Actively qualify a pool of regionally-based, rated prospects, with an emphasis on securing unrestricted support for the College at or above the leadership level ($1,000).
• Complete at least 10-12 substantive face-to-face (may be virtual) contacts per month, with the purpose of qualifying prospects for the Oxy Fund, Planned Giving, Major Gifts, and current and future Campaigns.
• Identify new prospects and solicit gifts for the Oxy Fund to build a pipeline of major donors.
• Document all personal visits, phone calls, and email contact reports in the database. Ensure all next steps, pledges and recommended actions are recorded and followed up on appropriately.
• Track and measure progress based on established goals and report on Leadership Gift Officer metrics throughout the fiscal year.

Young Alumni Program Management (35%)

• Develop and execute a GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) engagement strategy that encourages young alumni to support Occidental College. This strategy will have a special focus on boosting giving participation through a number of channels including recurring gifts, multi-year pledges, and stewardship via the McMenamin Society, as well as the following programmatic elements:
  • Manage a portfolio of young alumni who have been identified as having giving potential. Conduct discovery and cultivation visits to determine the best strategy to deepen their relationships with Oxy. Educate prospects about philanthropy and the importance of staying involved with the Oxy community as alumni.
  • Lead the 5- and 10-year reunion campaigns, including the recruitment and management of the giving and planning committees, creation of class giving goals (both dollar and participation goals), and the building of attendance and overall enthusiasm for Alumni Reunion Weekend.
  • Serve as the liaison to the GOLD Committee. Support the GOLD Co-chairs, GOLD committee members, and all committee needs. Facilitate committee meetings, peer- to-peer outreach, and advise GOLD members with respect to their roles as volunteer leaders.
  • Manage GOLD giving for the Day For Oxy, including soliciting challenge gifts, recruiting peer-to-peer advocates, and driving overall GOLD giving in support of this campaign.
  • Draft and execute GOLD appeals, utilizing all channels including print, email, phone and social media. Partner with Marketing and Communications to maximize use of all social media platforms and increase visibility of Oxy philanthropy.
  • In partnership with Alumni and Parent Engagement staff, organize GOLD events that are accessible and compelling for a younger cohort.

Volunteer and Affinity Fundraising (10%)

• Manage special fundraising initiatives as assigned, which may include efforts driven by affinity groups, class years, and other alumni cohorts.

Additional duties as assigned (5%)

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• Two or more years of experience in development.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends; travel up to 75% of the time.
• Facility for fundraising databases and evidence of an ability to master these resources.
• Demonstrated flexibility, versatility, and ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong sense of and commitment to professional ethics and confidentiality standards.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as evidenced by cultivating an understanding of specific experiences of historically marginalized racial groups in the U.S., particularly Black, Indigenous, Latinx and LGBTQIA+ groups
• Professional demeanor, comfort, and ability to collaborate with diverse constituencies, including alumni, parents, administrators, faculty members, and Institutional Advancement colleagues.
• Organized and self-starting with outstanding interpersonal, written, oral, and analytical skills; the ability to handle multiple deadlines and time manage; and a willingness to learn quickly and work independently
• A commitment to the mission of the liberal arts college.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience working in higher education development.
• Experience initiating and securing a high volume of development visits and personally soliciting gifts.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of development and fundraising with an understanding of individual giving programs, such as direct mail, phone-a-thons and personal solicitation programs.

Expected Hiring Range: $64,480 – $65,400

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth.  We also offer a generous compensation and benefits package.