Reporting to the AVP of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy, The Director of Leadership Alumni Engagement is responsible for the identification and personal solicitations of upper level annual giving ($1,000+), with special attention to building Seton Hall University’s Bayley Society, by managing a portfolio. Funds will be raised primarily through face-to-face meetings, which are supplemented with virtual meetings, phone calls, emails, as well as both written and verbal solicitations. Primary audiences for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship will be alumni of the University.

The Director is charged with engaging with and acquiring new donors for the university as well as encouraging current annual donors to increase their giving over time while assessing future major gift capacity. The Director will focus on building a stronger foundation for engagement & philanthropy by helping to create a more robust pipeline of gifts, which can lead to future major gift support.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

The Director will assist the Associate VP of Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy in developing strategy and leading philanthropic and alumni engagement efforts across various sources, paying particular attention to upper-level annual gift donors, the Alumni Board, and regional alumni leaders. The Director will be expected to assist with annual gift appeals, attend alumni engagement events and periodically travel to engage with regional alumni and families. The Director will collaborate with members of the Alumni Engagement & Philanthropy team to strategize on building on our current engagement opportunities and creating new engagement initiatives which will inspire alumni and families to connect, engage and invest with Seton Hall.

The Director will be involved in all aspects of Alumni Engagement, including philanthropy, communication, digital, experiential, leadership giving and volunteer engagement by working collaboratively in a fully integrated engagement team. They will manage the sponsorship giving program, in conjunction with the Director of Leadership Giving and Director of Experiential & Volunteer Engagement, for the annual Many Are One gala. The Director will act as a liaison to both Advancement Services and Development by identifying potential Bayley members and feeding the pipeline of donors to Development in preparation for a comprehensive fundraising campaign.

The Director will manage one and mentor one full-time Associate Director, ensuring the achievement of goals. Additionally, the director will lead and manage the sponsorship program, in conjunction with the Associate Director of Leadership Giving & Engagement and the Director of Experiential & Volunteer Engagement, for the annual Many Are One gala.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree plus at least 3 years experience in philanthropy with higher education experience preferred.
Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle for work-related travel. Strong written skills, using proper English grammar, with the ability to write compelling messages required.

Desired Qualifications:

Prior experience with Raisers Edge or similar relational database used for constituent management highly preferred.

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