Leveraging the success of the “Great University Campaign,” the largest and most successful in USM’s history, the University of Southern Maine Foundation is now seeking an experienced Director of Annual Giving to help set the stage for our next ambitious chapter. The successful director will be expected to strengthen the annual giving program to increase the number of donors, their level of giving, and their continued support of the University and its philanthropic priorities.

The ideal candidate is an energetic, organized, and creative professional prepared to lead an established annual giving program to the next level. Through collaboration with colleagues at the USM Foundation and across USM, they will lead a strategic, data-driven approach to donor acquisition, retention, and upgrading, with the goal of creating a strong pipeline for future philanthropic support using communications, events, and volunteer experiences.

About USM Foundation: The mission of the USM Foundation is to serve as a catalyst for transformation at the University of Southern Maine. The Foundation is pursuing new and innovative ways to strengthen scholarship programs, raise capital and achieve ambitious goals, as we help to fuel transformation at the University of Southern Maine. The Foundation employs an experienced and resourceful team dedicated to supporting the success of the University and its students. The Foundation is an independent, nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization governed by a Board of Directors, which has full responsibility for the Foundation’s strategic direction and advancement efforts.

Our Culture: Our culture is grounded in our mission and in the values we live every day. We approach our work with focus, drive, and flexibility—and we know that bringing energy and humor to the process makes us stronger as a team. We respect one another, take pride in our work, and don’t lose sight of the fact that enjoying the journey helps us achieve even greater results.

Benefits: The Foundation provides a very robust benefits package, and we expect people to utilize them. Benefits include four weeks of paid vacation, thirteen paid holidays, paid parental leave, 401(K) retirement plan match, and profit sharing. Health benefits include extremely generous medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans. We encourage and support ongoing professional development.

Position:           Director of Annual Giving

Reports to:       Senior Director Engagement, USM Foundation

Salary Range:    $65,000 to $70,000 depending on experience

Summary:  The Director of Annual Giving at the USM Foundation is entrusted to develop and implement an annual giving strategy that leads to greater financial support for the University. The director provides strategic direction and collaborates to implement programs, initiatives, and communications aimed at increasing donor participation, upgrading giving levels, and building a sustainable pipeline for future major gifts. The director works closely with other members of the Engagement, Development and Communication Teams to coordinate print and electronic communications, experiences, and volunteer opportunities to deepen relationships our annual fund donors have with USM for increased and sustained annual giving.

Key Responsibilities

Manage the Annual Giving Program – (80%)

• Create and implement a written plan for the Foundation’s annual giving program that is focused on retention, acquisition, and upgrading donors; coordinated with the Communications, Development, and Advancement Operations (i.e. data) Teams to create a sophisticated, data-driven segmentation plan for solicitations that integrates resource management and ROI.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit annual gifts from prospective donors, aiming to increase the number of President’s Circle members and grow their support of annual giving.
• Oversee and coordinate a portfolio of current and prospective annual fund donors; deploy members of the Engagement Team and interns for meaningful and strategic donor engagement, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Manage a personal portfolio of prospects and solicit gifts up to $25,000.
• Manage a calendar of annual solicitations across multiple channels, including USPS mailings, email campaigns, social media, peer-to-peer appeals, and online giving platforms.
• Utilize the donor database to prepare data for mail merges and solicitation lists; mine and analyze data to identify prospects; manage an assigned portfolio of annual giving donors and prospects; and ensure accurate, timely documentation of donor interactions and engagement with annual giving efforts.
• Monitor and report on fundraising progress, using data analytics and metrics to assess trends, refine strategies, and enhance future efforts; provide regular updates to leadership and team members.
• Collaborate with, teach, and inspire USM departments and programs to participate in social fundraising efforts around USMF-lead appeals include Giving Tuesday, as well as department-led initiatives (i.e. WMPG Begathon, OSOM / Theater role sponsorships, etc); build and deploy online platforms that empower faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and students to fundraise for priorities.
• Perform other duties as required.

Liaison Relationships, Administrative and Internal Service – (20%)

• Serve as a liaison with designated USM departments, programs, colleges or schools to create plans and facilitate fundraising, as well as alumni and community engagement in support of their fundraising and volunteer priorities.
• Manage and track annual giving expenditures, including working with external vendors to best benefit the Foundation.
• Learn and deploy third party technology platforms, including but not limited to Asana, GiveCampus, Constant Contact, and serve as point of contact for internal users; ensure data best practices.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Education/Experience:  

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of four or more years of relevant development and/or advancement experience.
• Experience with donor communications, solicitation strategies, and campaign management.

Knowledge, Skills, and Other Abilities:

• Creative leader who enjoys using data to drive decision-making and collaborating with colleagues.
• Experience with data segmentation and analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple projects, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work evenings/weekends as needed for events.
• Professional demeanor and ability to represent the Foundation and University.
• Proficiency with CMS and Microsoft Office applications.
• High standard of integrity with confidential information.
• Valid Driver’s License required.
• USM alumni preferred, but not required.

The University of Southern Maine Foundation is an EEO/AA employer and is committed to nondiscrimination.  Appropriate background screening will be conducted for the successful candidate.

Interested candidates should send their resume, cover letter, and three professional references to [email protected]. Please submit materials by Monday, October 6, 2025  for priority consideration.