This is a tremendous opportunity for a creative, motivated, people-focused professional that will help drive our program towards success!

The Associate Director for Leadership Annual Giving has responsibility for discovering, qualifying, cultivating, and soliciting leadership annual giving donors, particularly UVM parents, as well as building the pipeline of major gift donors. The position reports to the Executive Director of Annual Giving of the UVM Foundation and will focus on soliciting gifts that benefit the entire University of Vermont.

Please review the complete description of this opportunity and send us your materials so we can begin getting to know you.

Essential Functions

• Cultivate and solicit leadership annual giving donors ($2,500+). This includes personal solicitations and executing fundraising strategies for broad and targeted solicitations, with a focus on retention and growth of leadership annual giving donors (40%)
• Build and grow a program to move UVM parent donors into the leadership and major gift pipeline through discovery visits, unique and personalized mail and digital strategies, and solicitation of gifts and pledges (40%)
• Collaborate with the Annual Giving team and key Foundation units on strategy and implementation of fundraising and engagement projects to maximize support from key donors. This includes texting, direct mail, digital fundraising, crowdfunding, and stewardship activities. Additionally, serve as a leader within the Annual Giving team by mentoring colleagues, serving as the project manager on key projects, and developing long-range plans and strategies (15%)
• Other duties as assigned (5%)

Specific standards of performance will be captured as metrics in an annual business plan.

Desired Skills & Abilities

• Team-oriented style and a deep desire to collaborate with others.
• Exceptional people skills with the ability to be insightful, responsive, creative and engaging.
• Demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, combined with the ability to meaningfully apply those principles to strategy development and implementation.
• Be able to work independently and be self-motivated in initiating contacts with donors and potential donors; maintain relationships in person and long distance.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, including a high level of attention to detail and active listening skills.
• Fundraising experience, preferably within higher education, with strong skills in both one-to-one cultivation and solicitation and fundraising marketing.
• Travel on a frequent basis and are willing to work evenings and weekends when needed

Minimum Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree and previous experience with personal solicitation and marketing, preferably within an academic or non-profit environment.

Preferred Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of successful professional fundraising. Preference for demonstrated leadership experience, a track record of one-to-one fundraising, and strong writing skills.

The UVM Foundation is committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities.

Inquiries and nominations may be directed to:

Kevin Morgenstein Fuerst
Executive Director of Annual Giving
UVM Foundation
411 Main Street
Burlington, VT 05401
[email protected]