Director of Annual Giving

Function of Position:
Responsible to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement to develop, execute, and assess effective strategies to enhance constituent engagement and philanthropic support, resulting in growth of annual giving initiatives, including the Annual Fund, Tower Society membership, and annual revenue goals; collaborate with Director of Stewardship & Special Gifts on special initiatives such as crowdfunding appeals and UKnight Day; cultivate leadership Annual Giving donors; serve as a member of the Advancement Planning Team, contributing to the division’s strategic planning and goal fulfillment.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
1) Develop and manage a comprehensive and strategic annual giving program that maximizes philanthropic support and involvement of alumni, parents, and other friends of the College, and meets Institutional Advancement goals.
• Coordinate, execute, and assess direct mail, e-solicitation, and other strategies designed to increase alumni giving and participation.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications and/or outside vendors to create and produce effective collateral materials in support of annual giving initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Advancement Data Manager to effectively leverage constituent data in support of effective donor identification, cultivation, and solicitation.
• Oversee development and coordination of student-supported telemarketing and digital engagement activities.
2) Design and execute strategies to engage targeted annual giving donors through digital and other non-face-to-face channels to sustain and increase annual support and grow membership of the Tower Society.
3) In conjunction with the Director of Stewardship & Special Gifts, co-lead 6-8 crowdfunding appeals (Fund the Fortress) annually, engaging faculty and staff to solicit and develop funding opportunities, engaging the Fund the Fortress committee and Advancement colleagues to support fundraising, and administering the mini-campaigns from start to finish.
4) Collaborate with the Director of Stewardship & Special Gifts, Alumni & Parent Engagement team, and other Advancement colleagues, to develop and execute plans for UKnightDay, the College’s annual day of giving, to motivate and strengthen engagement of alumni, parents, and friends, and build enthusiasm and support for the College.
5) Create leadership level giving strategies for Annual Giving, identifying and managing a portfolio of key donors in order to cultivate, sustain, and steward relationships in support of $1,000+ gifts for the Tower Society, as well as pipeline development for potential major gift transition. Engagement will be primarily digital/virtual, with potential face-to-face visits.
6) Coordinate with major gift officers for annual giving solicitation of assigned donors.
7) Collaborate with the Director of Athletic Development to coordinate donor solicitations and communications.
8) Manage a small team of student workers for solicitation and stewardship support.
9) Ensure all inbound communication is handled professionally and promptly.
10) Manage fiscal budgets relative to annual giving.
11) Administer utilization of various software platforms.
12) Meet goals for key metrics to evaluate performance.

Supervision:
Employee works independently but reports directly to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and is expected to proactively collaborate with colleagues in Marketing & Communication and Development. Employee is expected to demonstrate initiative and pursue completion of all objectives as set by the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, planning and prioritizing their own work and resolving unusual cases in consultation with their supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications:
Requires a bachelor’s degree and two years of related work experience. Preferred qualifications include: experience working with annual giving; dedicated commitment to the importance of philanthropy and the value of a private liberal arts college and its constituency; excellent communication, project management, and organizational skills; high level of energy, initiative, creativity and a “can do” attitude. Skills required include strong written and communication and analytical skills; attention to detail and accuracy; aptitude and experience with computers and technology needed to meet objectives; ability to organize and prioritize multiple work assignments; ability to collaborate with others in a team environment; and an appreciation for the College’s mission. Work is required on nights and weekends as necessary to fulfill position duties. Occasional travel may be required.

Application Procedure:
Send letter of interest, including a statement regarding qualities you offer within the context of the Wartburg College mission, résumé, and contact information for three references electronically to: hr@wartburg.edu. See www.wartburg.edu for further information about the college. Screening begins immediately and continues until position is filled.