IA Asst. Director

Summary of Position:

Who We Want

As we build out our Advancement Programs unit, we are seeking a dynamic and strategic leader to develop and execute our crowdfunding strategies, oversee our annual Raise Your Pick Giving Day, and contribute to engagement programs. In this role, you will be responsible for managing and optimizing our crowdfunding campaigns, coordinating giving day programs, and ensuring the successful achievement of our fundraising and engagement goals.

With strong communication skills and robust knowledge of crowdfunding and giving day best practices, you will convey strategic direction to cross-function teams and serve as a resource for campus partners and programs in need of funding. Your attention to detail and enthusiasm for advance planning will help you be successful in this role.

You embody an unending commitment to positively contributing to our team culture; we all commit to making UTEP IA a great place to work. You have tenacious optimism and a goal-oriented, growth mindset, with the ability to remain flexible and develop creative solutions in pursuit of always maintaining forward momentum.

You thrive in a dynamic environment, continually balancing competing priorities. You have the ability to work independently and collaboratively, supporting the success of all colleagues and volunteers, and prioritizing UTEP’s overall goals above personal achievement.

What You’ll Do

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Advancement Communications, you will manage all aspects of crowdfunding (Pick A Project) campaigns and Raise Your Pick Giving Day, including vetting of campaign fundraising priorities, project timelines, Ambassador materials, stewardship, and results reporting. You’ll work with cross-functional teams to ensure campaigns are executed seamlessly, meeting or exceeding fundraising and engagement goals. Additionally, you’ll recruit, train, and manage fundraising volunteers and ambassadors for Pick A Project, Raise Your Pick Giving Day, and other advancement programs. You will also assist with alumni and community engagement activities.

You’ll maintain and oversee the crowdfunding website and manage the Pick A Project program. This includes recruiting and vetting campaign proposals, coordinating project timelines and drop dates, and overseeing the creation of program materials. You will partner with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless execution of crowdfunding campaigns and ensure best practices in crowdfunding, stewardship, gift compliance, and marketing guidelines are followed. You’ll collaborate with the Integrated Marketing and Communications team to create print and digital campaign marketing materials. In some cases, you may partner with development officers to identify seed funding or match/challenge gifts.

As the Pick a Project program manager, you will guide teams through every phase of crowdfunding campaigns, from conception to stewardship. You’ll manage Pick A Project team leads, suggest campaign strategies that align with best practices, set clear expectations, train project Ambassadors, and create Ambassador templates and resources.

With strong project management skills, you’ll lead the planning, execution, and evaluation of Raise Your Pick Giving Day. You will oversee all aspects of Raise Your Pick Giving Day, from strategy development to day-of execution, working closely with campus partners and other units in IA to achieve fundraising and engagement goals. You will lead committee meetings with campus stakeholders and collaborate with the Integrated Marketing and Communications team to seamlessly incorporate strategic communications and marketing with volunteer programs and campus engagement for a successful campaign.

You will coordinate campus partner deadlines and deliverables for campaign preparation in partnership with the development officers, advancement services, and marketing points across campus to ensure a timely launch of Raise Your Pick Giving Day campaign webpages, school/unit communications, and the Giving Day website. In partnership with Integrated Marketing and Communications, you will also manage a suite of campus partner resources and spearhead campaign prep webinars to disseminate Raise Your Pick marketing and brand guidelines, benchmark deadlines, and campaign updates.

You’ll spearhead the Ambassador and Raise Your Pick Giving Day volunteer programs, leading recruitment, training, and volunteer fundraising competitions. You’ll maintain the Ambassador dashboard on the Raise Your Pick Giving Day website, and will create outreach templates, toolkits, and resources for fundraising volunteers.

In collaboration with Advancement Services, you’ll uphold data integrity. You’ll contribute to the tracking of engagement data and reporting of campaign and program results to team leadership and campus partners. Additionally, you’ll be responsible for informing the strategic segmentation of campaign and volunteer outreach lists.

Essential Functions:

Understands division’s role in accomplishing the University’s mission.

Implements directives, operational changes, programs, and policies corresponding to the division or unit.

Performs tasks as assigned using existing procedures, practices, techniques, etc.

Completes standard assignments and responsibilities and makes recommendations for improvement/efficiency, resourcing, etc., as necessary.

Uses existing procedures to solve issues that are strategic in nature.

Coordinates donor and funding efforts, services, events, programs, etc. as assigned.

May assist in the development and implementation of fundraising initiatives.

Impacts own work unit through accuracy and quality of own work.

Ensures operational efficiency and economy of division, department, or unit.

Works within standardized functional procedures and practices to achieve objectives and meet deadlines.

Exchanges information in a clear, concise, and straightforward manner with internal and external partners, stakeholders, donors, alumni, constituents, and friends of the University.

Develops working relationships with various teams, units, campus partners, and external partners.

Knowledge of all Microsoft Office software and able to learn and use institutional software systems.

Complies with all State and University policies.

Other duties may be assigned; specific roles may have additional responsibilities due to the nature of the specific role/division/unit.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Required Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's Degree

and

Experience: Three (3) years of experience in online marketing, fundraising campaigns and training to the statement of duties and responsibilities; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in a non-profit organization and/or higher education fundraising setting

Experience using project management platforms (we use Asana)

Experience managing volunteers

Experience overseeing a crowdfunding program

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Proficiency in Microsoft Office software and ability to learn and use institutional software systems

Proficiency in digital marketing practices, including email campaigns, social media management, and website content development

Key Performance Indicators:

Understanding how you would measure success in a role is critical to understanding if it’s a good fit. At Institutional Advancement, we believe Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) contribute not only to the overall productivity of our division but also to our team engagement. Key performance indicators are just one aspect of how performance is evaluated, complemented by role-based competencies and a demonstrated commitment to positive organizational citizenship.

The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this role:

• Effective Program Strategy and Analytics
  • Ensuring alignment of each year's events/programs with IA goals
  • Develop proactive measures of success for each program/event
  • Event/Program satisfaction and effectiveness scores
  • Timely analytics and review processes
  • On-time completion or project milestones, deliverables, and drop dates
• Campaign Results
  • Number of donors via crowdfunding and RYP Giving Day
  • Crowdfunding percentage raised to goal
  • Number of registered active Ambassadors via crowdfunding and RYP Giving Day
  • Dollars raised by Ambassadors

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must frequently stand and walk. The employee must regularly sit; use hands to feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must lift and move up to 25 pounds.

The noise level for this work environment is usually moderate.

In keeping with its access, excellence and impact mission, The University of Texas at El Paso is committed to an open, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment that honors the talents, respects the differences, and nurtures the growth and development of all. We seek to attract faculty and staff who share our commitment.

The University of Texas at El Paso is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or sexual orientation and gender in employment or the provision of services in accordance with state and federal law. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes an employee’s or prospective employee’s right to be free from sexual harassment under Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972.

For accommodation information for employees and applicants with disabilities, please contact UTEP's Equal Opportunity Office at eoaa@utep.edu.