What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Director of Annual Fund and Athletic Development position at Coe College?
Assistant Director of Annual Fund and Athletic Development
Coe College seeks qualified candidates for the position of Assistant Director of Annual Fund and Athletic Development. This is a role and title shared by two development officers within the Annual Fund team. Each Assistant Director will share and divide responsibilities for Athletics fundraising and Annual Fund appeals, ensuring strategic alignment and donor engagement across both areas. This structure allows for balanced workload distribution and ensures that both annual giving and athletic fundraising receive the dedicated attention needed to grow donor participation and financial support. The Assistant Director will also serve as the first point of contact for the Annual Fund, assisting faculty and staff, students, parents, alumni, and donors, while overseeing project management for the Annual Fund team and student workers.
Work Schedule: Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30 with occasional evenings/weekends for special donor cultivation and events (e.g. Homecoming, Day of Giving, Athletic Day of Giving, Athletic Alumni events), 12 months
Essential Job Responsibilities:
Athletics Fundraising & Engagement (50%)
- Develop and execute fundraising strategies for athletic teams, athletics-focused crowdfunding projects, and sponsorships, engaging alumni, parents, and community supporters.
- The two Assistant Directors of Annual Fund and Athletics will each take primary responsibility for one key athletic fundraising event (Athletic Day of Giving and Coe Golf Outing), ensuring effective planning and execution.
- Assist in coordinating and growing corporate sponsorship opportunities through Coe’s Athletic Sponsorship Prospectus and Kohawk Club initiatives.
- Serve as a fundraising liaison for coaches and athletic staff, providing comprehensive support for team-specific fundraising initiatives to ensure effective execution and compliance with institutional policies. Responsibilities include Crowdfunding Campaigns and Sport-Specific Fundraising.
- Fundraising Compliance: Ensure that all athletic fundraising initiatives adhere to institutional policies, NCAA regulations, IRS guidelines, and applicable fundraising laws.
- Manage and oversee the ThankView platform for athletic engagement. This includes training and supporting coaches on the platform and developing personalized video messages to enhance engagement around athletic events and fundraising initiatives.
Annual Fund Appeals & Donor Engagement (50%)
- The two Assistant Directors of Annual Fund and Athletics will each take primary responsibility for one key Annual Fund appeal (Calendar and Fiscal Year-End Appeals), ensuring effective planning and execution.
- Develop and refine the monthly and recurring giving program to increase donor participation annually.
- Oversee student workers and participate in a student work-study supervisor committee that collaborates to grow professional development opportunities for student workers.
- Lead strategy and execution for the Senior Class Gift campaign, including supporting the Senior Class Gift Committee gift presentation portion of the Senior Celebration in collaboration with the Alumni Office.
- Submit data requests for annual giving solicitations, donor research, and events.
- Help embed metrics into donor outreach and use data-driven insights to optimize fundraising strategy and benchmark success.
- Track annual giving expenses and assist in managing the Annual Fund budget.
- Provide support for alumni programs, including Homecoming, 1851 Society, Commencement, and donor recognition events.
- Manage and oversee the ThankView platform for Annual Fund engagement. This includes creating and executing personalized video messages to thank donors, engage society donors, and steward alumni through event invitations, career updates, and Coe College news. Ensure effective and strategic use of the platform to enhance donor relations and strengthen connections within the Coe community.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- 1-2 years of administrative experience; experience in supporting higher education and/or development; experience in non-profit preferred. Enthusiasm for athletics and an understanding of the role athletics play in donor engagement and alumni relations are strongly preferred.
- Must be currently authorized to work in the United States as visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States as we are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
- Successful completion of a background check in accordance with Coe College policy.
Knowledge, Skills and Competencies:
Position Specific:
- Ability to embrace and adapt to the challenging and changing best practices of fundraising.
- Excellent verbal and communication skills.
- Ability to assess development trends in higher education to create and implement new annual fund and athletics appeals. Collaborates with Marketing to enhance campaigns but leads execution and strategy.
- Ability to use website design platforms to create and manage emails, events and pages.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively in a timely manner.
- Strong attention to detail and thorough completion of tasks.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel. Database experience preferred.
Coe Competencies:
- Dedication to the educational mission of a private, residential liberal arts college.
- Ability to build and maintain positive relationships in a collaborative team environment, working effectively with colleagues, students, alumni, and donors.
- Commitment to excellent customer and/or student service.
- Demonstrated ethical and responsible decision making.
- Consistent attendance and accountability necessary to meet position objectives.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:
- Typical office setting.
- After 120 days, a hybrid work schedule allows for up to 8 hours of remote work per week while classes are in session.
- Additional flexibility, including extended remote hours, may be available during summer based on workload and departmental needs.
- When work hours extend beyond the normal schedule for events, including evenings and weekends, employees will coordinate with their supervisor to adjust their schedule and offset time as appropriate.
- Light and infrequent (up to 15 lbs.) lift/push/pull requirements.
Coe College is an equal opportunity employer.
