Annual Giving Officer

The University of Saint Mary is conveniently located a short 30 minutes’ drive from Parkville, Shawnee, Basehor and Kansas City, Kansas. USM offer all full-time employees Medical, Dental, Vision, University Paid Basic Life & AD&D, Short and Long-Term Disability along with a generous Tuition Remission for the employee, spouse and dependents under the age of 24 years old.

The History Of The University Of Saint Mary

The University of Saint Mary is a Roman Catholic, liberal arts university located in Leavenworth, Kansas, just 25 minutes away from Kansas City. For over 100 years, the University of Saint Mary has helped students find their way to meaningful lives and careers through an education that blends the liberal arts and a focus on critical thinking with the development of key professional skills. USM serves about 1,400 students at its main campus in Leavenworth, its satellite location in Overland Park, as well as online.

The Gift Officer Coordinator plays a key role in advancing the philanthropic mission of the University of Saint Mary by cultivating and stewarding relationships with individual donors, corporate partners, and foundations. This position is 70% focused on fundraising, primarily leadership annual giving and securing sponsorships for events, and 30% dedicated to donor engagement, stewardship, and advancement support.

The ideal candidate is a relationship-builder who thrives in donor-facing roles, enjoys strategic prospecting, and has experience securing philanthropic support. The role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate across departments to enhance fundraising efforts.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising & Donor Engagement (70%)

Leadership Annual Giving (Individual Donors)

• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of leadership annual donors
• Develop personalized outreach strategies to engage donors through calls, emails, letters, in-person meetings, and small group gatherings.
• Manage donor pipelines to ensure consistent engagement and increased giving over time.
• Develop tiered stewardship plans to acknowledge, recognize, and engage donors based on giving level and interests.
• Work closely with the Major Gifts and Planned Giving officer to identify annual donors with potential for increased giving.
  
  

Corporate & Foundation Sponsorships

• Identify, cultivate, and secure sponsorships for fundraising events, programs, and special initiatives.
• Conduct market research to identify corporate giving trends and align sponsorship offerings with potential partners' philanthropic priorities.
• Develop customized sponsorship proposals that clearly articulate benefits and return on investment (ROI) for corporate and foundation supporters.
• Track corporate and foundation relationships to ensure timely follow-up, reporting, and renewal opportunities.
  
  

Advancement Support & Relationship Management (30%)

• Assist in the organization and execution of donor recognition events, small gatherings, and special engagements.
• Support advancement leadership in coordinating high-touch donor communications, impact reports, and stewardship materials.
• Maintain accurate donor records in the CRM database, ensuring timely entry of interactions, gifts, and engagement activities.
• Conduct prospect research to identify new potential donors and sponsors.
• Assist with the development of annual giving appeals, newsletters, and donor correspondence.
• Track and report on fundraising progress, including donor acquisition, retention, and revenue goals.
  
  

Work collaboratively with internal departments (marketing, finance, programs) to align fundraising efforts with organizational priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelor degree required.
• A minimum of two years of related professional experience; preferably in a university setting.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a variety of constituents to achieve Advancement goals.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Effective project management skills.
• Knowledge of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked In.
• Commitment to accuracy and detail.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Effective organizational skills and proven ability to successfully manage and prioritize multiple projects and/or tasks to achieve goals and meet timelines.
• Proficient computer skills experience in MS Word Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, including mail merge capabilities.
• Experience with databases such as Raiser’s Edge preferred.
• Commitment to the Saint Mary mission and its Core Values of Justice, Community, Respect, and Excellence.
• Willingness to travel and work some weekends and evenings.
  
  

To Apply

Submit a cover letter, resume and contact information for at least three current professional references.

Saint Mary is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Questions: email human resources at hr@stmary.edu