What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Director for Annual Giving (Class Management, Reunion Management, Prospect Management) position at Wesleyan University?
The Office of Advancement is in the first year of an exciting restructuring that includes the bringing together of a comprehensive Engagement Team, reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Engaged Philanthropy. The annual giving, engagement programs, special events, and advancement communications teams are working together to redefine engaged philanthropy and find opportunities for strategic collaboration.
The Annual Giving effort is vital to the current campaign where we are in the second public year of a $600 million comprehensive fundraising campaign, the largest in school history, and are more than a year ahead of schedule. While raising financial support for key University initiatives, the campaign also aims to broaden Wesleyan’s donor base and build a pipeline of donors for the future. Working with an alumni body of more than 30,000, as well as current and past parents, the Advancement team inspires the Wesleyan community and cultivates support for university initiatives through outreach activities, including development/ fundraising, alumni & parent relations, and both on and off-campus events. Wesleyan’s fundraising dollars have increased consistently over the last ten years. In addition to meeting fundraising goals, the campaign also aims to broaden Wesleyan’s donor base and build a pipeline of donors for the future.
Reporting to the Senior Associate Director for Annual Giving, the Assistant Director is primarily responsible for managing Wesleyan Fund (Annual Fund) fundraising efforts across several alumni classes. This will include coordinating the volunteer efforts of class agents and reunion committees ensuring that these volunteers have the resources needed to effectively solicit classmates for gifts to the Wesleyan Fund.
In addition to class management responsibilities, the Assistant Director will also qualify, cultivate, and solicit a dynamic stream of assigned annual giving prospects throughout the country.
Specific Responsibilities Include
Class Management:
Hybrid work is only considered for residents of MA, VT, NH, ME, CT, RI, or NY. (Relocation assistance to CT is available for those who qualify).
Minimum Qualifications
As a part of your application please upload a cover letter and resume.
Compensation: $50,800-$59,500
Work Location: On Campus
All offers to external applicants are contingent on the candidate’s completion of a pre-employment background check screening to the satisfaction of Wesleyan University.
Wesleyan University, located in Middletown, Connecticut, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, political belief, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or non-position-related criminal record. We welcome applications from women and historically underrepresented minority groups. Inquiries regarding Title IX, Section 504 or any other non-discrimination policies should be directed to Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, Title IX and ADA/504 Coordinator.
Wesleyan University complies with the Clery Act and maintains records of campus crime statistics and security policies. Copies of Wesleyan University’s Clery Act Report are available on request and online at https://www.wesleyan.edu/publicsafety/clery.html.
Experience is taken into consideration in the determination of salary offers. For more information visit https://www.wesleyan.edu/hr/handbook/compensation-practices/index.html
Wesleyan offers a broad range of employee benefits and development opportunities, including comprehensive group insurance plans, wellness programs and incentives, generous paid time off and retirement plans, flexible work schedules, employee and dependent tuition programs for those who qualify.
Detailed information on the benefits of working at Wesleyan is located at: https://wesleyan.edu/hr/careers/prospective-resources.html.
The Annual Giving effort is vital to the current campaign where we are in the second public year of a $600 million comprehensive fundraising campaign, the largest in school history, and are more than a year ahead of schedule. While raising financial support for key University initiatives, the campaign also aims to broaden Wesleyan’s donor base and build a pipeline of donors for the future. Working with an alumni body of more than 30,000, as well as current and past parents, the Advancement team inspires the Wesleyan community and cultivates support for university initiatives through outreach activities, including development/ fundraising, alumni & parent relations, and both on and off-campus events. Wesleyan’s fundraising dollars have increased consistently over the last ten years. In addition to meeting fundraising goals, the campaign also aims to broaden Wesleyan’s donor base and build a pipeline of donors for the future.
Reporting to the Senior Associate Director for Annual Giving, the Assistant Director is primarily responsible for managing Wesleyan Fund (Annual Fund) fundraising efforts across several alumni classes. This will include coordinating the volunteer efforts of class agents and reunion committees ensuring that these volunteers have the resources needed to effectively solicit classmates for gifts to the Wesleyan Fund.
In addition to class management responsibilities, the Assistant Director will also qualify, cultivate, and solicit a dynamic stream of assigned annual giving prospects throughout the country.
Specific Responsibilities Include
Class Management:
- Manage and implement solicitation strategies for assigned reunion and non-reunion classes.
- Coordinate class-specific fundraising efforts to engage and solicit unassigned leadership donors in each class.
- Lead class fundraising volunteers to effectively solicit classmates for participation gifts.
- Identify, recruit, and manage alumni reunion ambassadors.
- Working with the Senior Associate, help develop a solicitation strategy to increase dollars and donors raised in honor of the reunion.
- Coordinate reunion fundraising volunteers to solicit and secure multi-year commitments.
- Partner with colleagues in Advancement to innovate and develop class-level engagement; encouraging attendance at Reunion & Commencement Weekend.
- Develop and cultivate relationships with a stream of annual giving prospects throughout the country.
- Solicit prospects for single- and multi-year commitments, and qualify them for potential as major gift donors, planned gift donors.
- Share relevant news, events, and other engagement touchpoints with prospects.
- Travel to cultivate prospects through in-person meetings.
- Represent Wesleyan in meetings with alumni and parents in one-on-one, group, and event settings, both on and off campus.
- Staff both on and off campus Advancement events as needed.
- Other duties as assigned.
Hybrid work is only considered for residents of MA, VT, NH, ME, CT, RI, or NY. (Relocation assistance to CT is available for those who qualify).
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of two years (professional or student experience) of direct or related experience in facilitating events, programming, fundraising, customer service, marketing and outreach, or other related work or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
- Proven ability to set measurable goals, develop strategies to reach goals, and adhere to timelines.
- Experience in engaging individuals through meetings, phone banking, canvassing, or social media to convey organizational needs and priorities, build relationships, and promote business or work.
- Ability to effectively guide and educate others to accomplish strategic goals, find positive solutions to nuanced challenges, and maintain a calm demeanor.
- Experience working in a team to achieve shared goals, negotiate and build consensus with others.
- Proven ability to engage and interact effectively with diverse
- constituents, build effective relationships and serve as an ambassador.
- Demonstrated commitment to ensuring an equitable, inclusive, and diverse working environment with the ability to work as part of a diverse and collaborative team.
- Ability to work some evenings and weekends, as well as overnight travel.
- At least one year of experience in direct fundraising, especially higher education fundraising.
- Experience soliciting and closing leadership annual gifts.
- Experience communicating with and leading groups of volunteers.
As a part of your application please upload a cover letter and resume.
Compensation: $50,800-$59,500
Work Location: On Campus
All offers to external applicants are contingent on the candidate’s completion of a pre-employment background check screening to the satisfaction of Wesleyan University.
Wesleyan University, located in Middletown, Connecticut, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, political belief, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or non-position-related criminal record. We welcome applications from women and historically underrepresented minority groups. Inquiries regarding Title IX, Section 504 or any other non-discrimination policies should be directed to Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, Title IX and ADA/504 Coordinator.
Wesleyan University complies with the Clery Act and maintains records of campus crime statistics and security policies. Copies of Wesleyan University’s Clery Act Report are available on request and online at https://www.wesleyan.edu/publicsafety/clery.html.
Experience is taken into consideration in the determination of salary offers. For more information visit https://www.wesleyan.edu/hr/handbook/compensation-practices/index.html
Wesleyan offers a broad range of employee benefits and development opportunities, including comprehensive group insurance plans, wellness programs and incentives, generous paid time off and retirement plans, flexible work schedules, employee and dependent tuition programs for those who qualify.
Detailed information on the benefits of working at Wesleyan is located at: https://wesleyan.edu/hr/careers/prospective-resources.html.
Salary : $50,800 - $59,500
