Annual Gift Director - Higher Ed. jobs in Somerset, NJ

Position Summary
Gill St. Bernard’s invites applications for a full time Director of Annual Giving. This is a 12-month position with an immediate start date. The Director of Annual Giving oversees all facets of the GSB Annual Fund, which currently generates $2M annually all-in, with an aggressive goal to grow the fund over the next five years. The Annual Fund is being re-positioned as an integral part of the overall fundraising program for GSB providing vital support for the school through unrestricted and current expendable annual gifts.

The Director will provide strategic leadership and oversight in managing a multi-channel solicitation program that includes leadership annual giving, reunion class giving, volunteer management, digital fundraising, social media, crowdfunding (day/week of giving; challenges), direct mail and segmented telemarketing to solicit alumni, parents, faculty/staff, and friends.

The Director will focus on managing an annual giving program that includes personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for leadership annual gift prospects and donors with a priority placed on identifying those prospects who can move to the major gift pipeline.

The Director will also manage a portfolio of donors and build and manage a network of leadership, class/grade parent, and reunion class volunteers. The Director will need to develop strategies and to work collaboratively with colleagues in major gifts, alumni relations, parent relations, communications, and advancement services to build the school’s donor base while increasing per capita alumni and parent giving by elevating the profile of the Annual Fund and building momentum as the school moves toward its 125th anniversary in 2025.

Responsibilities

• Enhance and grow an annual giving program with personalized cultivation and solicitation of donors including parents, alumni, faculty/staff, and friends.

• Collaborate with the Director of Advancement to ensure a coordinated and strategic approach to the team's cultivation and solicitation of donors who have potential to enter the major gift pipeline.

• Create strategies to recapture lapsed donors and improve acquisition and retention of annual donors.

• Ensure integration of multi-channel annual giving applications (direct response, phonathon, e-philanthropy).

• Direct short-and long-range planning and implementation for annual giving programs with a multi-tiered strategy that is highly targeted and appropriately personalized.

• Work closely with Development Communications staff to create targeted messaging that increases support for Gill and expands participation in annual giving, with an emphasis on unrestricted gifts.

• Oversee production of appeals, mailings, list segmentation, and email campaigns.

• Ensure that the Annual Fund is well-positioned to adapt and appeal to the habits and philanthropic preferences of college-aged and young alumnae/i. This includes proactively sourcing next generation digital fundraising and payment tools.

• Personally manage a portfolio of leadership annual fund donors and prospects, including face-to-face visits in the process.

• Oversee, plan, and implement an aggressive program to identify, cultivate, solicit, retain, and steward Leadership Society donors ($1000 ). Direct and ensure that accurate, effective, and timely acknowledgement, recognition, and renewal systems are in place. Evaluate effectiveness and report results regularly.

• Recruit, train and support parent volunteers and manage the Volunteer Council, its chair/co-chairs, volunteers, and activities.

• Coordinate the sharing of prospect and donor information with other development colleagues and collaborate to ensure upward movement of prospects through the pipeline for major gifts.

• Design a series of management information reports that demonstrate key leverage points, outcomes, and efficiency.

• Manage compilation and submission of regular reports to the Director of Advancement and Head of School.

• Assist in compiling donor data and lists for the annual report; draft summary information and features for the annual report that highlight results and the impact of philanthropy for the year.

• Manage the donor recognition and stewardship processes, programs, and communications for all annual fund gifts and donors with the assistance of the Manager of Advancement Services.

• Other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required

• A minimum of five years of progressive fundraising experience including demonstrated skill at soliciting and closing leadership gifts, management experience, proven success in an annual giving program, and the ability to develop creative strategies to increase giving and parent and alumnae/i participation rates

• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, creative thinking, eagerness and ability to interact with parents and other friends of the school

• Ability to create and manage annual fundraising plans with goals, objectives, identified deliverables and timelines

• Strong experience with e-philanthropy, including inter alia, social media strategies and crowd-funding techniques

• Superb interpersonal communications skills with colleagues, parents, and alumnae/i; excellent oral and written communication skills

• Volunteer management experience in an independent school or higher education setting

• Proven success managing a portfolio of prospects and cultivating, soliciting, and closing gifts in the $1,000 - $10,000 range

• Proven ability to work both independently and as a team member, prioritizing work and meeting deadlines while managing multiple tasks and maintaining a positive attitude in a demanding, fast-paced environment

• Excellent data analysis and report generation skills

• Demonstrated deep understanding of cultural competency and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion work

• Desire for ongoing professional growth and to join a community of learners of all ages

Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to careers@gsbschool.org, with the subject line Director of Annual Giving.