Senior Associate Director, Leadership Annual Giving - West Coast

Department: Alumni Relations & Development
Salary/Grade: EXS/11

Location: San Francisco

Job Summary:

High-level officer with responsibility for yielding high-impact results through the design, implementation and management of innovative programs & events to identify, engage/cultivate, solicit, and/or steward prospective donors. Builds and adapts programs to a point of sustainability. Monitors and reports on team activity and progress to goals, initiates and manages change as needed. Participates in one-to-one relationship management strategy development and execution with high-profile/high potential volunteers and donors.  Interfaces with campus leadership to develop philanthropic and fundraising strategies and prepares them for prospect meetings and solicitations.   Serves as liaison to both University and Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA). May supervise groups of volunteers and/or staff.

As part of the central annual giving team within Alumni Relations and Development (ARD), and in collaboration with the team director, the Sr. Associate Director, Leadership Annual Giving strategizes, plans, and executes a robust individual solicitation plan for annual donors who give at the leadership giving level. This position will report to the Director of Leadership Annual Giving in Evanston IL. Incumbent will seamlessly utilize best practices in personal outreach, individual solicitation, peer-to-peer engagement, leveraging membership in a leadership giving society, board management, and donor pipeline building, including: 

  • conducting 1-4 personalized touchpoints a year each among 250+ assigned donor prospects, prioritizing one-on-one solicitations at the $10,000-$25,000 annual levels, including asks for renewals, upgrades, and reactivations
  • strengthening the donor pipeline by renewing and upgrading donors’ annual gifts while qualifying and referring donor prospects for major gift and planned giving programs
  • managing strategy for two boards of 50-100 high-level volunteers (alumni, parents, and friends) with the purpose of inspiring philanthropy through program engagement, peer-to-peer engagement through events and leadership annual giving-level solicitations
  • overseeing regional Board demographic makeup to ensure a mix of University affiliation, industry expertise, and points of view, keeping team leaders regularly informed
  • building cyclical plan with team leaders to recruit and retire Board members
  • The position is an integral member of the central individual giving team in support of achieving annual fundraising targets for schools and programs and a collaborator with the broader ARD team in support of building the donor pipeline. 

Travel is required. Availability for evening and weekend events is required.

 

Specific Responsibilities:

 

Strategic Planning

  • High-level responsibility for envisioning, developing and implementing strategic plans relating to specific market segments, programs, events, support teams or high level donors to meet goals for engagement, dollars and donors. 
  • Reviews plans, meets with leadership, key faculty, and staff, and recommends changes or improvements to dramatically increase engagement & participation & meet organizational and donor needs and objectives. 
  • Shares strategic responsibility with regional/ market/ school based managers. 
  • Works with/guides volunteer leadership in setting and implementing strategies for volunteer cohorts. 
  • Maintains awareness of University and department organizational goals and activities of other departments.

Collaboration

  • Involves high level of collaboration with both internal department and broader University partners to identify common goals & develop & execute strategies to increase integration. 
  • Please bullet examples of key partnerships and work involved below:

Prospects & Gifts

  • Researches & develops prospects including up-to-date knowledge on assigned groups & works with other areas of development to coordinate contacts. 
  • Develops & implements overall communication plan to meet engagement and/or participation goals for broader segments within Northwestern community, including alumni, friends, parents, & faculty/staff. 
  • Plays a significant role in individual relationship management of volunteers and donors. 
  • Identifies prospects.
  • Develops and implements individual engagement plans.
  • Creates programs &/or events that promote engagement & philanthropic opportunities.
  • Personally solicits gifts.
  •  Plans and/or executes individual stewardship for gifts.

Volunteers

  • Ensures the development of multiple & unique opportunities for alumni to volunteer to increase & grow alumni volunteerism. 
  • Works with higher-level volunteers to determine goals, identify, recruit, and coach groups of volunteers, plan and coordinate meetings, determine strategies, and report on progress in order to create and facilitate an overall culture of actively engaged volunteers. 
  • Develops & implements a variety of leadership training opportunities both in-person & virtually designed to meet the needs of entry level to advanced alumni leaders in locations around the world. 
  • Requires extensive travel throughout the region or country. 

Events

  • Leads the development of a broad variety of complex engagement & participation programs &/or events that expand constituent philanthropic opportunities across the globe. 
  • Identifies target audience(s).
  • Develops innovative programming & associated web- & print-based marketing campaigns.
  • Recruits & manages volunteers.
  • Creates event plans & summaries.

Administration

  • Manages activities related to high-level prospects, programs &/or events, membership solicitations & renewals.
  • Develops & implements processes &/or procedures.
  • Engages and reviews vendors and contracts.
  • Designs and manages volunteer programs and activities. 
  • Conducts associated ongoing data analysis to determine trends, results & future plans.
  • Reports to senior management and key collaborators.
  • Provides necessary documentation and follow-up to donors & internal contacts. 
  • Optimizes the use of technology including social media for marketing, communications & data reporting & analysis. 
  • Assists in the development of dashboards & metrics which provide quantitative analysis of program & event outcomes.   

Budget

  • Drafts budget(s) for larger more-complex programs &/or, reviews with manager.
  • Manages approved budget ensuring to minimize expenses while maximizing return. 
  • Drafts special budget requests for manager's review.

Supervisory

  • Supervises 1-2 staff &/or provides work direction.
  • Provides training to staff within or outside of immediate dept or division in regard to function.

 

Target hiring range for this position will be between $110,000-$116,000 per year.  Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data

 

Miscellaneous 

Performs other duties as assigned.

 

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

  • Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience. 
  • 6 years development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required.

 

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

  • Team leadership; curiosity and analytical thinking, global/organizational perspective; complex problem solving; ability to work in fast-paced environment

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern’s non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

Questions?

For consideration, current employees must submit an online application. For specific questions about this position, current employees may contact Gina Santucci at gina.santucci@northwestern.edu. External candidates should be directed to apply via Northwestern’s career site at careers.northwestern.edu

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