Location: Worcester,MA, USA
Assumption University was founded in 1904 as a Catholic, nonprofit, coeducational liberal arts university located in Worcester, Massachusetts on a 185-acre campus. Assumption offers an average class size of eighteen, where students' study under the close mentorship of faculty and staff who are experts in their fields, with over ninety academic programs offered across five colleges. Assumption's twenty-six sports teams compete in the Northeast-10 Conference, with our academic and athletic success resulting in the NCAA Division II President's Award for Academic Excellence. Marked by gritty determination, relentless curiosity, and a lack of entitlement, Assumption graduates are in demand exactly because our understanding of Catholic liberal education knits enduring ideas and professional preparation into a single fabric. Assumption University strives to form graduates known for their critical intelligence, thoughtful citizenship, and compassionate service. Assumption University encourages a student's sense of wonder, discovery, and purpose, forming graduates known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good. Our curricular and co-curricular programs provide students with an education that shapes their souls, forms them intellectually, and prepares them for meaningful careers. Assumption is a diverse community that welcomes different points of view and embraces all who share its mission. Under the leadership of President Greg Weiner, the first Jewish president of a Catholic university, Assumption University recently undertook a strategic plan for the next decade. This bold, ambitious, thoughtful, and strategic document, known as Thrive, is highlighted by the following. In our next decade, Assumption University, will become a premier institution with national reach, not merely a Catholic university, but a particular type of Catholic university-one in diminishing supply but, because it speaks to enduring human needs, persistent demand. As the first year Assumption University's ten-year strategic plan, Thrive, commences, the institution seeks a dynamic and experienced advancement leader with superb interpersonal, strategic, and operational skills and abilities to fill the key position of Director of Annual Giving. BASIC PURPOSE: In support of the mission of the University, the Director for Annual Giving is responsible for the strategy, management, and execution of comprehensive annual giving program that reaches out to all of Assumption University's constituencies, including alumni, parents, students, student athletes, faculty, staff, and friends of the University through a variety of distinct programming including direct mail, digital communications, social media, and personal solicitation. The Director will have responsibility to coordinate University-wide annual giving efforts - primarily the Assumption Fund - toward successful outcomes based on fundraising goals and metrics established annually. The Director will also support expanding the President's Council (PC) Giving Society, which is comprised of donors who give at least $1,500 annually, through the University's annual giving program. This position is responsible for this giving society in terms of cultivation and solicitation of this important group with a focus on membership/revenue and retention of donors. The Director also works with the Office of Alumni and Donor Engagement on the stewardship of PC donors through various forms of print and electronic communication. To secure these important gifts, some type of personal connection is often required. This position coordinates UA fundraising staff on strategies to solicit annual gifts at the PC level. The successful candidate will have a positive, can-do attitude and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. She/he needs to be able to juggle a wide-variety of tasks and projects simultaneously, make decisions independently, as appropriate, and always position Advancement and Assumption in the best way possible. She/he should have a deep understanding of philanthropy and the impact it has on the student experience, and enjoy working with a wide variety of personalities and work styles. ACCOUNTABILITIES: 1. Develops and guides the overall strategy and direction for the Annual Giving program, focusing on shaping a sustainable tradition of annual support from alumni, employees, students, parents, and other supporters of the University 2. Twenty-five percent of the Director's time is spent managing a prospect pool of between 30-50 prospects with annual goals for personal contacts and giving outcomes. Focus is on identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding annual and annual leadership gift prospects and donors capable of making 4-figure to 5-figure gifts. 3. Collaborates with Alumni and Donor Engagement on the common goal of building awareness of, engagement with, and giving to Assumption University through the annual giving program with a focus on the growth of the President's Council Giving Society, particularly through stewardship. 4. Coordinates with appropriate staff, including the Director of Communications & Stewardship, the Manager of Digital Strategy and the Manager of University Advancement Operations, to create all electronic and direct mail campaigns, both in-house and with outside vendors. 5. Assists the Leadership Giving Officer/Athletics and the Department of Athletics in garnering annual support for the University's 26-sport NCAA Division II athletics program. 6.Records fundraising progress via contact reports, cultivation and solicitation updates, correspondence, and other documentation; recording this information in Slate in a timely and effective manner. 7.Communicates with Advancement Services regarding donor record updates and major giving potential within the Annual Giving donor pool as a means of building a leadership annual giving program (defined as gifts of $1,500 or more). 8. Builds and maintains an in-depth knowledge of Assumption, its funding priorities, and giving opportunities in order to articulate a compelling case for support to all constituents. 9. Attends special events representing the Advancement Team as a means of educating and engaging donors. 10. Plan, develop and monitor annual giving budget to support the strategy; ensure maximum cost-benefit ratio is achieved. 11. Collaborates with the Vice President for University Advancement and the Senior Associate Vice President to plan and implement divisional priorities and strategies consistent with the priorities of the University. 12. Responsible for working closely with the Advancement research team to identify additional leadership annual gift prospects based on wealth screenings to ensure a healthy pipeline for the University. QUALIFICATIONS: