Assistant Director of Development, LAG & Discovery

About the role

The Assistant Director of Development is responsible for discovering, soliciting, and qualifying alumni, parents, and friends who have the capacity to support Syracuse University with a minimum $2,500 leadership annual gift.

Responsibilities

• Qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward a portfolio of approximately 150 leadership annual giving donors in the Mid-Atlantic and Central New York regions, for new gifts, renewals, and upgrades using a variety of techniques such as phone calls, emails, correspondence, and face-to-face visits, including both in-person and virtual.
• Ultimately, increase the number of donors giving a minimum gift of $2,500 to The Hill Society (the University’s leadership annual giving society).
• Evaluate ability and inclination of prospects to make a major or planned gift in order to regularly refer donors to other gift officers for movement along the pipeline of giving.
• Collaborate with colleagues/units across the division (annual and leadership annual giving, schools/colleges/units, regional programs, gift planning, family giving, alumni engagement, career services) to develop and implement strategies to maximize fundraising effectiveness.
• Conduct approximately 100 discovery visits in the Mid-Atlantic and Central New York regions, strategically to evaluate inclination, capacity, and affinity to grow portfolio and the pipeline for new donors at the Leadership Annual Giving level.
• Document outcomes of qualifications, making sure next steps are identified.
• Work independently to analyze data, prioritize outreach efforts, and make a set number of qualification contacts, visits and solicitations.
• Support the growth and engagement of The Hill Society by identifying prospective members, facilitating meaningful stewardship, and collaborating on strategies that deepen member involvement and philanthropic impact.
• Utilize database of record (CITRUS) to update strategic plans and opportunities, interactions, outcomes and next steps. Contribute to research and accuracy of alumni records.
• Participate and potentially lead AEA or Leadership Annual Giving initiatives that are identified as special projects.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Two or more years of successful fundraising experience or closely related experience in a nonprofit or higher education.
• Demonstrated experience in personal solicitations and building relationships.
• Work in higher education or nonprofit organization is preferred.
• Possession of a valid, enhanced driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle is required.

Skills and Knowledge

• Preference to a candidate with knowledge of leadership annual giving with an emphasis on layered solicitation approaches.
• Ability to strategize donor centric solicitations and execute, including personalized stewardship;
• Independent and collaborative critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills including the ability to build a case for support.
• Personal drive to meet and exceed annual goals.
• Flexible and adapts well to change.