Associate Director of Annual Giving

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Experience in annual giving, fundraising, marketing, communications, alumni relations, or a related field preferred.
• Demonstrated excellence in writing and communication is required.
• Experience with direct mail, online giving, working with volunteer boards, and event planning beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Increase unrestricted annual gift income from all sources, maintaining the highest possible return on investment for all annual giving initiatives.
• Use personal solicitation, volunteer solicitation, direct mail, electronic solicitation, phonathons (if needed), social media, and other emergent methods to increase annual gift income.
• Work with vendors as the primary point of contact on direct mail, online, and social media strategies.
• Maintain and increase the number of alumni who make gifts every year to Graceland.
• Communicate a compelling case for support for The Graceland Fund and the annual Day of Giving event to alumni, friends, students, and other constituents.
• Develop, monitor, and adjust as needed a detailed, comprehensive plan to solicit all Graceland constituencies for The Graceland Fund every year using the channel that will work best for each.
• In partnership with Advancement Services, develop and maintain reports, dashboards, and performance metrics to monitor progress toward annual giving goals.
• Foster a collaborative relationship with Advancement Services to ensure program success.
• Evaluate and redesign Graceland's giving societies to ensure they provide "floors, not ceilings" for donors' giving aspirations and encourage continued annual support.
• Cultivate a culture of philanthropy by educating current students and internal stakeholders about the impact and importance of charitable giving.
• Partner with Major Gift Officers to integrate annual giving into donor strategies and solicitations for prospects in their portfolios, supporting both annual fund goals and campaign priorities.
• Serve as the primary liaison for alumni and annual giving newsletters, ensuring they complement the alumni magazine.
• Develop and write compelling fundraising and alumni communications, including magazine articles, email newsletters, annual giving appeals, stewardship communications, and messaging supporting the President and Vice President for Institutional Advancement.