Associate Director of Annual Giving Programs

Position Details

This position directs the strategy, design, and implementation of giving initiatives for academic departments and programs while serving as the primary lead for the university’s annual giving societies. A central focus of this role involves managing parent-specific appeals and society stewardship in collaboration with the Parent and Family Giving team. Responsibilities include driving the full donor lifecycle for the university’s annual giving societies—cultivating loyalty and celebrating consecutive-year givers. Acting as a high-impact project manager, this role co-leads the signature Day of Giving and orchestrates dynamic multi-channel fundraising campaigns across digital, crowdfunding, and direct mail platforms to increase annual giving to the university.

Work Tasks

• Responsible for the strategy, design, and implementation of a comprehensive annual giving program for academic departments and programs in collaboration with academic leadership and Advancement Leadership.
• Manage the execution of parent-specific annual appeals and stewardship for the parent and family giving societies in collaboration with the parent and family giving team.
• Drive growth and retention for the Anchor Society by managing the full donor lifecycle, from initial solicitation to ongoing stewardship of loyal, consecutive-year givers.
• Lead the cultivating, solicitation, and stewardship efforts for the President’s Circle giving society in collaboration with the Advancement division.
• Co-lead the university’s Day of Giving.
• Serves as the primary project manager for direct mail, crowdfunding, and digital campaigns, ensuring timely execution and alignment with goals.
• Provides onsite operational support for parent and family giving society stewardship events, athletic fundraisers, and a variety of division events as determined by your direct supervisor.
• Follows workplace safety regulations and adheres to applicable standards, processes, and programs established for your position.
• Promotes a safe and healthy work environment by ensuring the implementation of safety regulations and applicable standards, processes, and programs established for employees under your supervision.
• Develops and maintains very positive and professional customer service and/or relations within the office/department and with all constituencies to include students, faculty, staff, guests, and employees.
• Demonstrates a positive and professional attitude and treats everyone with dignity and respect.
• Fully supports the “Student’s First” value at CNU and routinely goes the extra mile in providing service.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities (KSA's) related to position

• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Computer skills in database management, word processing and spreadsheets
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with students, faculty, and staff
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to manage multiple tasks with competing deadlines
• Managerial, organizational, analytical, and problem solving skills
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evening and weekend events

Required Education

• Master’s Degree or Bachelor’s degree with work experience that equates to an advanced degree.

Salary Information

Starting at $67,297 to $84,121, Commensurate with Education and Experience

CNU Information

Christopher Newport University is anchored in excellence, and that is reflected in our ranking as the #1 regional public university in Virginia and #3 among regional public universities in the South. We are an inclusive and kind community, founded on our shared values of honor, scholarship, service and leadership. We offer an outstanding liberal arts education provided by dedicated, gifted teacher-scholars who are supported by a compassionate team of faculty and staff. Our 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students pursue more than 90 areas of study, as they live and learn on a largely residential campus. CNU’s on-campus performing and visual arts centers offer Broadway shows, world-class performances, engaging exhibitions, transformative lectures and classes, and more. Our athletics program is the winningest at any level in Virginia.