Associate Director, Wharton Fund

About the role

The Associate Director is responsible for the fundraising and engagement of Wharton School graduate alumni from students to nine years out. The position will contribute to achieving annual Wharton Fund cash and participation goals.

Responsibilities

• Personally solicit Wharton Fund prospects at the Young Franklin ($1,000+) and Benjamin Franklin Society level ($2,500+) as well as visiting 100-125 prospects/donors.
• Contribute to the full time MBA class gift. This includes recruiting MBA student leaders, instilling a culture of philanthropy with this group, coordinating programming, and working with colleagues in MBA student affairs.
• Work with Alumni Relations colleagues to recruit fundraising volunteers in two reunion years; manage those volunteers making sure they are trained and current in the use of the volunteer database; assign 10-20 classmates for these volunteers to solicit and oversee their progress; update the volunteers regularly regarding class progress towards goals.
• Achieve annual Wharton Fund cash and participation goals through proactive donor outreach, solicitation, stewardship, and relationship management activities designed to increase both philanthropic revenue and donor engagement.
• Identify and qualify prospective major gift donors through research, outreach, and relationship assessment, providing major gift colleagues with well-vetted prospects positioned for strategic cultivation and solicitation.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science and 3 to 5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage relationships with alumni, volunteers, and high-capacity donors, with a focus on engagement and long-term pipeline development.
• Proven skill in frontline fundraising or sales, including the ability to confidently solicit gifts and meet or exceed performance goals.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage diverse stakeholders, including senior-level and international alumni.
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities, including managing multiple priorities, tracking progress toward goals, and using data to inform strategy.
• Ability to work independently with sound judgment while collaborating effectively across teams, including partnership with Alumni Relations and development colleagues.
• Experience working with CRM or fundraising databases (e.g., Salesforce, Blackbaud, or similar), including data entry, reporting, and prospect tracking.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook), with the ability to manage communications and analyze data.
• Ability to analyze reports and donor data to inform outreach strategies and track progress toward fundraising goals.
• Comfort using digital tools to support volunteer management, communications, and engagement efforts.

Job Location

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$65,628.00 - $75,000.00

Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.