Director of Leadership Annual Giving
Job no : 514987
Work type : Management (MPP)
Location : San José
Categories : MPP, Administrative, At-Will, Full Time
Job Summary
The Director of Leadership Annual Giving implements strategies to identify and qualify new prospective donors, executes discovery outreach and builds a prospect pool based on new prospects and past donors at the $10,000 to $50,000 level in the department of Development.
The Director of Leadership Annual Giving initiates gift strategies, cultivates, and solicits prospects through personal visits and written communication.
The person in this position works closely with colleagues to implement strategic approaches as to increase the donor base and build a robust pipeline for major gift support across San José State University.
The role requires significant collaboration with the annual giving, alumni engagement, major gifts and stewardship teams.
The incumbent reports to the Senior Director of Annual Giving, supervises the Assistant Director of Leadership Annual Giving and is a key member of the Annual Giving team.
Key Responsibilities
Actively manage a prospective donor portfolio with annual goals for personal visits and giving outcomes based on established metrics
Implement appropriate identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies in securing leadership annual gifts in the range of $10,000 to $50,000
Qualify prospects and manage prospect disposition for the best on-going philanthropic support of the university, moving prospects to the major gift team as / when appropriate;
receive leadership annual giving prospect referrals from major gift team
Contribute to the fundraising efforts for scholarships on behalf of the SJSU Alumni Association and the Annual Giving’s Spartan Pride Scholarship
Work closely with the Annual Giving and Stewardship teams in executing appropriate stewardship efforts and engagements of the 1857 Circle
Be an active and collaborative team member in Alumni and Community Engagement, Annual Giving, Development and University Advancement
Execute special fundraising initiatives as assigned
Exercise full rights and responsibilities of prospect management protocols
Articulate the case for support with effectiveness; communicate the priorities, goals and mission of the university and solicit feedback for improved alumni / donor relationships
Establish and conduct consistent and meaningful contact and on-going stewardship activities with prospects and donors
Enter prospect and donor contact reports in database according to UA protocols and in a timely fashion
Draft memoranda of understanding for gifts when appropriate and facilitate their processing
Oversees the Assistant Director of Leadership Annual Giving in the strategic planning and implementation of their fundraising efforts, establish the funding priorities and goals for the fiscal year
Meets with the Assistant Director of Leadership Annual Giving on a regular basis to provide leadership, ensure priorities and goals are being met, share knowledge, and provide guidance to meet goals
Maintains a comprehensive working knowledge of the University fundraising priorities across the institution and Advancement objectives
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Broad knowledge of the principles of fundraising and the ability to participate in all aspects of the gift cycle
Knowledge of best practices within the annual giving field
Ability to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward prospects / donors and effectively move prospects through the development cycle
Strong oral and written communication skills
Ability to recognize opportunities, identify high pay-off activities and prioritize them to attain goals
Ability to work with a diverse constituency and all levels of the organization
Ability to work cooperatively and supportively with colleagues in varied teams as well as independently
Ability to effectively present material and respond to queries from constituents
Ability to understand the needs and interests of alumni and donors in order to develop relationships between them and the university
High level of initiative, attention to details, and organizational skills
Ability to responsibly handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
Skilled in managing multiple projects on tight deadlines and under pressure
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions
Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and utilizing fundraising database programs
Skilled in maximizing productivity through the use of appropriate tools and the development of resources that create timely and efficient workflow
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution
At least three years of higher education alumni engagement or development, sales or non-profit experience
Experience in having face-to-face visits with prospective donors / donors
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in soliciting and stewarding gifts from individual donor
Experience in making cold calls (opening doors) as well as developing donor-centric cultivation and solicitation strategies
Excellent written communication skills
Compensation
Classification : Administrator II
Hiring Range : Commensurate with experience
San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary .
