Assistant Director, Annual Leadership Giving
About The Position
The Assistant Director of Annual Leadership Giving is a key member of the Annual Giving team at Northern Kentucky University. The role builds relationships with alumni, parents, friends, and donors through personalized outreach and engagement strategies, and manages a portfolio of leadership annual giving prospects and donors. The focus is on identifying, cultivating, and soliciting individuals who may upgrade their support or make annual gifts of $1,000–$50,000. Working within a donor-centered fundraising model, the Assistant Director uses multiple communication channels to strengthen engagement and inspire philanthropic support, while communicating the university’s mission, priorities, and impact and connecting donor interests with institutional needs. The role also supports Annual Giving campaigns, projects, and special initiatives, including Founders’ Day. It requires managing multiple constituent interactions, using fundraising databases and communication platforms, and advancing prospects through the donor pipeline to achieve annual fundraising goals. A driver’s license and reliable vehicle are required.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, business, project management, nonprofit management, or a related field.
- Experience in consultative sales, fundraising, customer service, or business development.
- Ability to cultivate relationships, communicate value effectively, overcome objections, and secure commitments.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
- Strong editing, proofreading, and quality-control skills.
- Driver’s license and reliable vehicle required.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with Raiser's Edge NXT, Give Campus Online, and GCGO software.
Responsibilities
- Manage a portfolio of prospects and donors, developing and executing individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies to increase engagement and philanthropic support in the $1,000–$50,000 giving range.
- Conduct outreach through phone calls, email, text messaging, video messages, virtual meetings, and personal visits.
- Maintain regular contact to strengthen relationships, increase participation, secure gift upgrades, and achieve fundraising goals.
- Qualify prospects for leadership annual giving opportunities and identify individuals with capacity and inclination for increased philanthropic investment using predictive analytics and upgrade scoring models.
- Identify, cultivate, and solicit prospects for Founders’ Day match and challenge gifts.
- Develop engagement, impact, and solicitation strategies for high-net-worth parents.
- Maintain accurate and timely records of prospect activity, qualifications, proposals, solicitations, and outcomes in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT.
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of NKU priorities, philanthropic opportunities, student impact initiatives, and alumni engagement programs, and align donor interests with institutional needs.
- Support Annual Giving campaigns, projects, and special initiatives, including Founders’ Day and other strategic fundraising efforts.
- Serve as a backup to the Engagement Center manager, occasionally requiring evening hours.
- Communicate Northern Kentucky University’s mission, priorities, and impact to constituents.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
