Assistant Director, Leadership Giving

Occidental College Careers • Los Angeles, CA

5d

About The Position

Reporting to the Director, Leadership Giving, the Assistant Director, Leadership Giving is a frontline fundraiser responsible for managing a portfolio of alumni, parents, families, and friends of the institution, with a focus on securing gifts ranging from $1,000 < $100,000. The Assistant Director supports the engagement of volunteer donors through the parent and family council, alumni affinity groups and class reunions groups. The Assistant Director collaborates across Institutional Advancement (IA), working closely with Alumni & Parent Engagement, annual, major, principal, and planned giving teams, as well as Advancement Services, to meet fundraising goals and support academic, student engagement, and community engagement fundraising priorities. This position requires up to 60% travel and manages a territory that includes Southern California and other locations across the country.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Four years of experience in higher education, development/fundraising, sales or a related field that involves managing relationships and achieving goals.
• Knowledge of development and fundraising principles and practices, with an understanding of individual giving programs
• Experience working in a performance-based environment, tracking goals, contacts and dollars raised or sales made.
• Experience with CRM databases, with evidence of an ability to quickly learn and master these resources.
• Understanding of and appreciation for the philanthropic process and individual giving behaviors.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed, and travel locally, regionally, and nation-wide up to 60% of the time.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google drives/folders/forms, Adobe Acrobat, Web Editing, and social media applications or any combination of productivity programs applicable to position responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to be detail-oriented and thorough; skilled at anticipating and preventing potential problems and handling a wide variety of tasks with efficiency and accuracy.
• Strong commitment to a quality work product.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally, in writing and electronically.
• Effective interpersonal skills as evidenced in the ability to collaborate with a variety of constituencies.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, inclusion & diversity.
• Demonstrated skill in adapting to and performing work effectively in high-volume, high accountability, confidential environment with multiple and changing priorities.
• Effective organizational, logistical, time management and planning skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks/projects simultaneously, prioritize and fulfill the functions of an office in a timely manner.
• Ability to self-motivate and work independently.
• Ability to provide effective leadership and training, and to work effectively and professionally across functions, disciplines, levels, and with diverse groups.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in higher education or nonprofit, preferably in development.
• Experience initiating and conducting client visits and personally soliciting gifts or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Leadership Gift Fundraising & Stewardship - Manage a portfolio of 150+ individuals, made of leadership giving prospects and volunteers activated to support fundraising goals. Guide individuals through the complete donor cycle—from identification and qualification through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. Conduct personalized outreach and meetings with donors and donor prospects, both virtually and in-person, with a focus on the retention and acquisition of leadership gifts. Identify opportunities to update and expand gifts through tailored engagement and stewardship strategies. Ensure accurate and timely management of donor records, contact reports, and leadership-giving pipeline tracking to support strategic decision-making and strengthen donor engagement. Lead strong donor appreciation and stewardship practices by highlighting impact, building authentic relationships, and supporting and implementing meaningful recognition strategies that encourage continued and growing support.
• Volunteer Engagement and Affinity Fundraising - Manage special fundraising initiatives as assigned, including efforts to drive parent, affinity groups, class reunion committees, athletics and other alumni cohorts in peer fundraising. Recruit and collaborate with volunteers to support peer-to-peer fundraising efforts and increase participation. Manage a portfolio of donors aligned with specific funding areas and partner with other gift officers managing prospects with similar interests. Collaborate with Alumni & Parent Engagement staff to support volunteer led fundraising events aligned with specific affiliations.
• Institutional Advancement Duties - Develop a strong understanding of Occidental’s mission, priorities, and funding needs across academic departments and business units, and translate these into compelling cases for support while serving as an ambassador of the Office of Institutional Advancement. Contribute to broader advancement initiatives, including key events such as Homecoming and Family Weekend, Day For Oxy (Giving Day), and Alumni Reunion Weekend and campaign events, as needed. Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees