Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Reunion

Btes•Lewiston, ME

About The Position

The Assistant Director plays a key role on the Annual Giving team and manages annual fundraising campaigns for Reunion and non-Reunion classes. The role manages effective volunteer committees, assists with communications and solicitation strategy, and solicits a slate of annual leadership-giving prospects in person or via Zoom. The Assistant Director manages volunteer-driven fundraising campaigns for 10–15 classes, including Reunion Gift Committees for 1–2 Reunion classes, and oversees 2–3 Reunion social committees. The role develops class fundraising and participation goals, supports volunteers, and works to increase Bates Fund giving from Mount David Society donors and Reunion classes by managing a pool of 20–40 annual giving leadership prospects. The position also supports annual giving growth and broader advancement team goals through projects such as designated giving initiatives, special events, alumni engagement, and cross-departmental collaboration. The Assistant Director works with colleagues in Leadership Gifts, Planned Giving, Alumni Engagement, and Donor Programs to develop effective approaches to cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors, particularly those entering a Reunion year.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree preferred.
Valid driver's license required.
Ability to cultivate donor or client relationships.
Demonstrated track record of progressive achievement in a fundraising or related metrics-driven environment.
Commitment to equity and inclusion and to serving a culturally and educationally diverse community.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a highly organized way with minimal supervision.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to develop and maintain relationships.
Flexibility, collaboration, and a positive attitude.
Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
Ability to convey complex issues and lead group discussions.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, including synthesizing complex or diverse information and working with complex data sets.
Ability to remain composed and friendly and demonstrate poise under stress in a deadline-driven environment.
Ability and willingness to work weekends, evenings, and other non-traditional schedules.
Personal commitment to excellence and the mission of a top-tier small liberal arts college.

Nice To Haves

2–3 years of experience working in education or an organization of comparable complexity and scale.
Volunteer management experience.

Responsibilities

Manage volunteer-driven fundraising campaigns for 10–15 classes, including Reunion Gift Committees for 1–2 Reunion classes.
Recruit lead volunteers and develop inspiring but achievable fundraising and participation goals for each class, primarily to benefit the Bates Fund.
Coordinate and lead 2–3 conference calls per Reunion class per year and lead non-Reunion class calls as needed.
Provide volunteer updates, review agent and committee activity and success, and steward and thank fundraising volunteers.
Oversee 2–3 Reunion social committees by recruiting lead volunteers and developing goals to increase participation and class pride.
Manage a pool of 20–40 assigned annual giving leadership prospects to increase the share of Bates Fund giving from Mount David Society donors and Reunion classes.
Work with Bates Fund leadership and, as appropriate, the Research team to identify prospects and create annual cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship schedules.
Contact assigned prospects through appropriate methods, including in-person meetings, Zoom, or phone.
Refer members of the assigned prospect pool for the managed prospect pool, as appropriate.
Take on projects supporting annual giving growth or broader advancement team goals, including designated giving initiatives, special events, alumni engagement, and cross-departmental collaborations.
Collaborate with colleagues in Leadership Gifts, Planned Giving, Alumni Engagement, and Donor Programs to develop approaches to cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors, particularly donors entering their Reunion year.