Development

University of Utah•Salt Lake City, UT

37d•$42

About The Position

The David Eccles School of Business Office of Alumni Relations and Development seeks a dynamic frontline fundraiser with 2-5 years of experience in philanthropy who excels at building and maintaining excellent relationships. Assistant Director of Development, Annual Giving and Pipeline Development will design and implement strategies to increase alumni participation, identify mid-level giving prospects, and strengthen the donor pipeline leading to major gifts. This position will focus on meaningful engagement, consistent communication, and data-informed relationship building with alumni who have capacity but are not yet deeply connected philanthropically to the Eccles School of Business. Reporting to the Senior Director of Alumni and Annual Giving this role will collaborate closely with Annual Giving, Alumni Relations, Major Gifts, and Communications to build a stronger base of alumni support, deepen engagement across generations, and inspire greater philanthropic participation.

Requirements

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).
Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.

Nice To Haves

3 -5 years of experience in fundraising, alumni relations, or constituent engagement (higher education preferred).
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with comfort in phone/email outreach.
Ability to analyze data to drive strategy.
Creative problem-solver who enjoys building programs and measuring outcomes.
Understanding of donor motivations and philanthropic trends.
High ethical standards, discretion, and confidentiality in working with donor information.
Experience with CRM databases preferred.

Responsibilities

Pipeline Development & Donor Engagement
Identify and cultivate alumni capable of giving $500 -$5,000 annually, with potential to move into the $50,000+ major gift pipeline.
Develop personalized engagement plans for key donor segments (e.g., loyal donors, first-time donors, high-capacity non-donors).
Conduct light-touch outreach (email, phone, visits) to deepen alumni connection and giving motivation.
Annual Giving Strategy
Collaborate on appeals and campaigns (Giving Day, calendar year-end, fiscal year-end) by identifying and securing alumni champions for campaigns.
Identify and support affinity groups, or regional alumni engagement programs that feed the donor pipeline.
Partner with communications on storytelling that highlights alumni impact and strengthens emotional connection to the institution.
Collaboration and Reporting
Partner with the Major Gifts team to hand off qualified prospects and ensure smooth transitions.
Maintain accurate records in the CRM; track contact reports, and solicitation status.
Analyze data and report on progress, identifying trends and opportunities for growth.