Assistant Director of Development Communications

Baker University•Baldwin City, KS

53d

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Development Communications is responsible for grant writing; conceptualizing and designing annual fund direct mail in collaboration with the Office of Marketing and Communications and the University Advancement team; specialized stewardship activities; and occasional research to support fundraising and alumni engagement efforts in the Office of University Advancement. It is important that this staff member be a strong writer; a natural collaborator; highly creative; and entrepreneurial. S/he will work closely with the University Advancement team on activities, reports, and events. This position will work closely with faculty and staff to write grants and proposals. This position will participate in fundraising campaigns with direction from the Vice President of Advancement and the President. Additionally, the person in this position will assist in donor relations and stewardship, and will often be called to conduct research on prospective donors and event attendees. The Assistant Director of Development Communications provides leadership and support for the entire development team.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and minimum of three years University or non-profit work experience required.
Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills required to relate to donors, volunteers and colleagues, including tact, diplomacy, discretion, and the ability to maintain confidentiality inside and outside the Office of University Advancement.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
Must be proactive with the ability to work independently as well as with a team in a fast-paced environment.
Must be willing to maintain a non-traditional schedule.

Responsibilities

Grant Writing: developing written content for grant proposals to philanthropic foundations, family foundations, and government entities. This involves close collaboration with faculty and staff who are the principal investigators. This position will use online tools to research grant opportunities to make connections between funders and Baker projects and will organize and write letters of inquiry; grant submissions; and follow-up reports. Most often grants will be submitted for unrestricted support and in other areas, as directed by the Vice President of Advancement, including of scholarships, faculty support, facility projects and other needs. The Assistant Director of Development Communications interacts with alumni and donors through written and oral communications, personal visits, and special events.
Annual Fund Communications: conceptualizes and designs direct mail appeals, in collaboration with the Office of Marketing and Communication. The majority of direct mail fundraising supports budget relieving fundraising and occasional projects and programs.
Stewardship: conceptualizes and executes creative stewardship opportunities for Baker University's top donors in collaboration with gift officers and University leadership. This may involve a written report, tracking and collecting student thank you notes, or a special even
Other Duties: support the University Advancement team and the University as assigned.