Assistant Director of the Skidmore Fund

Skidmore College • Saratoga Springs, NY

6d

About The Position

The Assistant Director of the Skidmore Fund develops and promotes lifelong giving to Skidmore among key College constituents. The role manages annual fund strategies and results for Young Alumni and Senior Class cohorts, including strategic planning, goals and metrics, stewardship initiatives, and young alumni volunteer engagement. The Assistant Director also leads fundraising efforts for the 5th and 10th reunion classes and the Senior Class Gift. They collaborate with Skidmore Fund, Alumni Relations, and other Advancement colleagues to build relationships and increase young alumni participation. The position includes developing relationships with an assigned group of 75 or more alumni volunteers and prospective donors, assessing their capacity, interests, and inclination, cultivating and soliciting gifts, and stewarding donors and volunteers. Travel throughout the year is required as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 1–3 years of increasing, directly related or applicable experience.
• Fundraising experience in a higher education or nonprofit setting.
• Experience recruiting, developing, and motivating volunteers.
• Willingness to personally develop philanthropic relationships with prospective donors and volunteers.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Organizational ability and interpersonal skills.
• Comfort handling multiple projects simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Oversee Skidmore’s young alumni giving program for the Skidmore Fund, coordinating staff and programs across Advancement.
• Develop the overall strategy and annual work plan for young alumni giving and ensure programs meet or exceed annual goals.
• Analyze trends and best practices in young alumni giving to strengthen and grow the program.
• Serve as the primary contact for the Alumni Board Chair of Young Alumni Giving and partner with class managers on relationships with class fundraising chairs.
• Provide volunteers timely reporting on program progress and their solicitation efforts, and work with Operations to develop accurate, timely reporting.
• Collaborate with Major Gifts, Gift Planning, Alumni Relations and College Events, Parent and Family Giving, Donor Engagement and Stewardship, and Advancement Operations staff.
• Manage fundraising for the assigned 5th and 10th reunion classes, including volunteer recruitment and management, relationship development, goal setting, planning, prospecting, donor cultivation, and direct solicitation as needed.
• Develop strategies for reunion classes and manage class leadership, volunteers, and outreach efforts during the 12 months leading up to Reunion.
• Analyze class trends and profiles; set stretch goals for dollars and donors; and work to meet Skidmore Fund needs.
• Identify, recruit, and train class leadership volunteers and class agents; encourage use of the Volunteer Information Portal; and provide volunteers with timely class reports and information about campus and Alumni Relations activities.
• Develop philanthropic relationships with an assigned group of 75 or more volunteers and prospects by identifying capacity, interests, and inclination, educating and cultivating individuals, soliciting gifts, and stewarding donors and volunteers.
• Visit class leaders and volunteers to recruit, motivate, educate, cultivate, and train them for their roles; identify and cultivate new donors and volunteers.
• Solicit Young Alumni P.S. gifts for the Skidmore Fund and other College priorities, and set goals and projections for dollars raised and participation from the assigned pool.
• Develop and execute an annual Senior Class Gift effort, including an annual plan and calendar to educate and solicit seniors before graduation.
• Recruit and train Senior Gift Chairs and committee members, partnering with them throughout the year to meet or exceed goals.
• Provide data analysis to guide current and future Senior Class Gift activity and develop meaningful stewardship opportunities for student and recent graduate donors.
• Work with appropriate departments, including the Office of Communications, Student Life, and Alumni Relations.
• Travel throughout the year as needed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level