Associate Director, Individual Giving

ArtCenter College of Design•Pasadena, CA

4d•$80,000 - $82,000•Hybrid

About The Position

ArtCenter College of Design is searching for an experienced Associate Director, Individual Giving to join our team. The salary range for this position is $80,000.00 - $82,000.00, with the final salary based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity. ArtCenter, founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, is a global leader in art and design education with a rigorous, transdisciplinary curriculum, faculty of professionals, strong industry ties, and a commitment to socially responsible design. It is a private nonprofit fully accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Every position at ArtCenter plays an important part in carrying out the cultural values, goals, strategic vision, and mission of the College, including upholding and cultivating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment. Reporting to the director of Development, the associate director, individual giving oversees the strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for donors giving $1,500–$9,999 annually. The incumbent is responsible for developing personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies that deepen engagement, increase giving, and strengthen the pipeline to major gifts. This position serves as a key partner on the Major Gift team to Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Alumni Engagement, and Advancement Services and supports volunteer engagement initiatives connected to Advancement-affiliated membership groups, including the ArtCenter100 Board.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or any equivalent combination of training and experience
At least 5 years of fundraising, donor relations, or advancement experience
Effective interpersonal skills, with an ability to build cohesive one-on-one relationships with donors and motivate them to support education
Excellent written and oral communication and negotiation skills; ability to translate complex academic, artistic, and technical concepts into language understandable by lay audiences
Experience with Raiser’s Edge or other equivalent Customer Relations Management (CRM) systems
Ability to maintain good working relationships with various internal and external stakeholders related to the ongoing operations of the division, including, donors, volunteers, executive leadership, administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni
Flexibility and initiative, as well as the ability to work independently, combined with the skills for thriving in a collaborative team environment to achieve institutional goals
Ability to handle confidential information with tact and discretion, recognizing the confidential nature of ArtCenter business
Demonstrated experience in cultivating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment into workplace practices within ArtCenter’s diverse communities of faculty, staff, students and visitors
Ability to enforce and implement policies and procedures
Ability to work occasional weekends and evening hours, and to staff events
Ability to travel locally between campuses and for donor-related activities

Nice To Haves

Experience in higher education or a complex nonprofit environment
Familiarity with mid-level or pipeline fundraising strategies
Experience working with volunteer groups or advisory boards
Knowledge of annual giving, planned giving and major gifts programs

Responsibilities

Manage a defined portfolio of mid-level donors through proactive, personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies
Develop individualized engagement plans based on donor interests, capacity, and readiness to give
Execute renewal, upgrade, and retention strategies designed to grow philanthropic investment and long-term donor loyalty
Serve as the primary relationship manager for assigned donors, ensuring consistent, thoughtful, and donor-centered engagement
Identify and qualify donors with major gift potential and actively support pipeline development
Partner with Major Gifts, Annual Giving, and Advancement leadership to ensure seamless prospect transitions and strategy alignment
Collaborate with Annual Giving on segmentation, messaging, and coordinated outreach strategies for mid-level donors
Work closely with Alumni Engagement and Industry Engagement colleagues to leverage programs, events, and volunteer opportunities that deepen donor involvement
Design and execute stewardship strategies appropriate for mid-level donors, including personalized acknowledgements, updates, and engagement opportunities
Contribute to donor communications, briefings, and targeted initiatives that highlight the impact of philanthropy and reinforce donor connection to the College
Participate in donor-facing events and cultivation opportunities, including select evening and weekend activities
Support Advancement-affiliated volunteer and membership groups, including the ArtCenter100 Board
Assist in developing engagement strategies, communications, and stewardship plans for volunteers
Partner with internal teams to align volunteer engagement with fundraising and pipeline priorities
Foster strong relationships with volunteers to ensure a positive and mission-aligned experience
Track donor engagement, solicitation activity, and progression within the CRM in collaboration with Advancement Services
Monitor performance metrics related to retention, upgrades, and pipeline movement and contribute to regular reporting and analysis
Maintain accurate, timely donor records and contact reports in accordance with Advancement protocols.
Maintain memberships and active involvement in applicable professional organizations
Assisted with occasional advancement-related events
Serve on educational or college-wide committees, work groups, task forces and/or councils
Follow all College policies including safety protocols
Other duties as assigned