Associate Director of Annual Giving

PolicyTech•Villanova, PA

26d

About The Position

Ignite Your Career at Villanova University! Whether undergraduate or graduate, faculty or staff, each community member brings with them a wealth of experiences that enrich our University and shift our perspectives. As a part of this community, your work will improve lives and ignite change! Why work at Villanova? Join a mission-driven organization. Since Villanova University’s founding in 1842, we have been inspired by the values of truth, unity, and love, and are a community dedicated to service to others. Villanova has been included among the nation’s best colleges and universities. VU’s inclusion again in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best Colleges” rankings is another indication of the University’s continued prominence and forward momentum. Villanova’s most precious asset is our people. As an employee, you will receive a holistic benefits package, generous paid time off, a competitive retirement savings plan, flexible work options, wellness programs including gym membership, professional development, tuition assistance, and more . Villanova University has embarked on a 10-year strategic plan, Rooted. Restless., with the goal of enhancing the Augustinian Catholic living and learning experience for all members of our community. University Advancement is seeking exceptional talent to join our mission-driven team working together toward our shared vision for Villanova, fueled by the generosity of the University’s philanthropic supporters as we “keep moving” in the spirit of St. Augustine in the public phase of Villanova’s comprehensive capital campaign: Espiritus Nova. Under the supervision of the Director of Annual Giving Strategies, the Associate Director of Annual Giving will manage the planning, implementation and optimization of Annual Giving’s mailed solicitation and stewardship campaigns as part of the team’s comprehensive, multi-channel efforts. The Associate Director will serve as the Annual Giving liaison to Advancement Services for large-scale projects, including for direct outreach, performance analysis and reporting platform integrations. The Associate Director will supervise the Assistant Director of Annual Giving in supporting the execution and evaluation of Annual Giving’s mass communication strategy. Under the direction of the Director, this position will facilitate the design, functionality and print-quality of direct mail campaigns in collaboration with University Advancement Communication, Creative Services and Graphics Services. The Associate Director will directly coordinate with members of Annual Giving’s direct outreach team to develop cohesive, multi-channel solicitation and engagement strategies year-round, and ensure all managed prospects receive appropriate communications. The Associate Director will assist in conceptualizing and executing departmental and affiliation-based solicitations, including but not limited to schools and colleges, athletics, faculty/staff and family philanthropy. The Associate Director will attend and assist with Annual Giving and select University Advancement events throughout the fiscal year. Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian Order. The University is an equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University’s mission and values.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Three to five years of experience in fundraising, education or nonprofit sector with preference for experience in direct mail marketing, annual giving, or university advancement.
The successful candidate will have knowledge of direct mail methods and standards and experience with segmentation and solicitation strategies.
Must possess good planning and administrative skills, excellent verbal and writing skills, strong work ethic, and demonstrated ability to manage several projects simultaneously.
Ability to collaborate effectively with other colleagues and communicate with internal and external constituents.
Demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to work in a fast paced environment required.
Excellent communication, interpersonal and analytical skills required.
Must be well organized and detail oriented.
Must have experience working with a wide range of populations.
Knowledge of general office equipment, including personal computers, word processing, Excel, Access and or other spreadsheet programs required.

Nice To Haves

Master’s preferred, preferably in Business/ Marketing/ Communications.
A broad base of general knowledge and skills in fundraising, with experience in annual giving or related programs is preferred.
Knowledge of Blackbaud Fundraiser Performance Management, Banner or other fundraising software is preferred.

Responsibilities

Comprehensive Direct Mail Campaigns : The Associate Director will execute all elements of direct mail campaigns that solicit alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends to increase revenue to the University and donor retention. With guidance from the Director and support from the Assistant Director, the Associate Director will create and implement effective direct mail strategies, identifying specific segments for targeted outreach, determining the timing of mailings and developing appropriate messaging and ask amounts. Under the supervision of the Director, the Associate Director will coordinate with members of Annual Giving’s direct outreach team to ensure a data-driven, cohesive and comprehensive approach to solicitation and engagement, considering the strategies for email, phone, text and social media. The Associate Director will maintain the comprehensive solicitation and stewardship calendar and relevant tracking documents to ensure all projects remain on schedule.
Analysis and Data Management: Utilizing Blackbaud’s Fundraiser Performance Management, Banner, Cognos, Power BI and/or other platforms, the Associate Director will execute analysis on the performance of Annual Giving campaigns, with an emphasis on direct mail. The Associate Director will identify opportunities for growth as well as areas of success (i.e. solicitation types, donor types, constituent types) and make recommended adjustments (i.e. audience, content, timing, channel) to continue improving retention and acquisition. The Associate Director will lead the enhancement of analysis capabilities and tools, specifically by optimizing Blackbaud’s Fundraiser Performance Management platform, Cognos reports and dashboards as well as Salesforce reporting functionality.
1842 Day: Villanova’s annual day of giving (1842 Day) is spearheaded by the Annual Giving Team. Each member contributes a significant amount of their time to planning and executing 1842 Day each year, especially between the months of June and September. This position will specifically manage targeted 1842 Day mailings. This position may also assist with stewardship, analysis and/or other specific components of 1842 Day as needed.
Support the overall Annual Fund and University Advancement initiatives in order to meet campaign goals, especially related to undergraduate alumni participation. This includes but is not limited to events such as Homecoming Weekend, Volunteer Leadership Conference, Senior Class Gift events and Reunion Weekend.
Assist in managing student workers who support Annual Giving projects.