Associate Director of Development

Oglethorpe University•Atlanta, GA

17h

About The Position

The Associate Director of Development reports to the Associate Vice President of Advancement and is responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding leadership annual donors capable of giving $1,000 to $9,999. The role manages a portfolio of leadership annual giving prospects and builds relationships to increase donor participation, retention, and philanthropic support for Oglethorpe University. The Associate Director works with colleagues in annual giving, alumni engagement, and advancement to strengthen the pipeline to major gifts of $10,000 and above and support university-wide fundraising priorities. The position involves developing and carrying out individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies; conducting outreach through visits, meetings, calls, and personalized communications; meeting fundraising performance goals; and maintaining donor records in the CRM. It also builds relationships with alumni, parents, and friends, coordinates donor recognition and follow-up, and collaborates with campus stakeholders to connect donor interests with funding opportunities. The Associate Director partners with annual giving and alumni engagement teams on campaigns, events, and strategies to upgrade donors.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
Two to four years of frontline fundraising experience, with a demonstrated record of securing gifts through personal visits and solicitations.
Ability to listen, work collaboratively with others to reach critical decisions, and communicate effectively about difficult decisions.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Strong customer service skills and phone and email etiquette.
Ability to manage multiple tasks or projects at one time and meet assigned deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to work in a team-oriented environment.
Proficiency in CRM systems such as Raiser’s Edge or Salesforce.
Ability to travel locally and regionally and work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, for donor visits and events.
Appreciation of, sensitivity to, and respect for a diverse academic environment inclusive of students, faculty, and staff from varied social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.

Responsibilities

Manage and grow a portfolio of leadership annual giving prospects, focusing on gifts of $1,000 to $9,999.
Develop and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for assigned donors and prospects.
Conduct discovery outreach to unassigned prospects to qualify new donors for the portfolio.
Conduct regular outreach through in-person visits, virtual meetings, phone calls, and personalized communications.
Meet and exceed annual performance metrics, including visit, solicitation, and revenue goals.
Identify and qualify donors with major gift capacity of $10,000 and above and transition them to the Senior Associate Director of Development or advancement leadership; flag potential planned giving prospects.
Maintain accurate and timely records of donor interactions in the CRM system.
Build long-term relationships with alumni, parents, and friends to deepen philanthropic engagement.
Partner with stewardship and events colleagues to provide meaningful recognition and appreciation experiences for leadership annual donors.
Ensure timely and personalized follow-up after solicitations and gifts.
Engage volunteers, campus partners, and colleagues as appropriate to support donor outreach.
Serve as a liaison between donors and campus stakeholders to demonstrate the impact of giving.
Work with faculty, athletics, programs, and departments to identify funding opportunities aligned with donor interests.
Partner with the annual giving team by providing personal solicitation and follow-up for leadership-level donors within appeals, giving days, and digital outreach campaigns.
Assist in developing targeted strategies to upgrade donors into leadership giving levels.
Partner with alumni engagement to use reunions, affinity groups, and campus events as opportunities for donor cultivation and solicitation.
Provide coverage for annual giving efforts when needed.