Associate Director, Philanthropy (Leadership Annual Giving)

Rice University•Houston, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Director of Philanthropy and Pipeline Discovery (Annual Giving), the Associate Director, Philanthropy (Leadership Annual Giving) is a forward-thinking, highly innovative fundraiser who supports building an inclusive leadership giving and pipeline program to identify, engage, qualify, solicit, and steward the next generation of donors for Rice University. This role focuses primarily on growing the leadership giving donor program with special emphasis on total dollars raised and growth in unrestricted giving for Rice University at the $10,000+ level. In support of the donor pipeline, the Associate Director will work collaboratively within the Individual Giving team to ensure newly identified major and principal giving prospective donors have a seamless experience, either as a joint solicitation or as a referral to another fundraiser. As a fundraiser who balances both front-line and digital engagement with donors, this position is responsible for the high-level cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of philanthropic individuals in his/her portfolio and will be responsible for annual fundraising revenue and commitment goals, qualifications, referrals, and visits. The ideal candidate will have experience soliciting leadership-level gifts from $10,000 to $99,999 and qualifying current and future donors to understand their philanthropic passions for Rice. This person cares deeply about building a sustainable donor pipeline with the aid of emerging digital technologies in conjunction with traditional fundraising practices.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted.
3+ years experience in In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted.
Ability to learn new strategies
Ability to develop and initiate new strategies
Advanced problem-solving skills
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work well under pressure and manage projects simultaneously
Strong organizational and time management skills
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
Strong data analysis skills
Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedules
Collaborative and dexterous at influencing fundraising outcomes across teams
Adept at problem-solving, creating contingency plans, and handling issues when necessary
Strong client service orientation
Strong attention to detail and ability to quickly understand and remember details about alumni/donors and projects to which they are assigned
Must possess (or have the ability to obtain within 30 days of hire) and maintain a valid Texas driver’s license with no more than three moving violations and/or at-fault accidents within the past 36 months, and no convictions or deferred dispositions for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving Under the Influence (DUI) within the past five years.

Nice To Haves

4+ years of progressive experience in soliciting annual or leadership gifts over $5,000 at an institution of higher education or non-profit organization
Experience with both digital and face-to-face solicitations
Ability to demonstrate good judgment in dynamic situations
Ability to utilize strong time management skills
Ability to learn new systems
Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), and digital communication tools such as WebEx, Zoom, and video
Proficiency with a fundraising CRM
Experience using generative or predictive artificial intelligence to support fundraising outcomes
Demonstrated skills in collaborating with fundraisers in Major Gifts, Principal Gifts, and/or Gift Planning
Skilled at creating personalized donor experiences for cultivation, stewardship, and engagement
Knowledge of leadership giving and prospect management best practices
Ability to think strategically, work collaboratively, prioritize, and create and follow processes
Personal initiative and curiosity to learn
Desire to help invent and grow new donor-centric philanthropic programs

Responsibilities

Works with a portfolio of assigned prospects/donors with a capacity of making gifts from $10,000 - $99,999 to cultivate, solicit, and steward their support
Develops fundraising strategies, and tracks and analyzes results of development activities
Identifies and prioritizes prospects, prepares background material for qualifications and solicitations, and follows up with staff to ensure completion of assigned solicitations
Serves as a key collaborator in developing a donor pipeline for fundraising initiatives
Establishes ongoing relationships with individual alumni
Monitors, analyzes, and reports on overall results to internal and external constituencies, as needed
Exercises a key role in the design and management of targeted appeals, focusing on specific key populations to maximize fundraising potential
Ensures adherence to ethical fundraising practices, compliance with regulations, and alignment with industry standards
Performs all other duties as assigned