Associate Director, Principal Gifts

American University•Washington, DC

9d•$72,000 - $78,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director, Principal Gifts provides high quality, tailored written communications in support of the principal gifts team, with a focus on high priority projects to include concept papers, proposals, donor communications, strategy briefings, and stewardship plans. These written communications play a vital role in advancing strategic donor relationships with the university throughout the donor life cycle. With a focus on gifts of $2.5 million and above, the associate director will support significant philanthropic attainment. Working closely with the Assistant Vice President, Principal Gifts, the Vice President for University Advancement, and other senior leadership as required, the associate director will help to advance the conceptualization of strategic fundraising priorities, with a focus on institutional, cross-disciplinary opportunities and areas of strength for the university, especially those that emerge from the developing university strategic plan. The associate director will also work closely with the Assistant Vice President, Principal Gifts and the Vice President for University Advancement to support donor communication and donor strategy meetings with university leadership, including the President. The associate director will maintain a deep working knowledge of the university’s top prospects and serve as a liaison with Prospect Development and Donor Engagement and Advancement Communications on behalf of the principal gifts team. The associate director will also organize the development and execution of stewardship for principal level gifts, with a focus on the highest-level donors to the university, major campaign gifts, cross-disciplinary gifts, and donors who require bespoke stewardship plans. This work will be done in collaboration with the Assistant Vice President, Principal Gifts and the Donor Engagement and Advancement Communications team. The associate director will also help to maintain up-to-date records of principal gift donor engagement and communications in CRM Advance as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
4 - 6 years of relevant experience.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or equivalent.
5 - 8 years of relevant experience.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with the Assistant Vice President, Principal Gifts in crafting principal gift donor strategies and producing briefings, correspondence, and proposals related to the cultivation and solicitation of principal gift prospects.
Work as needed with prospect development to maintain records and research top prospects in support of principal gift strategies.
Work with the Assistant Vice President PG to advance the conceptualization of strategic fundraising priorities.
Provide writing support for principal gift fundraising opportunities.
Ensure that communication materials related to strategic initiatives and proposals are persuasive, accurate, and customized for individual, corporate, or foundation donors with the capacity to make principal and transformative gifts.
Create bespoke proposals and materials to advance relationships with key principal gift prospects and secure philanthropic support at the highest levels.
Ensure principal gift communications deliverables are inspiring and meticulously accurate, and, in partnership with the donor engagement and advancement communications team, ensure they are in line with American University standards for branding and style.
Provide support as needed on communications for the Vice President of University Advancement with top prospects.
Produce regular metrics reports on the volume and effectiveness of their work.
Ensure donor records are kept up to date and key information is updated into the CRM.
Other duties as assigned.