Campaign Director

Marist University • Poughkeepsie, NY

2d • $110,000 - $125,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Campaign Director provides strategic leadership and operational management
for Marist University’s comprehensive fundraising campaign. This role is
responsible for planning, executing, and monitoring all aspects of the campaign,
including volunteer engagement, prospect strategy, internal coordination, and
progress tracking. The Campaign Director works closely with senior leadership,
advancement staff, and volunteer leaders to ensure the successful achievement of
campaign goals and priorities.

This role is central to the success of the University’s comprehensive campaign
and requires a high level of strategic thinking, organizational leadership, and
collaboration. The Campaign Director serves as a key integrator across
advancement functions and campus partners, ensuring disciplined execution and
strong alignment with institutional priorities. This role is key to the
execution of a successful campaign for Marist.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• 5 - 8 year's relevant experience in fundraising program management, campaign management, or advancement operations

Nice To Haves

• 7+ years of experience in fundraising program management, campaign management, or advancement operations
• Experience working on or leading a comprehensive campaign preferred, ideally in higher education or a complex nonprofit
• Outstanding project management and execution skills
• Experience coordinating prospect strategy
• Ability to use data and metrics to drive decisions and performance
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills
• Highly organized and execution-focused
• Strong sense of accountability and follow-through
• Comfortable working across teams and influencing without authority
• Thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Responsibilities

• Lead campaign strategy development and execution
• Lead the day-to-day execution of the campaign, ensuring progress against goals and timelines
• Refine campaign strategy based on performance, pipeline, and institutional priorities
• Maintain a clear roadmap of priorities, milestones, and next steps
• Coordinate campaign operations and infrastructure
• Oversee campaign tracking, reporting, and internal coordination
• Ensure disciplined use of systems and consistent communication
• Support and manage campaign volunteer leadership
• Support Campaign Cabinet and volunteer leaders in advancing key relationships
• Prepare strategy, materials, and briefings for volunteer engagement
• Collaborate with advancement leadership on principal gift strategy
• Partner with gift officers to prioritize and advance top prospects
• Lead regular prospect strategy discussions and portfolio reviews
• Monitor pipeline strength and identify opportunities to accelerate progress
• Develop campaign communications and case materials
• Create key communication plan and ensure various stakeholders are engaged and informed about the campaign
• Ability to delegate responsibilities to team members to ensure communication strategy is executed effectively
• Prepare slide decks and other materials for key volunteers and Marist leadership
• Monitor campaign performance and reporting
• Track campaign performance using clear metrics and reporting tools
• Drive follow-through across the team to ensure consistent progress
• Identify gaps and recommend course corrections
• Facilitate internal coordination across campus partners
• Work with academic and administrative leaders to align funding priorities
• Help translate institutional priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• 3 weeks of paid vacation. 4 weeks of paid vacation beginning in the 6th year of employment.
• Unlimited paid sick time.
• 14+ paid holidays per year.
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance programs at a 15% employee / 85% employer contribution rate. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Dependent Care (FSD).
• Life insurance.
• Generous short-term and long-term disability programs and workers compensation.
• 403(b) defined contribution plan:
• First 6 years University contributes 7.5%, Employee contributes a mandatory 4%.
• University contribution increases to 10.5% in year 7, and 12% after 15 years.
• Employee contribution decreases to 1% in year 7. Remains 1% thereafter.
• Typical eligibility requirements: 1 year of service and 1,000 hours with Marist University.
• 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity – Roth option available. Voluntary, up to IRS maximum contribution.
• Tuition Benefits:
• Up to 16 undergraduate credits per semester. Up to 18 graduate credit per academic calendar. Eligibility extends to employee, spouse, and dependent children under age 26.
• University pays 100% tuition only.
• Eligible dependents may be Reimbursed up to $2,000 per semester towards tuition at another accredited institution.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees