Director of Annual Giving

Thomas College•Waterville, ME

About The Position

Thomas College, located in beautiful Waterville, Maine, is defining what it means to be the College of the Future. With a strong commitment to innovation, career readiness, and community partnerships, Thomas College is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of Maine’s top colleges for social mobility. Our distinctive Guaranteed Job Program™, accelerated undergraduate degrees, and flexible graduate programs empower students to advance faster in business, entrepreneurship, education, technology, applied STEM, and arts & science fields. At Thomas, belonging isn’t a buzzword; it’s a promise. We create a supportive, welcoming environment where every student is seen, valued, and prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world. For more information visit Thomas.edu. The Director of Annual Giving is responsible for the overall creation and management of a newly crafted annual giving program and associated activities at Thomas College. This individual will be part of the Advancement team, and will manage a portfolio of 125 prospects, plus work closely with the VP of Advancement and the President of the College to promote the acquisition of gifts to the Thomas Fund. The Director will be primarily responsible for developing and enhancing year-round strategies for bolstering the annual fund, including appeals, sponsorships, signature fundraising events (Day of Giving) and individual solicitations. They may supervise student workers, and will provide oversight of the student philanthropy committee, the goal of which is to educate the students on the impact of philanthropy and to encourage giving while in college to nurture them to become informed and loyal alumni donors. The Director will be responsible for integrating fundraising best-practices into all aspects of the annual giving program. They will create strategies, manage data, develop metrics, and focus efforts on advancing the College’s need to increase unrestricted gifts through The Thomas Fund. They will be instrumental in assisting the College regarding unrestricted strategies for the next phase of the comprehensive campaign. The Director collaborates with faculty and staff; creates and implements annual plans; sets ambitious team and individual goals; assesses results and mentors employees, as needed; and serves as a key ambassador and liaison for the College. In addition, the Director must be sincerely passionate about the mission and vision of Thomas College and willing to be an active and positive member of our special community. Must be experienced and comfortable asking for gifts. Must have the ability to think strategically and design effective annual fundraising model utilizing a metrics driven approach. Must have strong interpersonal and relational skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative environment. Strong project-management and problem-solving skills. Some travel; evening and weekend hours required.

Requirements

Must be experienced and comfortable asking for gifts.
Must have the ability to think strategically and design effective annual fundraising model utilizing a metrics driven approach.
Must have strong interpersonal and relational skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative environment.
Strong project-management and problem-solving skills.
Some travel; evening and weekend hours required.
Four-year college degree required.
Minimum of 3 years of experience focused on annual giving and/or non-profit/higher education fundraising.
Experience utilizing metrics to evaluate performance.
Valid driver’s license.
Successful background check.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Constant Contact, GiveCampus or other similar online giving platforms a plus.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and database management; prior experience with Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge NXT a plus.

Responsibilities

overall creation and management of a newly crafted annual giving program
manage a portfolio of 125 prospects
work closely with the VP of Advancement and the President of the College to promote the acquisition of gifts to the Thomas Fund
developing and enhancing year-round strategies for bolstering the annual fund, including appeals, sponsorships, signature fundraising events (Day of Giving) and individual solicitations
supervise student workers
provide oversight of the student philanthropy committee
integrating fundraising best-practices into all aspects of the annual giving program
create strategies, manage data, develop metrics, and focus efforts on advancing the College’s need to increase unrestricted gifts through The Thomas Fund
assisting the College regarding unrestricted strategies for the next phase of the comprehensive campaign
collaborates with faculty and staff
creates and implements annual plans
sets ambitious team and individual goals
assesses results and mentors employees, as needed
serves as a key ambassador and liaison for the College