Director of Annual Giving

Clarkson University•Potsdam, NY

3d•$80,000 - $86,700

About The Position

Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, the Director of Annual Giving provides strategic leadership for annual giving programs and staff. The role oversees efforts to secure annual gifts from alumni, parents, and friends; leads the Clarkson Fund strategy, including Good Knights Guild loyal membership; and supports restricted annual giving initiatives. In partnership with the AVP, the Director manages prospect pipelines and relationship strategies, including portfolio development, gift officer support, and data accuracy throughout the gift cycle. The Director develops and implements annual giving strategies, guides performance through data analysis, directs Clarkson Fund programs and multichannel fundraising, and oversees prospect management, gift operations, donor stewardship, budgets, vendors, and staff. The position also travels nationally to cultivate, engage, and solicit donors, with travel estimated at approximately 10–15%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
A minimum of 6–8 years of experience in higher education.
Strong organizational and time-management skills.
Ability to work effectively with internal and external constituent groups.
Interpersonal skills to develop, cultivate, and maintain professional relationships with donors.
Very strong writing skills.
Ability to define and adhere to budgets.
Ability to work independently, establish priorities, and meet deadlines.
Significant experience in fundraising responsibilities in leadership management.
Independent thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving ability.
Strong project management and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to develop strategic plans.
Ability to build strong partnerships, influence others, and move decisions forward.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Ability to organize and prioritize tasks, work independently and collaboratively, and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
Strong interpersonal skills and poise when communicating with individuals and groups.
Ability to work flexibly and collaboratively in a team-oriented atmosphere.
Analytical and problem-solving skills, initiative, and ability to make recommendations.
Ability to develop program enhancements, analyze statistical data and results to identify giving trends, and develop proactive solutions.
Management experience and ability to motivate and inspire direct reports.
Familiarity with prospect management.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, client management software, databases for retrieving and analyzing data, online social networking applications, email, and texting.
Commitment to confidentiality, tact, and discretion.
Ability to respond to changing business needs and priorities and balance strategic thinking with tactical implementation.
Sound judgment, thoughtfulness, multitasking ability, and attention to detail.
Willingness to travel and work evenings and weekends as needed.
Valid driver’s license.
Ability to work independently and in team situations.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Higher Education or a related field.
Successful experience in annual giving, moves management, donor life-cycle management, and general fundraising.
Comfort and confidence using data and statistical analysis to drive strategic planning and decisions.

Responsibilities

Meet or exceed annual fundraising goals set by University leadership and continuously improve solicitation strategies across constituencies.
Develop and implement short- and long-term annual giving strategies, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans.
Use data analysis and performance metrics to guide strategy, forecast revenue, and assess fundraising effectiveness.
Establish leadership and major gift strategies for the Clarkson Fund, including Board of Trustees giving.
Manage a portfolio of top-tier Clarkson Fund prospects and serve as Gift Officer or co-officer as appropriate.
Travel nationally to cultivate, engage, and solicit donors, with approximately 10–15% travel, and conduct virtual cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings.
Direct Clarkson Fund programs, including Reunion Giving, Faculty and Staff Giving, the Engagement Call Center, Student Giving, Good Knight Guild Loyal membership, crowdfunding initiatives, and Days of Giving.
Lead comprehensive direct mail and digital fundraising efforts using multichannel communication strategies throughout the year.
Align annual giving initiatives with broader Development and Alumni Relations fundraising priorities.
Partner with the AVP and Director of Research to develop and refine a prospect management system, including segmentation, ratings, research, tracking, and reporting.
Oversee proposal pipeline policies, moves management, and administrative training for Clarkson Fund and other fundraising staff.
Participate in individual and team development strategy sessions to review prospects, portfolios, and special initiatives.
Collaborate with Gift Officers on targeted solicitation strategies and focus on high-potential prospects.
Monitor prospect activity, pipelines, and proposal progress to ensure accurate reporting and effective performance management.
Work with Development Operations to ensure accurate gift processing, data entry, reporting, and query development.
Maximize the functionality of donor management and online giving systems, and collaborate with Development Operations to maintain and enhance online giving infrastructure.
Partner with Donor Relations to develop and implement donor recognition and stewardship programs.
Manage and supervise professional and support staff; assign and monitor work; and contribute to departmental policies and procedures.
Oversee operating budgets for the Clarkson Fund and Engagement Call Center programs.
Serve as primary liaison to external vendors; review proposals, negotiate contracts, and approve services.
Meet regularly with the AVP to assess progress, identify trends, and refine fundraising and prospect strategies.
Maintain confidentiality of donor information, philanthropic data, and internal University reports; ensure donor communications and records comply with privacy standards and institutional practices.