Director of Annual Giving

Clarkson University•Potsdam, NY

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 leads fundraising strategy and performance, directs Clarkson Fund programs and multi-channel campaigns, oversees prospect management and pipeline processes, and works with Development Operations to support gift processing, data, reporting, and online giving systems. The role also partners with Donor Relations on recognition and stewardship, manages staff and program budgets, serves as a liaison to vendors, and protects confidential donor and institutional information. National travel of approximately 10–15% is expected, with evening and weekend work as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Six to eight years of experience in higher education.
Significant experience with fundraising responsibilities in leadership and management.
Strong organizational and time-management skills.
Ability to work effectively with internal and external constituent groups and 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.
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, manage multiple projects, and work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
Strong interpersonal skills and poise when communicating with individuals and groups.
Excellent work ethic and flexibility in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
Analytical and problem-solving skills, initiative, and ability to make recommendations.
Ability to develop program enhancements, analyze statistical data and 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, online social networking applications, email, and texting.
Commitment to confidentiality, tact, and discretion.
Ability to respond to changing business needs, balance strategic thinking with tactical implementation, exercise sound judgment, and multitask with 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 and continuously improve solicitation strategies across constituencies.
Develop and implement short- and long-term annual giving cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
Use data analysis and performance metrics to guide strategy, forecast revenue, and evaluate 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 a gift officer or co-officer as appropriate.
Travel nationally to cultivate, engage, and solicit donors, approximately 10–15% of the time, 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 direct mail and digital fundraising using year-round, multi-channel communications.
Align annual giving initiatives with broader Development and Alumni Relations fundraising priorities.
Partner with the AVP and Director of Research to develop and refine prospect management processes, 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 for accurate reporting and effective performance management.
Work with Development Operations on accurate gift processing, data entry, reporting, and query development.
Maximize donor management and online giving system functionality and collaborate 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, and ensure donor communications and records comply with privacy standards and institutional practices.
Adhere to the University’s Health, Safety, and Environmental Policy and Procedures.