Philanthropy Center Program Specialist

South Dakota State University Alumni & Foundation•Brookings, SD

About The Position

The Philanthropy Center Program Specialist supports the daily operations and digital engagement initiatives of the Jackrabbits Philanthropy Center. This role provides key support for the digital engagement efforts by coordinating content production, student collaboration, and campaign logistics. The position also helps foster student leadership, organizes peer-to-peer content workflows, and assists in executing donor engagement strategies.

Requirements

Associate or bachelor’s degree is preferred but not required.
Two or more years of professional experience in related field (such as communications, graphic design, journalism, public relations, or digital media) is recommended.
Demonstrated agility to proactively adapt and recognize the needs of the organization and ability to guide and facilitate effective change management.
Demonstrated ability to navigate working with cross-functional teams for best outcomes.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to anticipate, identify, research, and analyze effective and timely solutions.
A high level of interpersonal skills, both in person and by phone, to handle sensitive and confidential situations with varied internal and external constituencies.
Customer service skills requiring clear communication in person, on the phone, and in writing are essential.
A high level of integrity, including ability to treat confidential information with discretion.
Ability to be organized and resourceful to locate and compile information and accomplish projects with minimal supervision.
Consistent attention to detail in composing and proofing materials, establishing priorities, and meeting deadlines.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
Ability to work independently as well as in a collaborative team environment with professional demeanor, self-reliance, and resourcefulness.
Dependability and punctuality.
High energy, positive attitude, and high degree of initiative.
Proficient experience using the most recent versions of computer software applications including word processing, spreadsheets, database and presentation software (i.e. MSWord, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).

Responsibilities

Assist with hiring, onboarding, mentoring, and managing Student Engagement Officers and student supervisors.
Coordinate Student Engagement Officer schedules, timesheets, shift changes, and assign daily tasks.
Track student performance and facilitate peer review, goal setting, and milestone recognition.
Facilitate and maintain documentation, onboarding activities, and student morale-building efforts.
Provide training, coaching, and mentorship to Student Engagement Officers.
Extract and organize performance data from digital platforms.
Support the Digital Engagement Officer in engagement tracking and managing opt-out and unsubscribe workflows.
Maintain internal dashboards and trackers for Student Engagement Officer output, fundraising progress, and donor engagement.
Review content created by the Jackrabbits Philanthropy Center - including videos, captions, and visuals - for tone, quality, and brand alignment.
Organize and maintain internal content libraries and campaign-specific media folders.
Collaborate with the Digital Engagement Officer to gather stories, photos, and updates from campus departments to support engagement, social media, and outreach efforts.
Support stewardship efforts through digital and mail campaigns.
Other duties may be assigned to meet the organization’s needs.