| Posting Number |
S1156P |
| Position Summary |
The Director, Annual Giving & Alumni Engagement (Director) is responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive annual giving program aimed at increasing the acquisition and retention of donors to the institution. They will provide strategic direction and both long-term and annual planning in the context of re-energizing the University’s annual giving program, while supporting the greater development and campaign goals of the advancement office. The Director is responsible for creating innovative programs that advance a culture of philanthropy with La Salle’s more than 60,000 alumni around the world, inspiring them to use their resources to support the University’s mission and engaging them as lifelong partners in La Salle’s success. |
| Essential Duties |
PROGRAM STRATEGY
- Plan and implement La Salle’s comprehensive annual giving program that reaches out to alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, and friends with a primary focus on alumni.
- Develop and oversee the annual giving and alumni engagement budgets, allocating resources on a priority basis to various fundraising and engagement activities.
- Engage key constituents including in fundraising and engagement programs that build and promote a culture of philanthropy.
- Define the role for and hire a staff member to support annual giving and alumni engagement.
- Develop innovative strategies to cultivate, engage and steward donors utilizing communication platforms, recognition programs and other outreach initiatives.
- Coordinate annual fundraising strategy with other areas in advancement, school leadership, and development colleagues.
- Conduct independent research and thorough analysis of past direct mail strategies and best marketing practices to design, develop, and administer a high-performing direct mail appeal program. Explore opportunities to leverage new technologies for crowdfunding initiatives.
PROGRAM DELIVERYThe Director will need to determine the split of responsibilities between the Director and the Associate Director to address the following:
- Guide the execution of integrated direct mail, phone, electronic, and personal solicitations through advanced targeted segmentation and data analytics techniques to achieve revenue and participation goals for the program.
- Create and monitor the content and timeline for all direct mail solicitations, including the proofing, ordering, printing, stuffing, and mailing of materials. Responsible for final proofing of all direct mail appeals.
- Write appeals, stewardship messages; develop marketing and solicitation collateral for annual giving appeals and stewardship initiatives.
- Play a key role in electronic donation forms and online giving activity.
- Coordinate with Career Services, Athletics, Academic Affairs, and Student Affairs to develop engagement programs of importance to the University, graduates, and campus constituencies.
- Create communications vehicles that keep alumni informed about University strategic priorities, working to ensure a strong overlap between the focus of the alumni efforts, and the University’s key needs. Inform University constituents about matters of interest to the alumni.
- Serve as a key contact for the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association and work with the Vice President of Advancement to determine Alumni Association policies and procedures to ensure that these programs and services for alumni are in concert with the University’s strategic priorities.
- Work closely with colleagues in Advancement Operations to improve database capabilities in terms of tracking, list pulling and reporting.
- Develop measurable goals and metrics to routinely monitor the impact of annual giving activities on the success of donor acquisition, retention, upgrading, and other key performance indicators.
- Establish and maintain tracking and testing methods for all solicitation initiatives and adjust strategies based on results of data analysis.
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| Secondary Responsibilities |
- La Salle is building and growing, and this position will support those efforts with other duties and projects as assigned by leadership from time to time.
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| # of Direct Reports |
1 |
| Required Qualifications |
- At least three years of relevant experience in advancement, fundraising, development communications, or a related field, preferably with an educational institution.
- Detail-oriented project manager with exceptional communication skills, proofing proficiency, and the ability to handle multiple competing priorities.
- Demonstrated analytical and fundraising skills with the ability to recognize opportunities, identify critical, high pay-off activities and prioritize them to attain goals.
- Ability to work cooperatively to achieve common goals; support cooperation, collaboration and the sharing of information.
- Able to provide direction and motivation to others through transparent communication, modeling appropriate behavior, optimism and high achievement.
- Openness to new ideas and their implementation.
- Will listen carefully to and understand customers’ needs, both internally and externally, and proactively respond to those needs in a consistent and timely manner. Ability to react and adapt to changing situations appropriately.
- Can take initiative and work independently and as a member of a team.
- Skilled in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
- A strong drive to be successful paired with integrity and sincerity.
- Knowledge of and commitment to the mission of La Salle University.
- Able to travel and work evenings and weekends occasionally.
- Bachelor’s degree; equivalent work experience will be considered.
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| Preferred Qualifications |
- Knowledge of Salesforce or similar database and email/communications platforms like ThankView is helpful; as is the willingness to learn new technologies.
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| Physical Requirements and/or Unusual Work Hours |
- Some work hours outside of the typical business day and/or on weekends may be required during peak times and special events.
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| Special Instructions to Applicant |
For a complete position profile or to nominate a colleague, please visit https://www.pearlstreetcollective.com/positions/ls-dagae.
Pearl Street Collective has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Adele Mezher, Maeve Clifford, and Caitlin Graham are leading this search and will be reviewing applications submitted through this posting. If you are not yet ready to submit an application, please submit your confidential resume to ls-dagae@pearlstreetcollective.com.
La Salle University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports a fully inclusive, equitable, and diverse working and learning environment. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.
If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, please contact Pearl Street Collective at hello@pearlstreetcollective.com or 800-285-0464.
La Salle University offers its eligible employees comprehensive medical and dental plans, employer paid life and disability insurance, retirement benefits, generous paid time off (vacation, sick leave, and holidays), and tuition benefits such as no cost undergraduate and graduate degree programs for its employees (with no wait period) and no cost undergraduate degree programs for its employees’ dependents (after completing the required years of service). |