Sr. Associate Director, Annual Giving - West Coast Regional Office (Hybrid)

Department: Alumni Relations & Development
Salary/Grade: EXS/11

Please note: The target budgeted salary for this position is between $98,500 and $115,000. Offers will be based on candidate experience and education, as well as equity within Northwestern University.

About Alumni Relations and Development

Alumni Relations and Development appreciates that the collective sum of our individual differences, experiences, knowledge, and self-expression is crucial for our success. We strongly invite candidates of all backgrounds to apply and to participate fully and authentically in our workplace.

We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet 100% of the preferred qualifications.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Alumni Relations and Development is committed to genuine inclusion. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Elizabeth Frisch at efrisch@northwestern.edu. Consistent with its obligations under the law, Northwestern will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential job responsibilities.

Job Summary

High-level officer with responsibility for yielding high-impact results through the design, implementation and management of innovative programs & events to identify, engage/cultivate, solicit, and/or steward prospective donors. Builds and adapts programs to a point of sustainability. Monitors and reports on team activity and progress to goals, initiates and manages change as needed. Participates in one-to-one relationship management strategy development and execution with high-profile/high potential volunteers and donors. Interfaces with campus leadership to develop philanthropic and fundraising strategies and prepares them for prospect meetings and solicitations. Serves as liaison to both University and Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA). May supervise groups of volunteers and/or staff.

As part of the central annual giving team within Alumni Relations and Development (ARD), and in collaboration with the team director, the Sr. Associate Director, Leadership Annual Giving strategizes, plans, and executes a robust individual solicitation plan for annual donors who give at the leadership giving level. This position will report to the Director of Leadership Annual Giving in Evanston IL. Incumbent will seamlessly utilize best practices in personal outreach, individual solicitation, peer-to-peer engagement, leveraging membership in a leadership giving society, board management, and donor pipeline building, including:

• conducting 1-4 personalized touchpoints a year each among 250+ assigned donor prospects, prioritizing one-on-one solicitations at the $10,000-$25,000 annual levels, including asks for renewals, upgrades, and reactivations
• managing strategy for two boards of 50-100 diverse, high-level volunteers (alumni, parents, and friends) with the purpose of inspiring philanthropy through program engagement, peer-to-peer engagement through events and leadership annual giving-level solicitations
• overseeing regional Board demographic makeup to ensure diversity and a mix of industry expertise and points of view, keeping team leaders regularly informed
• building cyclical plan with team leaders to recruit and retire Board members
• strengthening the donor pipeline by renewing and upgrading donors' annual gifts while qualifying and referring donor prospects for major gift and planned giving programs

The position is an integral member of the central annual giving team in support of achieving annual fundraising targets for schools and programs and a collaborator with the broader ARD team in support of building the donor pipeline.

Travel is required. Availability for evening and weekend events is required.

Strategic Planning

• High-level responsibility for envisioning, developing and implementing strategic plans relating to specific market segments, programs, events, support teams or high level donors to meet goals for engagement, dollars and donors.
• Reviews plans, meets with leadership, key faculty, and staff, and recommends changes or improvements to dramatically increase engagement & participation & meet organizational and donor needs and objectives.
• Shares strategic responsibility with regional/ market/ school based managers.
• Works with/guides volunteer leadership in setting and implementing strategies for volunteer cohorts.
• Maintains awareness of University and department organizational goals and activities of other departments.

Collaboration

• Involves high level of collaboration with both internal department and broader University partners to identify common goals & develop & execute strategies to increase integration.

Prospects & Gifts

• Researches & develops prospects including up-to-date knowledge on assigned groups & works with other areas of development to coordinate contacts.
• Develops & implements overall communication plan to meet engagement and/or participation goals for broader segments within Northwestern community, including alumni, friends, parents, & faculty/staff.
• Plays a significant role in individual relationship management of volunteers and donors.
• Identifies prospects.
• Develops and implements individual engagement plans.
• Creates programs &/or events that promote engagement & philanthropic opportunities.
• Personally solicits gifts.
• Plans and/or executes individual stewardship for gifts.
  

Volunteers

• Ensures the development of multiple & unique opportunities for alumni to volunteer to increase & grow alumni volunteerism.
• Works with higher-level volunteers to determine goals, identify, recruit, and coach groups of volunteers, plan and coordinate meetings, determine strategies, and report on progress in order to create and facilitate an overall culture of actively engaged volunteers.
• Develops & implements a variety of leadership training opportunities both in-person & virtually designed to meet the needs of entry level to advanced alumni leaders in locations around the world.
• Requires extensive travel throughout the region or country.

Events

• Leads the development of a broad variety of complex engagement & participation programs &/or events that expand constituent philanthropic opportunities across the globe.
• Identifies target audience(s).
• Develops innovative programming & associated web- & print-based marketing campaigns.
• Recruits & manages volunteers.
• Creates event plans & summaries.

Administration

• Manages activities related to high-level prospects, programs &/or events, membership solicitations & renewals.
• Develops & implements processes &/or procedures.
• Engages and reviews vendors and contracts.
• Designs and manages volunteer programs and activities.
• Conducts associated ongoing data analysis to determine trends, results & future plans.
• Reports to senior management and key collaborators.
• Provides necessary documentation and follow-up to donors & internal contacts.
• Responsible for duties assigned to supervised staff.
• Optimizes the use of technology including social media for marketing, communications & data reporting & analysis.
• Assists in the development of dashboards & metrics which provide quantitative analysis of program & event outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 6 years development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required.

Minimum Competencies

• Team leadership; curiosity and analytical thinking, global/organizational perspective; complex problem solving; ability to work in fast-paced environment

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.