Assistant Director, Athletics Annual Giving
Job Details
Job no: 503918
Work type: Exempt Staff Full-time
Location: Bethlehem
Categories: Development/ Alumni Relations
Lehigh University's Development and Alumni Relations team is seeking an Assistant Director of Athletics Annual Giving to drive meaningful donor engagement across a storied Division I athletics program.
Position Number: S80810
This position is a Grade: 9 - 40 with an approximate salary range of $56,030-$68,190 and is subject to change based on experience, skills and qualifications.
Key Accountabilities
- Develop long-term donor relationships to secure a minimum of $150,000 in annual commitments for Lehigh priorities, specifically targeting $1,000+ outright gifts and $5,000+ pledges for unrestricted and sport-specific funds.
- Analyze demographic data, donor analytics, and giving history to establish annual fiscal goals, drive donor participation, and execute personalized outreach through digital and traditional channels.
- Partner with Gift Officers and head coaches to coordinate prospect solicitations, navigate donor dynamics, respond to constituent feedback, and serve as a university representative at on- and off-campus events.
- Manage a dedicated pool of 100–150 Athletics households and prospects, conducting exploratory conversations to qualify interest, identify leadership potential, and transition prospects to Major Gift portfolios.
- Execute all phases of the fundraising cycle—including discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship—through a rigorous schedule of 150–200 substantive contacts and personal visits annually.
- Develop individualized giving plans and pyramids to conduct 30–50 annual fund proposals per year, ensuring 100% outreach to new prospects within 90 days of assignment to meet revenue goals.
- Solicit prospects using video, text, phone, and social media, while crafting high-impact written appeals, customized proposals, and digital content that articulate Lehigh Athletics' priorities.
- Partner with the Athletics Engagement team and alumni volunteers to optimize prospect segmentation by sport, while maintaining strict data integrity through timely database contact reports.
- Collaborates with the Director of Athletics Annual Giving to administer, execute, and monitor comprehensive annual and multi-year philanthropic plans, ensuring alignment between frontline fundraising activities and departmental goals.
- Serves as the project lead for strategic initiatives, while identifying and recommending innovative approaches to enhance fundraising results, donor retention, and departmental strategy.
- Supports the evaluation and continuous improvement of athletics programs by tracking key performance metrics and providing data-driven feedback on program effectiveness.
- Oversee accurate gift booking in alignment with university standards, troubleshoot discrepancies, manage timely travel expense reporting, and provide regular project performance updates.
- Drive event attendance, assist in executing department-wide events like the Athletics Golf Classic and Hall of Fame, and collaborate with the engagement team on volunteer management, alumni career connections, and broad-based donor communications.
- Identify potential alumni volunteers from assigned sports to strengthen the engagement pipeline, while maintaining the flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends to support donor activities and athletic competitions.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree
- Three to five years of related work experience
- Valid Driver's License with a good driving record
- Demonstrated experience in annual giving, fundraising, or donor relations — ideally within athletics, higher education, or a comparable development environment
- Proven ability to manage a donor portfolio and move prospects through a relationship-based solicitation cycle
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to represent Lehigh Athletics in front of coaches, donors, and alumni
- Experience working collaboratively across teams and with senior stakeholders to execute shared goals
- Comfort with CRM platforms and data-informed approaches to prospect management
- A genuine connection to the role collegiate athletics plays in alumni engagement and institutional pride at a university like Lehigh
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