Job Details
Job Location: Edmond, OK 73034
Position Type: Staff
Salary Range: $50,000.00 - $50,000.00 Salary/year
Job Category: OTRS Classified
Description
Position Classification:
Regular, full-time, salaried, exempt and benefit-eligible staff
position. For more benefit information visit
Why Work at UCO?
General Schedule:
Position typically works Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm in-office at
UCO's main campus in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Position Overview:
The Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship leads the
planning, implementation, and evaluation of annual giving and donor
stewardship programs under the direction of the Assistant Vice
President for Advancement and Donor Relations.This position
develops and executes strategies designed to increase donor
participation, strengthen donor engagement and retention, and build
a culture of philanthropy across the University of Central Oklahoma
community. The Assistant Director uses data, donor behavior,
campaign results, and industry best practices to evaluate
performance and inform future fundraising and stewardship
strategies.The position collaborates with university leadership,
deans, the Athletic Director, the President, the UCO Foundation
Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, students, and other partners
to advance annual giving and engagement goals through direct mail,
email, digital and social media, events, personal outreach, and
other fundraising and stewardship channels.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Annual Giving and Campaign Management
- Lead the planning, implementation, and evaluation of annual
giving programs, including the Annual Fund, Faculty and Staff
Campaign, crowdfunding initiatives, Giving Tuesday and other
one-day giving initiatives, and additional annual giving
campaigns.
Develop comprehensive campaign strategies, timelines, audience
segmentation, messaging, solicitation plans, and follow-up
strategies across direct mail, email, web, social media, events,
telephone, and personal outreach.
Coordinate campaign production and execution, including writing
and editing content, print and mailing processes, digital
implementation, web content, matching and challenge gifts, and
campaign-related events.
Monitor campaign performance and use fundraising data, donor
behavior, participation trends, and results to recommend
adjustments and inform future strategy.
Manage multiple campaigns, stakeholders, vendors, deliverables,
and deadlines simultaneously while ensuring projects remain on
schedule and aligned with Foundation priorities.
Serve as a representative of the UCO Foundation at appropriate
university and donor-facing events and participate in donor visits
or presentations as needed.
Faculty, Staff and Student Philanthropy
- Lead the Faculty and Staff Campaign and develop strategies that
encourage and strengthen a culture of philanthropy across
campus.
- Recruit, engage, and support campaign ambassadors through
presentations, communications, resources, events, and ongoing
stewardship.
- Develop segmented faculty and staff communications and
engagement strategies designed to increase participation and donor
retention.
- Manage student philanthropy initiatives and giving society
engagement as assigned.
- Identify opportunities to educate students, faculty, and staff
about the impact and importance of philanthropy at UCO.
Donor Stewardship and Engagement
- Develop and implement stewardship strategies for annual giving
donors, first-time and new donors, crowdfunding donors, faculty and
staff donors, giving society members, and other assigned donor
groups.
- Design donor journeys and stewardship touchpoints that
strengthen donor engagement, retention, and long-term relationships
with UCO.
- Coordinate impact communications, donor recognition, ThankView
and other video messages, handwritten notes, student stories,
personalized communications, and other stewardship activities.
- Support major-gift stewardship initiatives as needed in
coordination with Advancement colleagues.
- Manage giving society engagement and communications as
assigned, ensuring donors receive meaningful recognition and
opportunities to connect with the impact of their
philanthropy.
Communications and Marketing
- Partner with the Engagement Team to develop distinctive,
donor-centered marketing and communication materials for annual
giving programs, stewardship initiatives, and giving
societies.
- Develop and coordinate membership materials, direct mail
appeals, event invitations, email campaigns, social media content,
digital stewardship, impact communications, and other donor-facing
materials.
- Assist with the development and management of the annual
outreach and communications calendar, including fundraising
solicitations, stewardship communications, giving society
communications, and engagement initiatives.
- Ensure annual giving and stewardship communications are
coordinated, audience-appropriate, and consistent with UCO
Foundation messaging and brand standards.
Budget, Data and Performance Management
- Develop and monitor annual operating budgets for annual giving
programs and initiatives.
- Evaluate campaign expenses, fundraising results, participation,
donor retention, return on investment, and other key performance
indicators to assess effectiveness.
- Develop reports and recommendations that use data and campaign
results to inform fundraising and stewardship strategy.
- Utilize Raiser’s Edge NXT, Almabase, and other CRM and
engagement platforms to document activity, track donor engagement,
manage campaigns, and measure results.
- Maintain accurate records and follow established Foundation
procedures related to donor information, campaign activity, and
reporting.
Collaboration and Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain productive relationships with donors,
university leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni,
volunteers, vendors, and community partners.
- Collaborate across Advancement and the broader university to
coordinate fundraising, stewardship, and engagement efforts and
achieve shared goals.
- Work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, balancing
competing priorities and deadlines while maintaining strong
communication and follow-through.
- Identify opportunities for collaboration and encourage
partnerships among colleagues, departments, and university
stakeholders.
- Apply for sponsorships or grants supporting engagement
opportunities as directed by the Assistant Vice President for
Advancement.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a job-related field, two or more years of
relevant professional experience, or an equivalent combination of
education and experience
- Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, and organizational
communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, priorities,
stakeholders, and deadlines.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn and
effectively utilize new technology and software.
Preferred Qualifications:
- One to three years of professional experience, with preference
given to candidates with experience in fundraising/development,
annual giving, donor relations or stewardship, nonprofit
management, higher education advancement, marketing,
communications, or charitable giving programs.
- Experience managing fundraising, marketing, engagement, or
similar campaigns from planning through execution and
evaluation.
- Experience using data and performance metrics to evaluate
outcomes and inform strategy.
- Experience with CRM or donor database systems, preferably
Raiser’s Edge NXT, Almabase, or similar platforms.
- Experience developing digital communications, email campaigns,
social media content, or other multichannel engagement
strategies.
- Experience working in a fast-paced, collaborative
environment.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Strong project and campaign management skills, including the
ability to establish priorities, coordinate multiple stakeholders,
manage deadlines, and successfully execute concurrent
initiatives.
- Analytical skills and the ability to interpret fundraising and
engagement data, identify trends, measure performance, and use
findings to inform strategy.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the
ability to adapt messaging for a variety of audiences and
communication channels.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and
consistent follow-through.
- Proactive, self-directed approach to work with the ability to
independently advance projects while contributing effectively
within a team environment.
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the
ability to work effectively with students, alumni, donors, faculty,
staff, university leadership, volunteers, vendors, and community
partners.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain professionalism,
and provide excellent service to internal and external
constituents.
- Ability to learn new subject matter, systems, and processes
quickly and respond effectively to feedback.
- Strong leadership capabilities and the ability to influence,
coordinate, and engage others toward shared goals.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and
adapt to changing priorities.
- Working knowledge of social media platforms and digital
engagement practices.
Physical Demands:
Reasonable accommodations, in accordance with ADA requirements, may
be made upon request to enable individuals with disabilities to
perform the essential functions of the position.
