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The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer…
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The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.
Posted Job Title
Associate Director, Wharton Fund
Job Profile Title
Annual Giving Officer B
Job Description Summary
Wharton School Overview
Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With campuses in both Philadelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, a faculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. Wharton is home to a dynamic community of staff, bringing a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.
The Associate Director is responsible for the fundraising and engagement of Wharton School graduate alumni from students to nine years out. The position will contribute to achieving annual Wharton Fund cash and participation goals. They will have their own portfolio of Young Franklin Society members ($1,000+ to the Wharton Fund). They will be responsible for the management of two Reunion classes who conduct peer to peer solicitation among their classmates. This role also manages the Alumni Fellows, a group of second year MBA students that conduct their class gift, where participation is the goal. Frequent travel is expected to visit assigned alumni since the position is one of the key fundraisers for that alumni population.
Job Description
Job Responsibilities
- Responsible for personally soliciting Wharton Fund prospects at the Young Franklin ($1,000+) and Benjamin Franklin Society level ($2,500+) as well as visiting 100-125 prospects/donors.
- Responsible for the full time MBA class gift. This includes but is not limited to recruiting MBA student leaders, instilling a culture of philanthropy with this group, coordinating programming, and working with colleagues in MBA student affairs. The leaders will become a core part of the first reunion committee.
- Work with Alumni Relations colleagues to recruit fundraising volunteers in two reunion years; manage those volunteers making sure they are trained and current in the use of the volunteer database; assign 10-20 classmates for these volunteers to solicit and oversee their progress; update the volunteers regularly regarding class progress towards goals.
- Achieve annual Wharton Fund cash and participation goals through proactive donor outreach, solicitation, stewardship, and relationship management activities designed to increase both philanthropic revenue and donor engagement.
- Identify and qualify prospective major gift donors through research, outreach, and relationship assessment, providing major gift colleagues with well-vetted prospects positioned for strategic cultivation and solicitation.
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science and 3 to 5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
- Demonstrated ability to build and manage relationships with alumni, volunteers, and high-capacity donors, with a focus on engagement and long-term pipeline development.
- Proven skill in frontline fundraising or sales, including the ability to confidently solicit gifts and meet or exceed performance goals.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage diverse stakeholders, including senior-level and international alumni.
- Excellent organizational and project management abilities, including managing multiple priorities, tracking progress toward goals, and using data to inform strategy.
- Ability to work independently with sound judgment while collaborating effectively across teams, including partnership with Alumni Relations and development colleagues.
- Experience working with CRM or fundraising databases (e.g., Salesforce, Blackbaud, or similar), including data entry, reporting, and prospect tracking.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook), with the ability to manage communications and analyze data.
- Ability to analyze reports and donor data to inform outreach strategies and track progress toward fundraising goals.
- Comfort using digital tools to support volunteer management, communications, and engagement efforts.
Job Location - City, StatePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / SchoolWharton School
Pay Range$65,628.00 - $75,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.
Equal Opportunity Statement The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.
Special Requirements
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
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