Director of Annual Giving

Director of Annual Giving

The Director of Annual Giving is responsible for designing, managing, and growing the College's annual giving program, with a primary focus on donor acquisition, retention, and revenue growth through direct mail, digital outreach, and segmented donor and alumni strategies. This position plays a central role in building a robust pipeline of annual donors that supports long-term philanthropic engagement and major gift readiness.

Reporting to the AVP and the VP of Institutional Advancement, the Director of Annual Giving manages all aspects of the annual giving. This position works closely with colleagues both within the Office of Institutional Advancement and across the College to ensure integrated donor communications and seamless donor/alumni experiences.

Essential Functions:

• Develop, execute, and assess multi-channel annual giving strategies, including direct mail, email, social media and digital platforms, to acquire, renew, and upgrade donors;
• Manage a comprehensive calendar of appeals including fall, calendar year-end, spring, Day of Giving, Reunion Giving, Senior Class Giving, and targeted donor segmentation strategies;
• Achieve annual fundraising goals with responsibility for year-over-year revenue growth and increased donor participation;
• Analyze donor data to inform appeal segmentation, message testing, and performance optimization;
• Responsible for key performance metrics including donor retention, increased annual giving, and overall donor engagement;
• Develop a reunion giving program, including volunteer management and segmented messaging for milestone classes;
• Personally solicit and steward a mid-level donor portfolio that supports annual campaigns.

Additional Functions:

• Partner with IA and College colleagues to coordinate messaging and engagement opportunities for annual fund donors.
• Work with leadership to identify annual giving prospects and coordinate their movement into major gift portfolios when appropriate.
• Collaborate closely with advancement operations to ensure accurate gift tracking, reporting, and acknowledgement workflows.
• Monitor key performance indicators such as response rates, retention, average gift size, and donor lifetime value to inform strategy and reporting.
• Maintain active knowledge of industry trends and peer institution benchmarks to ensure program innovation and scalability.
• Respect and maintain confidentiality, parameters of operation, professional protocols, and individual privacy.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor or their designee.

Essential Characteristics:

• Achievement-Oriented - Driven to meet or exceed annual fundraising goals, with a focus on continuous growth and measurable impact.
• Self-Motivated and Proactive - Takes initiative in identifying opportunities, launching new strategies, and solving problems before they arise.
• Analytical and Data-Informed - Comfortable working with data to segment audiences, track performance, and adjust tactics for maximum results.
• Strong Communicator - Crafts compelling messages across multiple platforms and collaborates effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Organized and Results-driven - Balances multiple projects and deadlines while maintaining a clear focus on strategic goals and outcomes.

Job Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• 3- 5 years of experience in annual giving, fundraising, or nonprofit development.
• Strong writing and communication skills, particularly for fundraising and donor communications.
• Familiarity with donor database/CRM systems.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a deadline-driven environment.
• Familiarity with donor retention and acquisition strategies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5-7 years of experience in annual giving, fundraising or nonprofit development.
• Experience building and managing an annual fund program.
• Experience in higher education advancement with reunion giving, a plus.
• Demonstrated success in meeting or exceeding fundraising targets.
• Knowledge of segmentation strategy and digital giving platforms.

Salary Range:

$85,000 to $90,000 annually