Director of Development, Annenberg School for Communication

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Posted Job Title

Director of Development, Annenberg School for Communication

Job Profile Title

Director, School/Center Development

Job Description Summary

Reporting jointly to the Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication (ASC) and the Associate Vice-President, University Development, the Director of Development will oversee a coordinated program of Development and Alumni Relations for the School that is aligned with the University's fundraising strategies. Working closely with the Dean, the Director is responsible for conceptualizing, planning, and executing a coordinated program of institutional advancement, prioritizing individual major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, and a strong alumni relations program within the framework of the School's top priorities.

The University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication is a global leader in research and teaching aimed at analyzing the form, substance, and influence of existing and emergent media. The School was established with the belief that the most cutting-edge work in communication studies will have real world impact in social discourse, public policy, and global culture. Annenberg's founding mission and mandate has proven to be increasingly more relevant and necessary over time, creating a need for an experienced Director of Development with a focus on fundraising and development.

As a research institution, the school brings the world's top scholars together to help make sense of an ever-changing media landscape, and the many ways in which that landscape influences us as individuals and groups. The school's development and alumni relations plans will help articulate the work of the faculty and students to various audiences in the region, across the country, and around the world, and will establish a structure to support engaged relationships with individuals, institutions, corporations, and alumni with a potential philanthropic interest in the Annenberg School's work and priorities.

The Director will also serve as a member of the Dean's leadership team by incubating and fostering the Dean's strategic initiatives. As they relate to fundraising, s/he will develop appropriate communications, engagement, and fundraising strategies to support the priorities that emerge from this process. The Director will also work closely with the Director of Communications to ensure that alumni, donors, and institutional funders are included in communications strategies.

The Director will work with the Dean in mobilizing the Dean's Advisory Board and other volunteers to advance the School's mission and quest for external visibility and philanthropic support, including but not limited to major gifts. The Director will manage recruiting, retaining, and rotating volunteer leaders and fully engaging them in the culture, work, and community of the School with an eye to maximizing their involvement, support and giving.

The Director serves as an important bridge between the School and University Development activities. Dual reporting into the University Development program, the Director will also work closely with the University's central Office of Development and Alumni Relations, engaging in joint strategic planning, drawing on its support services, and integrating the Annenberg School's initiatives within the University's overall strategic and fundraising design.

Finally, the Director will supervise the Assistant Director of Alumni relations who will lead events, data, and communications strategies for the School's suite of alumni relations programs.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

1. Lead a coordinated and comprehensive program of alumni engagement and private source funding including:
   • developing and executing multi-year strategic plans involving alumni relations and development initiatives;
   • incubating key strategic initiatives with development potential in partnership with the Dean and other key faculty and staff;
   • managing staff and budgets;
   • maintaining and analyzing data in support of strategic planning;
   • developing effective cases for support for school priorities;
   • building meaningful volunteer and alumni engagement opportunities;
   • organizing events and visibility opportunities in support of strategic initiatives;
   • planning and executing campaigns as needed.
2. Cultivate, solicit and steward the School's top prospects and manage a pipeline of these top prospects. Engage the Dean, faculty, staff, and volunteers in executing the required cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activities to advance the School's quest for gift and grant support as well as media and public awareness.
3. Expand and strengthen the school's fundraising pool and pipeline of potential new donors through sophisticated methods of entrepreneurial prospecting, including data analysis, internal prospect research, collaboration with the Central DAR frontline, sourcing leads through other volunteers, etc. Organize practical strategies to secure funding from such sources.
4. With the Dean and in collaboration with both Central DAR and the Office of the University Secretary, establish a plan to manage, engage and expand the Dean's Advisory Council, maximizing its impact on the School's fundraising and visibility goals.
5. Collaborate with Central DAR colleagues as well as colleagues from other development and alumni relations teams across the university to build working partnerships and to coordinate development and engagement activities in areas where work or constituencies overlaps, with specific attention to the School of Arts and Sciences which oversees the University's undergraduate communications degree program.
6. Serve as a member of the Dean's senior administrative leadership team and participate in key School-wide initiatives where Institutional Advancement is a meaningful partner. Work closely with School faculty, Centers, and Programs to promote development activities for these critically important school initiatives.

**Please provide a resume and cover letter in order to be considered for this role. Please upload all documents in the "Resume/CV" section of the application prior to submitting.**

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science and 5 to 7 years of successful development and fundraising experience, including a proven record of success in fostering major strategic initiatives, preferably at a major research university comparable to Penn or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. This includes demonstrated success at securing major gifts. Master's preferred.
• Solid managerial and leadership skills and demonstrated ability to build and administer teams and programs and engage in long-term strategic planning.
• Understanding of core communications principles and the use of promotional tools and techniques (publications, special events, etc.) to build allegiance and support among key constituencies.
• Ability to engage, recruit, train and move alumni, volunteers, and donors to a desired action.
• A thorough appreciation of the need for academic planning and its essential relationship to the effective application of basic fundraising principles. An accompanying ability to think and work strategically across the landscape of an academic institution and effectively serve as a member of an academic leadership team.
• Creativity and an inquiring mind. These are best represented in the ability to recognize and foster opportunities for visibility and momentum-building; analyze funding sources and relate their potential to the strategic plans of the Annenberg School; more particularly, to organize practical strategies for matching Annenberg strategic goals to successful engagement and giving opportunities.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills are required. Ideal candidates will be outgoing and comfortable engaging with leadership, board members, alumni, and potential volunteers and partners.
• Strong facility with development-related databases and a commitment to supporting and sustaining the data-driven elements of fund raising and alumni relations management.
• High motivation and a capacity for hard work within the context of a goal-oriented environment.
• A deeply held commitment to collegiality and collaborative work within a unit and across multiple units and constituencies as part of a complex institution.
• Ability to function independently, yet relate comfortably to a centralized framework for fundraising, participating in and contributing to a team effort.
• Valid driver's license and passport is required. Position will also require work during evening hours; on weekends and overnight travel.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Annenberg School for Communication

Pay Range

$109,000.00 - $160,000.00 Annual Rate