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Associate Director, Leadership Gifts

Employer
Bucknell University
Location
Pennsylvania, United States
Salary
Salary Not specified
Date posted
Dec 17, 2020

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Associate Director, Leadership Gifts

Job No: 496639
Position Type: full-time
Location: Lewisburg, PA
Categories: University Advancement / Alumni Relations

University Advancement (UA) is here to advance the mission of Bucknell University by engaging the Bucknell community. It is only through the support of alumni, parents and friends - by opening doors to career opportunities, engaging others to join the conversation and community, and entrusting us with their philanthropic commitments -- that we can further elevate Bucknell as a leader in undergraduate education.

Our division is dedicated to this mission and unified by five values:
Lead with Integrity
Embrace a Collaborative and Inclusive Spirit
Be Open and Receptive
Nurture Creativity and Innovation
Foster a Culture of Empowerment and Knowledge

These values also illustrate how we bring, as a division, the University's strategic plan to life and exercise our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion on a daily basis.

As part of UA, the Associate Director is responsible for the cultivation and solicitation of individual prospects capable of making gifts of $100,000 or more. The Associate Director secures financial commitments to Bucknell by engaging constituents in the life of the University, by communicating Bucknell's strategic goals, and by leveraging volunteer networks. The Associate Director will supervise and coach assigned Leadership Gift Officers in an effort to maximize donor engagement opportunities. These responsibilities may also include serving as a representative for Leadership Gifts, assisting with internal meetings, communications, and participating in related projects and initiatives.

The position is located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and reports directly to the Executive Director, Leadership Gifts and Constituent Fundraising.

Job Functions:

* Actively engages a portfolio of major gift prospects and engages, motivates, and inspires alumni, friends, and other University constituents to support the University's mission. Through various manners of discernment, builds relationships and works closely with prospects and donors through the cycle of identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
* Consistently and strategically engages in face-to-face prospect contacts in an effort to move major gift prospects through the donor continuum.
* Develops a portfolio of major donors and prospects capable of making gifts of $100,000 or more in support of the University.
* Develops annual fundraising goals and objectives in consultation with the Executive Director, Leadership Gifts and Constituent Fundraising, creating a development plan to research and identify new prospects, make discovery calls, and build a strong prospect pool consisting of new prospects and past donors. This includes:
- Planning and hosting campus visits for major prospects.
- Managing solicitations and/or stewardship of previous commitments.
- Working collaboratively with the Parent's Fund and Annual Fund teams and personally soliciting annual fund gifts each year from all assigned prospects.
- Partnering with Gift Planning colleagues in an effort to maximize donor-driven charitable giving opportunities and benefits.
- Planning activities and events which are effective in drawing out and identifying new prospects.
* As necessary, assists with the management of campaign volunteer cabinets to maximize staff efforts in prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to support the goals of the University and to provide opportunities for prospects to be engaged in Bucknell programming (alumni relations, admissions, career development, athletics, etc.).
* Promotes the University's fundraising priorities through excellent working relationships with faculty, senior academic leaders, trustees, other volunteers, and UA colleagues. This includes preparing strategic briefings prior to visits and arranging for appropriate follow-up to visits and events.
* Provides information to update and maintain accuracy of donor and prospect records, including prospect ratings and planned next steps on 100% of prospect portfolio.
* Maintains and updates database records of contact and correspondence with Bucknell constituents in a prompt and timely fashion.
* At the direction of the Executive Director, works with the Leadership Gifts team to identify and build strategies for donor support of fundraising initiatives.
* May assist with programming and leading Leadership Gift Officers campus based meetings.
* Performs other duties as assigned.

Staff Management
* Effectively manages staff including hiring, retaining, developing and coaching while aligning efforts with Bucknell and University Advancement strategic initiatives, policies, and procedures.
* Responsible for the day to day operations of direct reports allied to providing direction, mentorship, and professional development.
* Empowers individuals to be prudently bold, data driven, highly intentional, constituent centered, and forward thinking.
* Conducts performance reviews in an effort to measure performance toward established goals.

Minimum Qualifications:

* Bachelor's degree
* Seven (7) years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, at least four (4) of which must include success in consistently closing gifts of $100,000 or more
* Demonstrated ability to use metrics to drive performance
* Direct supervisory experience or demonstrated experience coaching and mentoring colleagues to increased performance
* Track record of successfully building partnerships with a wide range of organizational stakeholders (in a university setting, this includes administrators, board members, faculty and staff)
* Superior written and oral communication skills, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to articulate a compelling case for philanthropic support programs
* Demonstrated practical application and experience with technology such as database functions/reports, MS Office products, etc.
* Valid U.S. driver's license

The Associate Director demonstrates organizational and interpersonal skills, including diplomacy, tact, discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality inside and outside of UA. Also demonstrates an ability to function independently yet relate comfortably to a multifaceted fundraising environment, participating in and contributing to a total team effort. The Associate Director must be willing to travel extensively (including air travel and travel to major metropolitan areas).

Other Requirements:
This position requires occasional evening and weekend work to support UA's events including blocks of time for major events such as Family Weekend, Reunion, and Homecoming, and other event support as required. Staff should mark their calendars for major events and events in their department. Exceptions require supervisory approval. Also required is a commitment to attend, participate, facilitate or lead on-campus and off-campus events/activities outside of normal business hours as appropriate.

Exempt Employees:
Exempt employees are required to work as much time as is necessary to fulfill the requirements of the position without additional compensation, even if the work is performed beyond standard work hours.

Preferred Qualifications:

* Ten (10) years of leadership and successful fundraising experience
* Track record of closing major gifts in a higher education setting
* Comprehensive campaign experience
* Demonstrated experience with recruiting, training, and motivating volunteers
* Working knowledge in the field of gift planning of complex assets, gift vehicles offered by the University, federal and state tax considerations surrounding charitable giving, and the financial considerations involved in administering planned gifts
* Practical experience working with donor prospects in the areas of finance and management and possessing an understanding of the work in which these prospects are engaged - corporate finance, asset management, private equity, investment banking, etc.


To apply, visit https://careers.bucknell.edu/en-us/job/496639/associate-director-leadership-gifts

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