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Advancement Writer

Advancement Writer

Req #: 187645 Department: UW Bothell: Advancement Appointing Department Web Address: https://www.uwb.edu/advancement Job Location: UW Bothell Posting Date: 02/25/2021 Closing Info: Open Until Filled Salary: Salary is Competitive. Salary is Commensurate Upon Qualifications and Experience. Shift: First Shift Notes: Priority consideration deadline 2 weeks from posting

Applicants under consideration will be asked to submit three written pieces. We will want to see a range of your writing — preferably done in the work setting — that showcases your ability to persuade and explain. The pieces: one 25-word blurb, one sample of persuasive writing (around 300 words; if you have written a fundraising proposal, please use that as your submission), and one 1,000-word piece.

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Work is ordinarily performed in an office environment but may be performed remotely depending on health and safety requirements under the COVID-19 pandemic.
Located in the heart of the Puget Sound region, the University of Washington Bothell is one of the most dynamic public universities in the state of Washington. The campus is committed to increasing access to an excellent UW education and preparing students to be leaders throughout Washington and beyond.

UW Bothell provides students a participatory, cross-disciplinary experience grounded in hands-on learning, community-based research, close relationships with faculty as teachers and mentors, and the personalized support of staff who are dedicated to student success.

The campus offers more than 55 undergraduate and graduate degrees. Current enrollment is approximately 6,000 students. More than 90 percent of undergraduates are from Washington State, more than 40% are first-generation college attendees, and more than half are students of color.

The University values hiring faculty and staff who have demonstrated experience and ability to work successfully with diverse student populations and who can contribute to a campus culture that promotes equity among colleagues.

Diversity and inclusion are core values at UW Bothell. Our work begins with the acceptance and celebration of the differences that are represented through the many diverse and minoritized communities on our campus and in the surrounding community. We recognize that we are bound together in a collective experience and that our actions impact all in our community. When we focus on the lives of the most marginalized groups among us, we also create conditions of equity, justice and academic excellence for everyone.

The three priorities of the University’s current Strategic Plan - Increasing Access, Achieving Excellence. are to: strengthen diversity and equity, enhance community and campus engagement, and advance cross-disciplinary teaching and scholarship.

In addition to having award winning faculty and staff, UW Bothell has been recognized for innovations in academic programming and support services designed to help students graduate on time and debt-free. It has also earned both recognition and awards for its work in the area of environmental sustainability.

The University of Washington Bothell currently has an outstanding opportunity for a Full Time Temporary Advancement Writer.

The University of Washington Bothell Office of Advancement & External Relations creates engagement opportunities both internally and externally that foster pride, advocacy, and private support for the University of Washington Bothell. The Advancement Writer reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement to develop strategic, compelling, and persuasive written materials that support high-level fundraising and deliver messages of impact that unify donor intent with the values of the institution. Written communications will advance the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities for top donors and prospects which includes individuals as well as foundations, corporations, and other organizations. The Advancement Writer will work closely with the Director of Donor Services and Development Operations as well as the five UW Bothell schools (Business, Educational Studies, Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, Nursing & Health Studies, and STEM) to identify funding opportunities and develop proposals that inspire private support.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Writing:

• Writes and edits a range of strategic documents — including proposals, gift agreements, stewardship materials, donor recognition stories, acknowledgment letters, impact reports, periodicals, annual reports, brochures, newsletters, and fact sheets — important to institutional relationships with individual, corporate, and foundation donors and prospects.
• Gathers, analyzes, and synthesizes information on institutional priorities through interviews with campus leaders, faculty, and staff to identify and articulate opportunities, needs, and goals.
• Drafts compelling case statements for interdisciplinary projects and university priorities to appeal to individual donors as well as foundations, corporations, and other organizations.
• Conducts interviews with campus partners and leadership, faculty, students, individual donors, corporate partners, and volunteers to develop written impact reports and donor recognition stories.
• Drafts customized high-touch letters, thank-you notes, and other donor-facing correspondence from academic leaders.

Project Management:

• Serves as a project manager in the development of written materials (for both print and web), devising and tracking project schedules and components, and coordinating the timely participation of a range of content providers.
• Works collaboratively with other members of the Advancement team, including the donor services team, frontline fundraisers, and the marketing and communications team, as well as campus partners, to create polished materials aligned with the UW brand.
• Serves as a liaison to the UW Bothell marketing & communications design team, conceiving and articulating design concepts that complement content and enhance effectiveness of printed materials.
• Conceptualizes and develops templates for proposals, cases, reports, and other materials that can be used and modified by Advancement colleagues, working with the UW Bothell’s Marketing & Communications design team as applicable.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in writing or related field and three years of experience in professional writing, preferably in a fundraising or non-profit setting, grant writing, or related field. An equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills have been acquired may substitute for a degree.
• Thorough knowledge of and experience with written communications, including crafting clear and persuasive arguments; ability to make complex information accessible and engaging for multiple audiences; sensitivity to nuance; ability to organize writing to be clear and readable; mastery of grammar, syntax, style, and punctuation.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to conduct interviews and the ability to communicate clearly and professionally.
• Demonstrated ability to work on a team: mindfulness of deadlines, respect for varying skill sets, ability to juggle priorities, and willingness to do a variety of tasks, including administrative ones.
• Demonstrated ability to work with internal and external constituents including students, faculty, staff, and community.
• Demonstrated strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for correspondence, special reports, spreadsheets, databases, forms, etc.
• Strong project management skills.

Desired:

• Advanced degree.
• Experience working in alumni relations, development, or donor relations.
• Experience in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience writing letters and emails for annual giving (in addition to the writing requirements listed above).
• Knowledge of UW Advancement policies and procedures, including use of the development database software ADVANCE.

Conditions of employment:

• The person in this position will work regular hours from Monday to Friday or as agreed with the supervisor.
• Ability to work evening and weekend hours, as necessary, on short or limited notice.
• Must have regular and reliable transportation for local travel and willing to travel when necessary.

Application Process:

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter, and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.
Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law .



Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

The University of Washington is a leader in environmental stewardship & sustainability , and committed to becoming climate neutral.

The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu .

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