Assistant Director, Rice Business Fund

Special Instructions to Applicants : Please attach a cover letter and a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application. Please make sure to include employment dates on the resume in Month/ Year format.

Summary

The Assistant Director, Rice Business Fund at the Jones Graduate School of Business will manage a donor portfolio including 1:1 meetings with donors to lead them through the donor qualification process to include stewardship spectrum, managing Rice Business Fund direct-marketing appeals and related communications, and managing major aspects of the donor database. The Assistant Director, Rice Business Fund will manage constituent lists for direct-mail purposes, Rice Business Fund social media accounts, and the Rice Business fund website. They will co-lead the direct-marketing strategy for the Rice Business Fund and co-manage high-level donor events including an annual scholarship recognition event.

The ideal candidate will have experience soliciting leadership-level gifts, managing volunteers and projects, and facilitating peer-to-peer solicitation.

Essential Functions

• Provides recommendations for the design of appeal materials developed by the marketing team
• Tracks and analyzes results of development activities, to determine the effectiveness of outreach efforts
• Makes recommendations to manager for more effective solicitation appeals
• Works with a portfolio of assigned prospects to prioritize solicitation based on data analysis, prepare background information, and, as appropriate, engage with volunteers to further solicitation priorities
• Monitors, analyzes, and reports on overall results to internal and external constituencies, as needed
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions / Information

• Rice Business Fund donor prospect management
• Rice Business Fund (annual giving) marketing and communications
• Writes and sends other fundraising-related communications for the Rice Business Fund, Alumni Newsletter, Rice Business Magazine, Social Media accounts and website
• Works with marketing and operations to create new giving forms and links for the website and email marketing appeals to support various fundraising campaigns throughout the year
• Major event planning duties, including leadership of high-level donor events as well as lead management of the annual Rice Business Scholarship Event (our most important annual donor recognition event)

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 1 year related experience in development or donor relations
• No substitutions for education or experience allowed

Skills Required

• Ability to learn new strategies
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong data analysis skills
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Good organizational and time management skills
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedules
• Familiarity with fundraising in a higher education environment is desirable
• Attention to detail and ability to quickly understand and remember details about alumni/donors and projects to which they are assigned
• Experience with direct mail, telemarketing, and/or database marketing

Preferred Qualifications

• Three (3) years of experience in annual giving, preferably at an institution of higher learning.
• Donor management experience
• Volunteer management experience
• Comfort with brainstorming as part of a team to develop new strategies, implement creative solutions and take a leadership role in shaping the communications and brand identity for the Rice Business Fund
• Adaptability, responsiveness, authenticity and kindness
• Comfort with taking leadership and ownership of projects and donor relationships to positively advance the work of the Rice Business Fund and the brand of Rice Business (the school)

• Strong ability to interact face-to-face, via email and on the telephone with high-level donors and prospective donors. Must be highly comfortable engaging in conversations related to fundraising, including speaking to large groups, comfort asking for donations over the phone, via email or mail, and in person.
• Strong understanding of direct-email marketing and donor databases such as Blackbaud systems
• Strong proficiency in Social Media and web (i.e., ability to write social media content and make posts to social media accounts, respond to social media comments/inquiries, and update the website through a web content management system like Drupal)
• Strong understanding of data tracking, benchmarking, analysis and reporting as related to annual fundraising metrics
• Ability to work well both independently and with others and be a positive colleague, contributing to a high-performing team and positive team culture
• Advanced problem-solving skills
• Detail oriented

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

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