Annual Giving Specialist

As a part of a diverse community of faculty and staff who represent many faith systems and worldviews, Marian University is seeking an Annual Giving Specialist.
The Annual Giving Specialist, reporting to the Vice President of Leadership Giving, is responsible for strategy development, planning, and implementation of all operations related to Marian University’s annual giving strategy. The Annual Giving Specialist is charged with planning, developing, and executing a comprehensive communications plan that focus on increasing the overall number of donors who support Marian University. This includes but is not limited to alumni, friends, parents, past parents, faculty, staff and students. A special emphasis will be placed on donor retention as well as the procurement of new donors to meet established goals of Marian University.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Actively engages the Catholic Franciscan mission and identity of Marian University by modeling the Franciscan Sponsorship Values, honoring the legacy of the founding congregation, promoting unity in diversity, and integrating the Catholic Franciscan Intellectual traditions in courses, programs, and services.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive annual giving strategy that includes multi-channel communications including mailed, electronic, social media and other forms of donor solicitation.
• Renew and expand the annual giving base of donors; convert annual gifts to multi-year pledges when possible
• Manage the annual giving plan; starting with strategy, planning, scheduling, and targeting, through to content development, distribution, and performance analysis.
• In conjunction with Advancement leadership, develop the annual giving budget on an annual basis.
• Manage the annual giving calendar to ensure on-time delivery of appeals and stewardship content.
• Present supporting data of best practices from other colleges and universities with metrics and annual giving plan
• Build relationships with alumni, faculty, and staff donors to ensure successful fundraising goals are met through securing individual and corporate gifts
• Work closely with the Marian University gift officer team to provide consistent messaging.
• Support the Marian University M-Club and loyalty program designed for supporters of Marian University Athletics.

Work with the Alumni Engagement team to develop and execute a strategy to enhance alumni giving.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Two years of professional experience preferred, but not required
• Must have a valid drivers’ license
• Ability to create a comprehensive annual giving plan that reflects the ambitious goals of Marian University
• Proven track record of growing participation in programs
• Excellent communication skills across multiple channels of communications
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to work with a varied team of staff and volunteers
• Knowledge of digital marketing processes
• Proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Familiarity/experience with Raiser’s Edge database preferred
• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated attention to detail
• Working knowledge of marketing concepts and practices
• Ability to devise new, non-standard approaches to address complex challenges of a changing environment
• Commitment to know, understand and operate within the Franciscan values of peace and social justice, dignity of the individual, responsible stewardship and reconciliation

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, equipment, or controls; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Two years of professional experience preferred, but not required
• Must have a valid drivers’ license
• Ability to create a comprehensive annual giving plan that reflects the ambitious goals of Marian University
• Proven track record of growing participation in programs
• Excellent communication skills across multiple channels of communications
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to work with a varied team of staff and volunteers
• Knowledge of digital marketing processes
• Proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Familiarity/experience with Raiser’s Edge database preferred
• Strong organizational skills and demonstrated attention to detail
• Working knowledge of marketing concepts and practices
• Ability to devise new, non-standard approaches to address complex challenges of a changing environment
• Commitment to know, understand and operate within the Franciscan values of peace and social justice, dignity of the individual, responsible stewardship and reconciliation