Director of Annual Giving

Angola, Indiana

Summary

The Director of Annual Giving provides strategic leadership for the development, execution, and evaluation of a comprehensive, year-round annual giving program. Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the Director is responsible for engaging and expanding a community of annual donors, with a focus on qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding their contributions. The Director will leverage data-driven insights and metrics to regularly assess and enhance fundraising initiatives. This role requires travel for in-person donor visits and event participation.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategic Fundraising Planning: Design and implement a multi-channel annual giving program, integrating direct mail, email, social media, website content, crowd-funding, phone outreach, and personal appeals to achieve annual fundraising goals.
Donor Engagement: Conduct personal visits and make direct appeals to secure contributions, with a target of no less than 100 personal visits annually.
Innovative Fundraising: Identify and deploy new tools, methodologies, and channels to engage potential donors and increase philanthropic support.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Establish a system for regular analysis of annual giving activities using data and key performance metrics to measure success and identify areas for growth.
Collaborative Fundraising Efforts: Work closely with the Advancement team and other departments on campus to strategically solicit donors and guide them through the donor engagement continuum. Lead employee giving initiatives.
Campaign Management: Lead and coordinate special fundraising campaigns, including giving days and other targeted initiatives.
Program Leadership: Oversee and provide guidance to the Parents Association and the newly formed Parents Board, ensuring alignment with annual giving goals.
Event Support: Assist in the planning and execution of key university events, such as Homecoming, the Touchstone Dinner, Scholarship Gala, Alumni and Friends Golf Outing, and other fundraising events to drive donor engagement and recognition.
Additional Duties: Perform other relevant duties as assigned to support the overall mission and strategic goals of the Alumni and Development office.

Education and/or Experience

The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of and demonstrated success in annual giving strategies and best practices. They will be a dynamic, high-energy professional with strong skills in donor engagement, communication, and data management. Experience in a higher education setting is preferred. The successful candidate should possess:

A Bachelor’s degree.
2-4 years of relevant experience in annual giving, development, or fundraising, preferably in a higher education or nonprofit environment.

Key Competencies:

In-depth knowledge of annual giving tactics and strategies.
Proven ability to build and sustain relationships with donors and stakeholders.
Proficiency in data analysis and the use of metrics to guide fundraising decisions.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively within a team.

This position offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on advancing the university’s mission by fostering a robust culture of philanthropy and engagement.

Benefits

Trine University offers a comprehensive benefit package designed to provide a variety of choices to best fit your needs and the needs of your family. Benefits offered include:

Health – medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs, flex spending or HSA accounts
Retirement – after one year of full-time service you are eligible for employer contribution of 5% and up to an additional 5% employer match
Life Insurance and Long Term Disability – a variety of voluntary life options are available along with employee life insurance (1½ times annual salary)
Education – after 6 months of full-time service education benefits are available for employee, spouse, and dependent children
Vacation and Sick Pay – in accordance with Trine's policy

Salary

The salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Trine University is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, genetic information, citizenship status, military status, or any other basis prohibited by law, unless such basis constitutes a bona fide occupational qualification. Trine will comply with its legal obligation to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and for religious beliefs.