Sr. Assoc. Athletic Dir. for Development

Position Overview

As a member of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations and reporting to the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations with coordinated reporting to the Vice President & Director of Athletics, the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development and Corporate Engagement will lead the fundraising efforts for Merrimack College Athletics. The individual will plan and execute a comprehensive athletics annual giving program to include a portfolio of prospects and donors rated at $10,000 and above and through utilizing strategic efforts to grow sport-specific, as well as unrestricted giving, under the umbrella of The Warrior Fund. Working closely with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, this individual will engage with a broad range of constituents including alumni, parents, friends and former student-athletes, in building a supportive community of donors with the intention of meeting/exceeding annual philanthropic and participation goals.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serving as a member of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations and the Athletics Department, this individual is a senior leader, with primary responsibility for the growth of revenues through increased alumni, friend, corporation and foundation engagement and support.

• Responsible for a portfolio of donors and prospects rated $10,000 and above, including alumni and friends of the athletics program, corporations and foundations.

• Create and implement a comprehensive athletics annual giving program using targeted strategies to grow donor participation numbers and philanthropic giving totals to the Warrior Fund for athletics.

• Leads Merrimack's efforts to engage corporations and foundations to support and enhance revenue generating initiatives and departmental strategic goals.

• Identifies, qualifies, cultivates and solicits prospects in support of athletics’ funding priorities.

• Meets or exceeds annual performance metrics, including portfolio size, asks, and visits with Merrimack donors and alumni, to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major gift donations.

• Develops personalized strategies for engagement and solicitation that maximizes each prospect's philanthropic capacity.

• Creates and cultivates corporate partnerships to support fundraising, sponsorship and in-kind contributions

• Collaborates with key athletics leadership to build a compelling case for support in alignment with department and college strategic plans. Prepares and articulately presents funding opportunities. Prepares and presents proposals to prospects and donors, working with central communications and donor relations when appropriate.

• Identifies and coordinates key opportunities for the athletic director and coaches to engage with athletics leadership level prospects. Collaborate with ODAR to identify major gift prospects for the College.

• Works with Athletics Marketing and Ticket Sales teams to drive premium seating and season ticket sales with an emphasis on the department’s men’s & women’s basketball, men’s & women’s ice hockey and football programs

• Facilitates and coordinates all communications with assigned prospects. Tracks development activity and donor interactions by entering key interactions and strategies into the fundraising database.

• Works cooperatively on special projects including the Hall of Fame, Homecoming, Scholarship Endowments, Giving Days, Sport Alumni Events, and additional campus events where alumni and potential donors are in attendance.

• Works closely with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations to identify and research prospects.

• Maintains and promotes compliance with all college, athletic conference, and NCAA rules.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 5 years of successful experience in fundraising, development or a related field with preference for experience with athletics development and/or corporate engagement.

• Proven success in securing and conducting face-to-face meetings for major solicitations.

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team-based environment.

• Knowledge of NCAA rules and regulations as it pertains to donors and extra benefits.

• Outstanding communication, presentation and organization skills.

• Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and fundraising software.

• Ability to work nights and weekends

• Ability to travel

Application Materials Should Include:

• Cover letter stating motivation and interest in the position, citing experience relevant to the qualifications and including experience with, and commitment to, our Catholic Augustinian mission, our values, and our desire to be a more diverse, equitable and inclusive institution of higher learning

• Resume

This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Vaccinations and Work Location

This is an on-campus position as employees are essential in order to provide a fully on-campus, residential college experience for our students and the community.

The COVID-19 vaccine and booster for which an individual may be eligible are highly recommended for students, faculty and staff. Merrimack College does not require proof of COVID vaccination for enrollment, employment or to be a guest on our campus.

Statement on Our Mission

Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education committed to building a culturally and racially diverse community. Our mission is to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry and dialogue.

Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to Merrimack’s Catholic and Augustinian mission and values and advance our work in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups. All candidates should describe in their application previous experience related to equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as how they will engage in fostering a culture that supports our Catholic and Augustinian mission and our values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

About Merrimack College

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,000 undergraduate and 1,400 graduate students from 32 states and 37 countries. The College features more than 100 career-focused undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has five schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, the Winston school of education and social policy and the Girard school of business. The College’s suburban 240-acre campus is approximately 25 miles north of Boston in the towns of North Andover and Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master’s Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed up in the U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of Best Colleges, ranking 33rd in the Regional Universities North category in 2024. Merrimack is a NCAA Division I athletic institution.

Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.