Senior Director, Annual Giving and Strategic Solicitations

Senior Director, Annual Giving and Strategic SolicitationsJoin to apply for the Senior Director, Annual Giving and Strategic Solicitations role at Rutgers University Foundation.Reporting to the AVP, Marketing and Engagement Communication, the Senior Director, Annual Giving and Strategic Solicitations leads the development, implementation, and optimization of a high-performing, comprehensive, university-wide annual giving program. The Senior Director is responsible for a multi-channel annual giving strategy designed to increase donor participation and annual support for Rutgers University. The role collaborates closely with university leadership, development officers, and alumni engagement to set and achieve ambitious annual goals for donors, dollars, and retention. As part of the Marketing and Engagement Communications team, the Senior Director works to inspire donors, alumni and constituents to give, attend events, volunteer and connect with the university and alumni community.In collaboration with the Marketing and Engagement Communications team, the position plays an essential role in ensuring coordinated and strategic messaging across all channels that embodies the Rutgers Values of academic excellence, building community and enhancing the common good. The Senior Director elevates strategic communications and inspires engagement among donors, alumni, and constituents. The role includes management of a Director, Annual Giving.Essential FunctionsLeads the development of a comprehensive strategic plan and annual giving program budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources to maximize impact and achieve fundraising and donor engagement targetsSets the annual solicitation calendar and messaging strategy, oversees direct marketing efforts including digital campaigns, crowdfunding, annual appeals, and giving day to maximize both the total number of donors and donationsDesigns and implements innovative and unique strategic solicitation initiatives to acquire new donors and re-engage donors around active fundraising areas, generating discovery data for potential larger contributionsUtilizes data and analytics to assess the effectiveness of annual giving initiatives, generate detailed reports, and inform strategic decisions to enhance program performanceLeads projects and initiatives across various stakeholdersManages annual giving professionals, setting clear performance goals, conducting regular evaluations, and fostering a high-performing, collaborative work environmentFocuses on personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to build lasting relationships with donors and increase giving levelsCollaborates with CLUs and departments under the central engagement vertical to align annual giving strategies with broader institutional goalsAligns annual giving program with the Foundation's overall fundraising goals and the University valuesCompetency AptitudesLeadershipLead a comprehensive strategy for annual givingAbility to successfully manage and lead a team in a way that maximizes potential of each team memberMust be proactive and bring forward-thinking ideasAutonomyManage an implementation team and projects/program with moderate supervision from leadershipSet goals, manage budgets, and meet deadlines for themselves and the teamContribute to initiatives or projects that span multiple organizations or unitsComplexityPartner with other peer directors and department leads across the organizationEffectively manage your supervisor and University partners across the enterpriseImpact organization-wide outcomes by influencing at all levels to include RU/RUF executive leadershipAble to devise and execute increasingly complex projectsSet department/project/program direction and approach in partnership with leadershipAble to adapt to changing situations and different fundraising partnersResponsible for a pan-University philanthropic initiativeLead operations for a department/programStrategyDefine and oversee strategy for department/project/programDemonstrate the ability to set priorities and determine strategy for department/project/program, including staffing and budgetsEducation And/or ExperienceBachelor's degree and/or 6+ years of professional experience in annual giving. Experience with Salesforce and/or Commerce Cloud a plusWorkplace ConditionsThis position requires clarity of focus while juggling complex projects or deadlines with little physical effort. Will work evenings, weekends, or odd hours to meet organizational commitments. Typical working conditions with an absence of disagreeable elements. This position requires some early mornings and late evenings to accommodate meetings, travel, events, and external constituent’s schedules.Workplace ArrangementsThis is classified as an office-centric hybrid position. Colleagues working under an office-centric hybrid arrangement have a primary workstation in a university or foundation location and are in the office between one and five days a week. The frequency with which they are present in the office depends on their role and function and the interdependency of other functions.Compensation And BenefitsThe position is budgeted at a starting salary of $110,000/year. Final offers are based on various factors such as the candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and other job-related reasons for the role. In addition to salary, Rutgers University Foundation offers:Office-centric hybrid work scheduleComprehensive medicalComprehensive no cost dental, and no cost vision insurance for employee and dependents403(b) plan with matching employer contributionAccrual of three weeks of annual vacation time, in addition to five wellness days and fifteen sick days per yearNine holidays, as well as four floating holidaysSignificant tuition reductionsProfessional development is highly valued at the Rutgers University Foundation, where employees are encouraged to look across the organization to develop new skills and abilities for professional career progression$40 monthly cell phone reimbursementEqual Employment OpportunityIt is Foundation policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants. The Foundation prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin, ancestry, marital status, familial status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, genetic information, and any other characteristics protected by applicable state, federal and/or local laws. Equal employment opportunity applies to hiring, placement, transfer, promotion, demotion, recruitment, advertising or solicitation for employment, treatment during employment, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, selection for training, layoff, or termination. #J-18808-Ljbffr