Associate Director, Development

ArtCenter College of Design is searching for an experienced Associate Director, Development to join our team.

The salary range for this position: $85, ,000.00

Final salary is based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity.

About ArtCenter

Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education and has had an international reputation for its rigorous, transdisciplinary curriculum, faculty of professionals, strong ties to industry, and commitment to socially responsible design. ArtCenter is a private nonprofit fully accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Every position at ArtCenter plays an important part in carrying out the cultural values, goals, strategic vision, and mission of the College. This includes upholding and cultivating an inclusive, respectful, and welcoming environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

Reporting to the Director of Development, the Associate Director, Development is responsible for frontline fundraising activities to develop and implement programs and strategies to effectively cultivate and solicit individual donors with the potential to become major donors of unrestricted, restricted and/or planned gifts. Working with existing fundraising staff and colleagues throughout the institution, the incumbent will be responsible for the identification, cultivation and personal solicitation and stewardship of donors and prospects, with a heavy emphasis on closing gifts of $25,000 and higher in support of ArtCenter's broad spectrum of annual, programmatic, capital and scholarship opportunities.

This is a full-time in-region position. Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The position may require flexibility to work a staggered, remote or alternate schedule to meet the demands of the work, which could include weekends or evenings. The college reserves the right to modify schedules as needed to meet the business needs with appropriate notice. May be required to work nights and weekends to staff department events.

Essential Functions

Frontline Fundraising — 75%

• Serve as a relationship manager to assigned prospects and donors
• Develop, propose, and execute strategies to contact, qualify, and cultivate individuals with potential to make major and mid-level gifts in efforts to grow philanthropic support at the College through moves management strategies noting timelines, key partners/collaborators, gift amounts, etc.
• Participate in targeted screening and cultivation events and other strategic methods appropriate to developing donor engagement
• Identify, cultivate, and develop potential prospects within existing ArtCenter philanthropic groups such as ArtCenter100, FullCircle and ArtCenter exhibition patrons along with alumni, parents, ArtCenter extended studies constituents, volunteers and individuals identified through electronic wealth screening and personal networks
• Coordinate and lead campus site visits and tours with donors and prospects in collaboration with educational leadership, faculty and staff as needed
• Collaborate with existing fundraising staff and colleagues on campaigns, higher ask solicitations, tribute and honorary gifts, and other micro-campaigns as needed
• Build and maintain a portfolio of prospective major donors, stewarding their ArtCenter engagement and soliciting them for increased support as appropriate
• Partner with alumni and industry colleagues to creatively leverage existing ArtCenter programs, travel schedules, and personal networks to create and engage an expanded pool of prospects
• Collaborate with annual giving to craft strategies for donors who are also annual, mid-level, and planned giving prospects
• Responsible for following all protocols for prospect and donor management, contact reports, and any other prospect and donor reporting and monitoring including maintaining active management strategies for all prospects with input and support from advancement services
• Maintain working and professional relationships with volunteers, faculty, administration, alumni, and staff

Database Management and Donor Stewardship — 20%

• Maintain working and professional relationships and ensure compliance with donor intent and cooperation with all other internal departments to engage faculty and staff in meaningful stewardship of donors
• Collaborate with the advancement services team and other staff to effectively use the Raiser's Edge database to track and manage the emerging prospect pool, develop reports, and monitor progress and results

Non-Essential Duties — 5%

• Assist as needed with restricted gift documentation and review and distribute scholarship reports to assigned donors
• Serve on educational or college-wide committees, work groups, task forces and/or councils
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field such as Business, Public Relations, or Marketing from an accredited college or university or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
• Experience cultivating donor relationships
• Ability to understand the needs and interests of major donors in order to develop relationships between them and the College
• Ability to collaborate with the advancement team to build support for operating, capital, and endowment funds
• Must have effective research skills, and experience in the use of electronic prospect-screening information
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication, and public speaking skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a diverse and collegial advancement team with faculty, staff, students and donors
• Ability to problem-solve, organize, and complete multiple tasks simultaneously with close attention to detail and prioritization to meet deadlines; ability to work effectively both independently and within groups
• Strong computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.); proficiency in databases
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging into work practices within Art Center's diverse communities
• Ability to handle confidential information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of ArtCenter business
• Ability to enforce and implement policies and procedures
• Ability and willingness to travel locally and out of state, work evenings and weekends as necessary, to staff events and arrange campus visits and tours for donors and prospects
• Valid California Driver License and proof of current insurance

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to strategize, formulate, solicit, and close gifts of $25,000 and above, along with a talent for motivating donors
• Experience and/or interest in contemporary art, media, and design
• Experience in higher education or complex non-profit environments
• Experience with Raiser's Edge database

Physical Demands and Working Environment

The conditions herein 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 job functions.

This is a full-time in-region position. Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The position may require flexibility to work a staggered, remote or alternate schedule to meet the demands of the work, which could include weekends or evenings. The college reserves the right to modify schedules as needed to meet the business needs with appropriate notice. May be required to work nights and weekends to staff department events.

Environment: Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting with frequent interruptions and distractions; extended periods of time viewing computer monitor; interactions with other individuals. Due to the nature of the work environment, there is regular exposure to fumes, dust and noise.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight (up to 10 pounds); to operate modern office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information. Regular and consistent attendance is required for most positions. Ability to travel to offsite locations and between campuses.

Vision: Must be able to have the visual capacity to perform activities such as preparing and reading reports, viewing a computer terminal and other normal office work with or without correction.

Hearing: Must be able to communicate effectively in the course of normal office communication or exchange ideas with or without correction.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the employee assigned to this job; they do not purport to describe all functions. Employees may be assigned other duties, and the essential functions may be changed from time to time as necessary.

Diversity Statement

ArtCenter is fully committed to fostering a culture that values diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging not only in vision but in practice. Our path forward is predicated on our belief that multiple points of view, life experiences, ethnicities, cultures and belief systems are essential to academic and creative excellence. We strive to learn more about difference while respecting the rich diversity in our world, attending to important questions about racial injustice and decolonizing our curriculum. Our campus environment must be vigilant in supporting the full participation of students, faculty, and staff of every race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, socioeconomic status and political viewpoint.

Equal Opportunity Employer

ArtCenter is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate against its employees or applicants on the basis of race (including hair texture and protective hairstyle), color, religion (includes religious dress and grooming practices), sex/gender (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and/or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition (genetic characteristics, cancer, or a record or history of cancer), military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, disability (mental and physical, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, and genetic characteristics), genetic information, request for family care or medical leave, age (over 40), criminal background (Fair Chance Act), reproductive health decision-making, off-duty and off-premises cannabis use, or any other actual or perceived characteristic protected by applicable state or federal law. Equal employment opportunity is extended to all persons in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including without limitation, recruitment, hiring, upgrading, learning and professional development, promotion, compensation, benefits, leave of absence, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall and termination. This commitment applies to all persons involved in the operations of ArtCenter and prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of ArtCenter. Applicants who wish to request an accommodation for a disability may contact the Office of Employee Experience and Engagement at

Applicant Rights (Prior Cannabis Use)

ArtCenter will not request information from an applicant relating to the applicant's prior use of cannabis. ArtCenter will not use information obtained from a criminal history about an applicant or employee's prior cannabis use, unless ArtCenter is permitted to consider that information under applicable law.

Employment At-Will

All employment with ArtCenter is for an unspecified term and is "at-will." Employees are free to resign at any time, with or without reason, and with or without prior notice. Similarly, ArtCenter has the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, and with or without prior notice. This "at-will" employment, which includes the College's right to transfer, discipline, demote, or change the conditions of employment with or without cause and with or without prior notice, cannot be modified, amended or waived by any oral or implied agreement, and may be modified or altered only by an express individualized written employment agreement signed by both the employee and the College president

ArtCenter Employees have a Mandatory Duty to Report

All employees who know or have reason to know of allegations or acts that violate ArtCenter's Title IX Policy prohibiting discrimination, harassment, retaliation, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual violence, dating violence, and stalking shall promptly inform the Director, Title IX Compliance and Programs or designee, or the Associate Dean of Students or designee. Faculty, who have a mandatory duty to report, are required to disclose all information including the names of the parties, even where the person has requested their name remain confidential.

Pursuant to the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), all employees who know of or have reason to suspect child abuse or neglect involving alleged victims under age 18 shall promptly inform local law enforcement or the county welfare department.