Association of Fundraising Professionals of West Michigan

Job Title

Associate Director of Endowed and Gift Planning – University Development

Organization

Grand Valley State University

About the Position

POSITION SUMMARY

This position will have the opportunity to make an impact on Grand Valley by owning the gift planning and endowment area. The individual will set the direction for these areas and execute the strategic plan that will benefit students, faculty/staff, and our broader community for years to come.

Salary: $65-$75,000, commensurate with experience 

Department/Division: University Development

Campus: Grand Rapids Pew Campus

WORKING CONDITIONS

Normal office environment. Some travel may be required.

Job Duties

PRIMARY DUTIES

• Manage and provide guidance on gift planning and endowment policies, the strategy behind it and assist colleagues with details on these areas.
• Oversee operations for the Gillett Society, the University’s deferred gift donor recognition group, by informing and stewarding existing Gillett Society members and working to increase the number of members.
• Develop and implement a gift planning communications plan that will increase deferred giving to the University and a plan to increase the number of endowments and amount of overall endowment giving to the University.
• Successfully meet yearly goals by evaluating, planning, and implementing strategic fundraising initiatives to support university, academic, and special project priorities, including scholarships.
• Develop new donor relationships through prospecting, research, and cultivation inclusive of discovery calls and visits that lead to solicitations and closed gifts.
• Collaborate with division and University leaders including on constituent and prospect-level strategy; work with these same leaders to coordinate and execute donor meetings.
• Utilize highly detailed reporting and documentation, work with planned giving and financial professionals to ensure University compliance with the latest best practices in these areas as they relate to fundraising while collaborating with internal University offices.
• Attend and participate in appropriate internal and external events to further develop relationships with our constituencies and the university.
• Provide detailed documentation of endowment reports, gift planning procedures and policies.
• Ensure compliance to University gift acceptance policies and procedures.
• Input contact reports and other information in customer relationship management system to ensure the integrity of donor records and to record historical information.
• Be available for occasional travel and working some evenings and weekends.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required.

Requirements

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor’s degree or knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in communications, public relations, marketing, and/or business.
• Four to seven years or of fundraising experience or equivalent experience in a sales or financial planning role.
• High attention to detail and compliance reporting.
• Proven track record of securing philanthropic support for nonprofit organizations or comparable results within a sales or financial planner setting.
• Ability to build relationships with leaders in order to attain “trusted advisor” status.
• Excellent spoken, written, and interpersonal communications skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to lead project teams and keep highly detailed projects on track.
• Ability to prioritize projects, meet deadlines, provide documentation, and work well under pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to meet fundraising or sales targets.
• Familiarity with the principles and techniques that drive successful donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, or related business experience.
• Outstanding organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Candidates must be committed to GVSU’s vision of inclusion and equity.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Higher education experience.
• Working knowledge of storytelling techniques and strong public speaking skills.
• Basic understanding of gift planning vehicles or willingness to learn.
• Experience working in a complex and political environment in academic, corporate, or private foundation settings.
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of integrity and trust, and must be a visionary, self-starter with a sense of urgency and a clear set of expectations.
• Legal background.

How to Apply

Apply online at jobs.gvsu.edu and select “Apply now”.  Please include a cover letter and resume. The online application will allow you to attach these documents electronically. On the application, you will be required to provide names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses for three professional references. Applicants selected for interviews will be required to submit official transcripts prior to the interview. If you need assistance, please call Human Resources at 616-331-2215.

Application Deadline: Application review begins Friday, June 2. The posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University.

About the Organization

The University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution, consistent with its obligations as a federal contractor. It encourages diversity and provides equal opportunity in education, employment, all of its programs, and the use of its facilities. It is committed to protecting the constitutional and statutory civil rights of persons connected with the University. Members of the University community, including students, employees, faculty, staff, administrators, Board members, consultants, vendors, others engaged to do business with the University, candidates for employment or admissions, and visitors or guests have the right to be free from acts of harassment and discrimination, including sexual misconduct, as defined by this policy. In accordance with applicable federal and state law and this policy, acts of discrimination or harassment by members of the campus community are prohibited if they discriminate or harass on the basis of age, color, disability, familial status, height, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex/gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, veteran or active-duty military status or weight. This includes inappropriate limitation of, access to, or participation in educational, employment, athletic, social, cultural, or other university programs and activities. The University will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Limitations are lawful if they are: directly related to a legitimate university purpose, required by law, or lawfully required by a grant or contract between the university and the state or federal government. For the purposes of this policy, sex-/gender-based harassment includes sexual misconduct, sexual assault, interpersonal or relationship violence, and stalking. See www.gvsu.edu/affirmative. TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State).

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. GVSU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Job Title

Manager of Annual Fund and Alumni Relations

Organization

Kuyper College

About the Position

Kuyper College is seeking an energetic and committed Manager of Annual Fund and Alumni Relations to lead our efforts to engage alumni and donors, build relationships, and raise funds to support the College’s mission. As a Christian Bible College, we offer a unique educational experience focused on integrating learning, work, and service, providing a strong post graduate foundation for our students. The manager will play an important role in leading annual fund development efforts of the College to support students who will benefit from a Kuyper College experience. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about Christian higher education and who wants to make a meaningful impact on the lives of our students by helping to keep an excellent Christian higher education affordable.

Summary: The manager through faithful service to accomplish the mission of Kuyper College is responsible for the overall success of the College’s annual fund campaign and alumni relations program. The manager directs and administers all aspects of annual fund fundraising.  Working with the members of the Advancement Team, the manager will support relationship building with individuals, businesses, churches, and foundations, identify planned giving and major gift candidates, and support the success of the annual fund campaign. The manager also plans and develops strategies to enhance the alumni relations program for the purpose of promoting Kuyper College, expanding and enhancing the College’s image, and building long-lasting relationships.

The salary range is commensurate with experience.

Department: Advancement

Reports to: Vice President for College Advancement

FLSA: Exempt

Location: On Site

Job Duties

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Develops, in coordination with the VP for Advancement, a written master plan and calendar for all phases of annual fund giving.
2. Designs a compelling case for support and a comprehensive team strategy to ensure success of the annual fund campaign.
3. Utilizes appropriate fundraising vehicles to implement a successful annual fund campaign including, but not limited to, direct mail, email, social media, phone solicitations, events, group presentations and individual donor visits.
4. Manages direct mail programs and relationships with direct mail vendors.
5. Skilled at building and maintaining relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders, including individuals, businesses, churches, and foundations. Cultivates donor relationships from their beginnings throughout stewardship.
6. Ensures proper donor recognition and expressions of gratitude.
7. Coordinates special events including, but not limited to, Spring Celebration Gala, International Golf Outing, Scholarship Dinner and Legacy Society related events.
8. Builds relationships with alumni through innovative strategies to enhance alumni affinity with and support of the College.
9. Carefully manages the annual fund budget and maximizes resources to improve return on investment.
10. Conducts regular assessment of campaign approaches through analysis of donor database and campaign results and makes recommendations to improve donor engagement and campaign success.
11. Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Desired Qualifications:

Education:

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree or four years related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proficient with Google and Microsoft Office platforms.

Other Experience:

• Experience with database segmentation and a keen understanding and ability to market the annual fund to different audiences.
• Able to write clear and compelling direct mail copy and various forms of related material.
• Knowledge and experience with various forms of fundraising.
• Possess exceptional oral and written communication skills.
• Proficient with Google and Microsoft Office platforms.
• Able to regularly adjust strategy in response to trends.
• Must be an independent and strategic thinker capable of understanding the full scope of projects while seeing individual tasks through to completion.
• Must be project oriented, able to handle several tasks simultaneously, possessing an ability to prioritize multiple tasks under pressure while managing deadlines well.
• Able to work as part of a team while taking ownership of personal tasks.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply at hrapplications@kuyper.edu with a cover letter and resume.

About the Organization

Please visit our website at www.kuyper.edu

Thank you for your interest in Kuyper College

Job Title

Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Digital Strategy

Organization

Grand Valley State University

About the Position

SUMMARY

This role is responsible for the development of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy focused on increasing the number of annual donors to Grand Valley State University, as well as engaging and activating alumni and donors. They will grow the digital fundraising program through digital advertising, administering the crowdfunding platform, developing a robust social media ambassador program, website promotions, giving days, and developing the strategy for a new texting platform. This role requires strong research and writing skills with exceptional organizational, analytical, and project management skills.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Normal office environment. Some travel may be required.

Some travel, weekend, and evening work may be required.

Salary: $60,000-$62,500 commensurate with experience 

Department/Division: University Development

Campus: Grand Rapids Pew Campus

Position type: EAP – Executive, Administrative, Professional

Job Duties

PRIMARY DUTIES

1. Support GVSU’s annual digital fundraising program to grow online giving revenue, and overall donor counts, while achieving goals in audience conversion, engagement, and retention.
2. Serve as project manager for two large-scale giving days for the University: Giving Tuesday in the fall, and GVSU’s Day of Giving, in the spring, along with smaller micro-campaigns throughout the year. Manage the campaign’s crowdfunding page, write copy, work with Communications to create marketing collateral, and create and deploy web assets and marketing toolkits to campus partners for various campaigns.
3. Design and implement a comprehensive social media strategy for engagement/giving, including actively identifying and managing a core group of social media ambassadors/volunteers focused on the goal of encouraging peer-to-peer engagement and solicitation through the Laker Social Media Ambassador Program.
4. Strategically solve advanced marketing challenges through segmentation strategy and implement A/B testing protocol and procedures.
5. Develop and maintain a strategy for paid social advertising such as Facebook and Google ads, and sponsored posts, and develop and own a social calendar working alongside the GVSU and Alumni Relations social media teams to weave strong fundraising language throughout our channels.
6. Establish key performance indicators for each campaign for ongoing measurements toward future advertising activities.
7. Develop and execute a year-round, integrated text messaging strategy.
8. Identify opportunities for growth in annual giving metrics through intensive data analysis.
9. Develop and manage Young Alumni Programming focused on acquiring and retaining alumni donors.
10. Work in collaboration with Senior Director to manage budget expenses for giving days and digital marketing efforts.
11. Collaborate on annual giving appeals via crowdfunding, phone, mail, email, and social.
12. Performs other duties as required/assigned by manager.

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, liberal arts, business, or a related subject.
• 3-5 years of professional experience in annual giving, marketing, communications or a related field.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills.
• Candidates must be committed to GVSU’s vision of inclusion and equity.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES PREFERRED

• Master’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Non-Profit Management, Public Administration Education, or Business Administration or equivalent experience.
• Previous success in supporting/leading “day of giving” or crowdfunding activities.
• Experience with paid social advertising on social media platforms, including Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn.
• Experience writing for development, particularly solicitations.
• Experience managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience working in a CRM or other relational database (ex. Blackbaud, Salesforce, Ellucian Advance)
• Ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative metrics for making data-driven decisions.
• Experience with broad-based appeals and knowledge of effective strategies for audience identification, story development, and data segmentation and analysis.
• Experience with digital or annual giving fundraising.
• Proficient in Adobe creative suite applications, and basic proficiency in video editing.
• Experience in higher education.
• Experience integrating/applying changing technologies to deliver effective messaging.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively to meet individual and team goals.
• Self-starter who is detail oriented and able to handle multiple tasks successfully.
• Highly motivated and committed to the goals of higher education

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. GVSU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

How to Apply

Apply online at http://gvsu.edu/s/2kb and select “Apply now”.  Please include a cover letter and resume. The online application will allow you to attach these documents electronically. On the application, you will be required to provide names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses for three professional references. Applicants selected for interviews will be required to submit official transcripts prior to the interview. If you need assistance, please call Human Resources at 616-331-2215.

Application Deadline: Application review begins May 8. The posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University. 

About the Organization

The University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution, consistent with its obligations as a federal contractor. It encourages diversity and provides equal opportunity in education, employment, all of its programs, and the use of its facilities. It is committed to protecting the constitutional and statutory civil rights of persons connected with the University. Members of the University community, including students, employees, faculty, staff, administrators, Board members, consultants, vendors, others engaged to do business with the University, candidates for employment or admissions, and visitors or guests have the right to be free from acts of harassment and discrimination, including sexual misconduct, as defined by this policy. In accordance with applicable federal and state law and this policy, acts of discrimination or harassment by members of the campus community are prohibited if they discriminate or harass on the basis of age, color, disability, familial status, height, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex/gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, veteran or active duty military status or weight. This includes inappropriate limitation of, access to, or participation in educational, employment, athletic, social, cultural, or other university programs and activities. The University will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Limitations are lawful if they are: directly related to a legitimate university purpose, required by law, or lawfully required by a grant or contract between the university and the state or federal government. For the purposes of this policy, sex-/gender-based harassment includes sexual misconduct, sexual assault, interpersonal or relationship violence, and stalking. See www.gvsu.edu/affirmative. TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State).