Director of Annual Giving

Job Title:

Director of Annual Giving

Department:
Development

Reports To:

Chief Advancement Officer

Hours:

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Atlanta Youth Academy (AYA) is seeking a dynamic, relationship-driven, and self-motivated Director of Annual Giving. The Director of Annual Giving will be responsible for soliciting, cultivating, and stewarding individual support from individuals to ensure the Academy meets its annual fundraising goals. This role will develop and implement strategies to engage donors, create meaningful giving opportunities, and build long‑term relationships that advance the mission and programs of AYA.

Working closely with the Chief Advancement Officer and collaborating with the development team and AYA President, the Director of Annual Giving will drive growth of the Annual Fund and Student Scholarship Organization (SSO) revenue streams by cultivating and stewarding individual donors. This role creates meaningful giving opportunities, builds long‑term donor relationships, and ensures AYA has the resources needed to advance its mission and programs during this exciting time of growth.

The ideal candidate has a combination of skills, experience, and personal attributes to successfully engage and motivate contributions that inspire giving, strengthen donor understanding of the Annual Fund, and communicate the benefits of state and federal SSO programs.

This position is a salaried, exempt, full time, regular 12‑month position. Core business hours are Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work will be required as duties demand.

• Solicit and steward current, lapsed, and prospective donors to support AYA’s Annual Giving initiatives.
• Plan and coordinate Annual Fund appeals, including messaging, timelines, and follow‑up strategies. (Targeted direct mail, phone and e‑mail appeals)
• Educate donors about state and federal SSO programs, including Georgia GOAL and Federal GOAL tax credit opportunities.
• Coordinate with Arete staff to plan for donor visits.
• Recruit and manage the efforts of the Leadership Gift Committee.
• Plan Annual Report content, collaborate on design, printing and distribution.

• Work with the Development Coordinator to ensure timely and personalized acknowledgement of all gifts.
• Maintain accurate donor records and listings for the Annual Report, Auction, and other recognition materials.
• Track donor engagement and giving history to support ongoing stewardship efforts.
• Assist in creating strategies to recognize and retain donors through targeted communications and events.
• Cultivate and maintain long‑term donor relationships to maximize engagement and giving.
• Track and report on giving trends and progress toward fundraising goals.
• Support additional stewardship and cultivation events as needed.

• Plan and oversee key donor and recognition events, including Annual Fund events and constituency gatherings.
• Coordinate logistics, messaging, and follow‑up for events in collaboration with the Community Engagement Manager and Development team.
• Solicit and track Auction Fund‑a‑Need pledges, ensuring accurate recording and timely acknowledgement.
• Support event planning to maximize meaningful engagement and cultivation opportunities for donors and prospects.
• Collaborate with the Development Coordinator to ensure event communications and materials reflect the Academy’s mission and goals.
• Analyze post‑event results and provide insights to improve future donor engagement and fundraising efforts.
• Represent AYA in appropriate community forums.

• Work collaboratively with the Chief Advancement Officer and Grants Manager to support grant‑related reporting and donor communications when needed.
• Assist with development team projects and initiatives as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Public Relations or similar field required.

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience within a nonprofit environment required.
• Demonstrated track record of soliciting annual donors or managing comparable development initiatives.…