Associate Director, Leadership Giving & Strategy

Department

Department: Alumni Relations & Development

Salary/Grade: EXS/9

The Associate Director, Leadership Giving Officer position is responsible for strategizing and executing a robust individual solicitation plan among 400-500 assigned prospects, leveraging strategically sequenced touches and prioritizing the $10,000-$25,000 annual levels, including asks for gift renewals, upgrades, and reactivations. Through this work, the position warms up and maintains the University’s donor pipeline towards the ultimate goal of qualifying and referring prospects for faster, more efficient cultivation by Major Gift programs.

Please note:

The target budgeted salary for this position is $78,500 to $82,000 annually. Offers will be based on candidate experience and education, as well as equity within Northwestern University. Our office operates in a hybrid model and offers the option of working three days in the office and two days remote. There will be occasional travel throughout the year. We are recruiting for two positions.

This role includes structured professional development through Plus Delta’s Discipline of Frontline Fundraising program, providing high-quality training to strengthen fundamental skills in donor cultivation, solicitation, portfolio management, and strategic relationship building. Additional ARD resources further connect Northwestern policies and processes with the best practices introduced in Plus Delta’s curriculum.

Collaboration

• Involves a moderate- to high-level of collaboration with both internal department partners and a moderate level of collaboration with broader University partners to identify & integrate resources in order to accomplish strategic goals & objectives.
• Please bullet examples of key partnerships and work involved below:
• Prospect Research & Development
• Regional Major Gift Officers
• Schools & Programs teams
• Alumni Engagement liaisons

• Develops, plans & implements strategies, goals & approach for 1 large or a number of portions of the less complex relationship programming
• Responsible for relationship management of volunteers and donors.
• Identifies prospects.
• Develops and implements individual engagement plans.
• Personally solicits gifts.
• Plans and/or executes stewardship.

• Recruits, engages, trains, and manages volunteers.
• Coordinates volunteer strategies with other development staff, including volunteer events, programming, marketing materials and social networking efforts.

• Develops, plans & implements strategies, goals & approach for 1 large or a number of portions of the less complex programs &/or events that promote engagement & philanthropic opportunities.
• Identifies target audience(s).
• Recruits & manages volunteers.

• Manages development and execution of programming and marketing related to engagement and solicitation.
• Determines key tactics.
• Articulates goals and timelines.
• Provides work direction to colleagues or collaborators.
• Provides necessary documentation and follow-up to donors, volunteers & internal contacts and inputs all volunteer and alumni activity in database.
• Monitors and analyzes program metrics, including engagement activity, gifts/pledges, etc.
• Ensures that proper stewardship and gift pledge follow-up occurs.
• Analyzes segment, group, program, event metrics and reports to manager.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of industry best practices.
• Optimizes the use of technology including social media for marketing, communications & data reporting & analysis.
• Assists in the development of dashboards & metrics which provide quantitative analysis of program & event outcomes.

Performs other duties as assigned

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 4 years of development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required.

• Ability to build, cultivate, and…