Leadership Annual Gift Officer

Working Title:

Leadership Annual Gift Officer

State Role

Title:

Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Type:
Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status:
Full-Time

FLSA Status:
Exempt:
Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division:
Constituent Engagement and Sustained Giving

Department: 100246 - Office of Annual Giving+C465

Pay Band:

Pay Rate:
Pay Range

Specify Range or Amount: $72,000 - $75,000

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 07/25/2026

About JMU:

Mission

We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision

To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are

Situated in the heart of Virginia's beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.

JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

Working with both Philanthropy & Engagement and Student Affairs in a collaborative, cross-divisional position, this Leadership Annual Gift Officer (LAG Officer) represents JMU with professionalism and warmth, reinforcing a culture of philanthropy and donor-centered engagement.

The LAG Officer plays a critical role in strengthening the university's philanthropic pipeline by building meaningful, sustained relationships with donors making leadership-level annual gifts (generally but not exclusively $1,000-$10,000). This position focuses on these midlevel philanthropists, particularly those with an interest in supporting student life at JMU, while serving as an important bridge between annual giving strategies and major gift qualification.  The LAG Officer works primarily onsite at JMU.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Donor Engagement and Fundraising

* Manage a portfolio of 100-125 prospective LAG donors to cultivate and solicit them.

* Champion key Student Affairs funds and university priorities through both personalized donor conversations and targeted solicitations.

* Connect prospective donors in the portfolio with relevant JMU and Student Affairs leaders, invite them to events that will appeal to them and make direct appeals/asks. (Most contact is digital and virtual with select travel and some on-campus engagement.)

* Secure leadership-level annual gifts and contribute to donor retention and upgrade strategies for thoughtful progression toward larger and more complex gifts; qualify donors for introduction to colleagues in Strategic Gifts.

* Encourage leadership-level annual donors to issue challenges for Giving Day and oversee collaboration between Annual Giving and Strategic Gifts on challenges for Giving Day, including but not limited to those relating to Student Affairs.

* Collaborate on and promote university-wide, affinity-based fundraising efforts that include leadership-level annual gifts (e.g. Women for Madison's Amethyst Circle, Family Engagement's Parents and Families Leadership Society).

* Collaborate with Philanthropy & Engagement colleagues, particularly those in Annual Giving, and Student Affairs partners to develop an annual work plan and a multi-year strategy aligned with solicitation and stewardship calendars. Where appropriate, initiate gift agreements and help develop case statements.

* Communicate Student Affairs' philanthropic priorities…