Annual Giving Manager

Make lives meaningful through making.

Penland School of Craft is an international center for craft education offering residential workshops, residencies, community education programs, and exhibitions. Located on 420 acres in the NC Mountains, Penland has 16 teaching studios and 60 historic and contemporary buildings. We are an equal‑opportunity employer with a staff of 50+. Penland operates with a $54 million endowment and an annual operating budget of $8.4 million.

We are located about an hour northeast of Asheville, NC.

At Penland School of Craft, we believe that fostering a climate of equity, inclusion, diversity, and antiracism are essential to our work. We are committed to creating a campus community free of discrimination, and we welcome everyone who supports this commitment.

Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, and other people who identify as people of color or BIPOC individuals are encouraged to apply, as are people holding other marginalized identities related to gender, sexual orientation, ability, and class background.

The Annual Giving Manager is a key member of the development team responsible for leading the strategy, execution, and growth of a comprehensive annual giving program. This position leads annual fundraising campaigns and creates meaningful ways to stay connected with donors through thoughtful communication and stewardship. This position plays a leading role in achieving annual fund revenue goals of approximately $600,000–$1,000,000 through integrated annual giving strategies, donor stewardship, and collaborative fundraising efforts, and manages a portfolio of 75-150 donors.

Additionally, they manage relationships with annual fund supporters, using data and donor insights to improve outreach and results, while working closely with teams across the organization to ensure a consistent and engaging donor experience. From coordinating campaigns and tracking progress to supporting scholarship donors and recognition efforts, this role helps strengthen relationships, increase giving, and sustain the organization’s mission over time.

This position reports to the CAO and serves on the development team, which includes 7 staff members. This is a full‑time, year‑round, exempt, benefits‑eligible position. We are looking for an individual willing to work at our Penland campus due to on‑campus and team expectations. Penland is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an hour from Asheville, NC. It is a vibrant, artistic rural community.

• Lead the planning and execution of integrated, multi‑channel annual giving campaigns—including direct mail, email, digital fundraising, and giving day initiatives—to drive donor acquisition, retention, and revenue growth in support of annual fund goals.
• Spearhead the fundraising team’s effort to design and implement a comprehensive, year‑round donor stewardship strategy that deepens engagement, strengthens donor loyalty, and increases lifetime value. Drive project management in this area and coordinate with other departments and external partners on printing and mailing deadlines.
• Own renewal and upgrade strategies for annual donors and annual donor giving circles, leveraging segmentation, donor insights, and face‑to‑face, in‑person visits to personalize outreach to increase giving levels over time. Lead
• Manage a portfolio of 75 - 100 annual fund donors, providing direct stewardship and solicitation through personalized outreach, and serving as a key point of contact to enhance donor relationships and satisfaction. Lead all donor gifts up to $25,000.
• Actively participate in the donor acknowledgment program, ensuring timely, accurate, and meaningful recognition across all giving levels in collaboration with development operations.
• Work with the Data & Development Administrator on data entry, campaign tracking, segmentation, list generation, and data integrity to support effective decision‑making and execution.
• Collaborate with the Communications team to develop compelling, donor‑centric messaging and content across channels, aligning annual giving strategies with…