Assistant Vice President Annual Giving & Philanthropic Engagement

Advancement & Partnerships:

Join our dynamic and growing Advancement & Partnerships team as we work together to power partnerships and transform lives through philanthropy.

Together, we can unleash the potential of people and ideas to positively change the world. Your efforts on our team will help us to build the University for the Future.

The Assistant Vice President for Annual Giving plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of philanthropy  this position, you will be responsible for the strategy, design, management, and execution of a comprehensive annual giving program. This program encompasses engagement with alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends of UCF, and includes oversight of initiatives such as direct marketing, day of giving campaigns, leadership annual giving, student engagement and philanthropy, and parent engagement and philanthropy.

As a key member of the Advancement and Partnerships team, you will collaborate closely with colleagues across campus to ensure a coordinated, data-driven, and collaborative approach to annual giving efforts and solicitations. Additionally, you will supervise a team of annual giving professionals, providing guidance and support to drive success.

• Strategically lead the annual giving program to meet annual fundraising goals and design a university-wide plan to achieve specific, measurable goals including dollars raised, donor acquisition, upgrades and retention, participation and average gift size.

• Develop and guide the overall strategy and direction for the Annual Giving program, focusing on shaping a sustainable tradition of annual support from alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff and friends of the university.

• Coordinate all university-wide annual giving efforts toward successful outcomes while supporting the greater development and campaign goals of the Advancement and Partnerships team.

• Partner with marketing and communications, development, and alumni engagement to best align effective and complementary messaging, branding, and activities and develop solicitation strategies for key constituent groups.

• Work effectively with the major gifts team to gain strong participation in annual giving from all units and build strategies for moving donors to higher giving levels.

• Manage a portfolio of individuals capable of making leadership annual gifts of $1,000 or more and be an active participant in the discovery process.

• Thoughtfully and intentionally collaborate with colleagues across Advancement and Partnerships to build the pipeline for major giving.

• Build and maintain an in-depth knowledge of UCF, its funding priorities and giving opportunities to articulate a compelling case for support.

• Plan, develop, and monitor annual giving budget to support the strategy and ensure maximum return on investment is achieved.

Bachelor's or Master's degree and 10+ years relevant experience with at least 5+ years of leadership experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6).

• Experience in fundraising, development, or institutional advancement, preferably in a higher education setting.

• Proven track record of successfully meeting fundraising goals and driving donor engagement, with a focus on annual giving strategies.

• Experience in managing and mentoring a team of fundraising professionals.

• Strong strategic planning and analytical skills, with the ability to leverage data to inform decision-making.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage with a variety of stakeholders.

• Familiarity with fundraising and/or annual giving best practices and trends in higher education.

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across departments and functions to achieve shared goals.

• Familiarity with fundraising software and tools, such as donor management systems and online giving platforms, e.g. Blackbaud CRM, RE NXT, or Salesforce.

• Passion for higher education and a commitment to advancing the mission and values of the UCF and the UCF Advancement & Partnerships.

Advancement and Partnerships values the unique contributions that each team member brings to our division. The final determination of a successful candidate's starting salary will vary based on several factors, including education and relevant experience.

All offers are contingent on successful background and reference screens.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country.

You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented…