Assistant Director, Annual Giving

Are you a dynamic, relationship-driven professional passionate about philanthropy and higher education? Brandeis University is seeking an Assistant Director of Annual Giving to strategically manage a robust portfolio of alumni, parents, and friends—helping advance the University’s most important initiatives.

This is a high-impact role for someone who thrives on building meaningful donor relationships, achieving ambitious fundraising goals, and representing a leading research university with sophistication and energy.

What You Will Do

Portfolio Management & Fundraising (70%)

• Manage a portfolio of ~500 prospects across the Northeast and an additional U.S. region
• Conduct 175+ face-to-face visits annually, including 50 discovery meetings with new prospects
• Execute 25+ $5K+ solicitations per year, with annual revenue targets of $500K–$1M+
• Secure multi-year commitments of $10K+ and identify prospects for major gifts, principal gifts, and planned giving
• Build and advance meaningful donor relationships from discovery to solicitation and stewardship

Travel, Discovery & Campus Engagement (25%)

• Plan and execute regional travel to engage donors, prospects, and volunteers
• Organize campus visits, connecting donors with faculty, staff, and university leadership
• Act as a University ambassador at events and during engagement opportunities in assigned territories

Communication & Data Management (5%)

• Collaborate with Advancement colleagues and University staff to maximize donor engagement
• Maintain accurate and current donor records, strategies, and correspondence in the database

What We’re Looking For

• Education: BA/BS required
• Experience: 2–4 years in fundraising, alumni engagement, or related roles (higher ed or nonprofit preferred)
• Proven ability to solicit and close philanthropic gifts of $1,000+
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Strategic, detail-oriented self-starter capable of managing multiple priorities
• Willingness to travel frequently and work occasional evenings/weekends

Salary

The hiring range for this position is $70,300 – $76,300.