Assistant Director, Leadership Annual Giving (College of Social and Behavioral Sciences)

About University of Massachusetts Amherst FoundationEstablished in 2003, the University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation (UMAF), a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, exists to raise philanthropic funds in support of the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s mission and highest aspirations. Located on the Amherst campus and wholly dedicated to supporting the University’s mission, UMAF is a separately governed nonprofit organization with its own health, wellness, and retirement benefits. UMAF serves the University of Massachusetts Amherst community by serving as a best practices resource for fundraising strategy and implementation.

About the roleReporting to the Senior Executive Director of Development & Chief Development Officer at the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS), Nicki Hendrix, and working in close partnership with the central UMAF Annual Giving Team, the AD will play a pivotal role in increasing philanthropic support for the College, focusing on the various components of the College’s annual fundraising activity. This position will have direct oversight of the College’s annual giving program and will serve as a liaison to departments within the College, assisting with crowdfunding initiatives, annual donations, alumni connections, and constituent engagement.

The AD will assume and expand a portfolio of alumni, parents, and friends rated at the leadership annual gift level ($1K-$25K). They will identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and engage leadership annual giving donors, which will require them to be fluent in the University and College’s fundraising priorities and to closely collaborate with UMAF colleagues as well as College staff. The AD will be expected to promote all programming for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, learning about the work of its world-renowned faculty across distinct departments, research centers, and schools. Looking ahead, support for student success and faculty research will be areas of philanthropic focus for SBS, in addition to securing funding for fellowships, scholarships, and capital projects. Through their work, the AD will positively impact the institution by increasing the number of donors annually, improving donor retention rates, and developing and coordinating upgrade strategies to impact a growing philanthropic pipeline. The ideal candidate will be a true team player with a mission-first attitude, collaborative instincts, an inclination to integrate efforts, and the tolerance for ambiguity in a complex, interdisciplinary environment. They will demonstrate cultural fluency, empathy, and high emotional intelligence along with the skill needed to project manage a variety of tasks. An entrepreneurial mindset and a willingness to explore new pathways is necessary.

Location: This is a full-time hybrid position and is open to employees in select US states: Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

ResponsibilitiesFundraising (90%)Manage various components of the College's comprehensive annual giving program. This includes but is not limited to:o Driving the development of annual giving goals and implementation plans.o Developing strategies to increase donor retention and donor acquisition in all annual giving programs.o Leading and coordinating annual appeals and annual giving day(s) efforts (i.e., UMassGives, Giving Tuesday) to achieve the College's goals.Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward students, alumni, parents, and friends in support of top initiatives through direct mail, email solicitation and social media; executes a communication strategy in conjunction with the UMAF Annual Giving Team and Marketing and Communications to achieve annual giving goals.Manage a pool of 200 prospects, comprised of alumni, parents, and friends, with giving potential of $1,000-$25,000. Qualifies new prospects, cultivates, solicits and stewards donors. Develops relationships around donor interests and campus priorities. Work in partnership with major gift officers to successfully hand-off qualified prospects and donors above the Leadership Annual Giving level, achieving annual hand-off metrics.Facilitate attendance and awareness of cultivation events such as tours, luncheons, and any special recognition events like the Scholarship Celebration, as well as university events such as Homecoming.Serve as the primary point of contact for SBS Departments' crowdfunding initiatives; field incoming requests, assist with fundraising efforts, and serve as liaison to the UMAF Annual Giving team.Foster collaborative relationships with central UMAF Donor Relations and Alumni Relations teams to optimize donor stewardship and architect engaging alumni involvement strategies.Support and assist the College’s Development staff, the SBS Dean's Office, and the Dean's Advisory Board for current and future campaigns.Support and attend College events as they relate to engagement and annual giving. Other Duties as Assigned (10%)UMAF is building and growing, and this position will support those efforts with other duties and projects as assigned from time to time.

QualificationsBachelor's degree from an accredited university or equivalent work experience.Minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in development, external relations, preferably within an educational institution. Equivalent experience in private sector sales, marketing, financial services, or a related field will be considered. Demonstrated understanding of the principles and practices of philanthropy, particularly in higher education and/or institutionally related foundations.Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills. Ability to problem solve, adapt to change, and successfully manage multiple projects from start to finish.High degree of integrity, demonstrating respect for individuals at every level of an organization.Ability to take initiative and work independently.Ability to quickly gain substantive knowledge and comprehension of the College’s programs and initiatives, projects, and activities to effectively present potential giving opportunities to prospective donors and make a compelling case for support.High level computer skills including familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, and Word), LinkedIn, and exposure to a customer relationship management platform or similar database is helpful.Comfort working in a hybrid/remote environment; local travel as well as evening and weekend work may be required on occasion.

Note: We’re passionate about building a diverse team. If your experience is close, but not an exact match, please consider applying. Experience comes in many forms, and skills are transferable. We know that diverse teams make better decisions and deliver better results, which is why we’re committed to adding new perspectives and encourage everyone to apply.

BENEFITS20 vacation days, 12 holidays, 12 sick days, 5 personal days, and 2 office closure days.4-day summer work week.401(k) plan. You contribute 5% and receive a 10% match.Health insurance packages for medical, dental, and vision.16 weeks of paid parental leave to use within 1 year of childbirth. An additional 6 weeks available for the birthing parent. Part-time work for full-time pay for the first 4 weeks post parental leave.Learn more about our benefits.Proposed Annual Salary Range: $70,000 - $75,000 DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION At the UMass Amherst Foundation, we understand the value that diversity, equity, and inclusion bring to our workplace, our constituents, and our community. View our DEI Statement here

We welcome and value diversity in all its forms and recognize that a diverse and inclusive team strengthens our work and advances our mission. We recognize that the benefits of a diverse team are fully realized when people of all races, gender identities, ages, ethnicities, cultural heritages and nationalities; educational backgrounds; religious and political beliefs; sexual orientations; abilities; and socioeconomic and veteran status are valued, respected, and included at every level. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact careers@uma-foundation.org to request accommodation.