Director of Constituent Engagement & Stewardship for Annual Giving

Director of Constituent Engagement & Stewardship for Annual Giving

Director of Constituent Engagement & Stewardship for Annual Giving 150 150 OSUF Talent Managment
Oregon State University Foundation
Published
July 1, 2022
Location
Corvallis
Job Type
Contact Name (not public)
Lauren Servias
Main Phone
5417374218

Description

Position Summary

As a member of the OSU Foundation’s Annual Giving team, the Director of Constituent Engagement & Stewardship for Annual Giving reports directly to the Senior Director of Annual Giving Programs. The Director leads the development and implementation of fundraising, engagement, and stewardship strategies for key constituent and recognition groups, including OSUF’s Beaver Leadership Circle, Women’s Giving Circle, parents, faculty/staff, and other leadership groups.  The Director is also responsible for the development and execution of a comprehensive stewardship plan for all annual giving donors that demonstrates impact and appreciation of giving, including customized and personalized stewardship strategies designed to maintain high rates of donor retention.

The successful candidate will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the first day of employment.

 

Work Location

The work location for this position is the Foundation’s Corvallis, OR office.

The Foundation offers a program called Core Work Days, a hybrid approach combining remote and in-office work days. Unless traveling for work, Foundation employees are in office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and work remotely, if preferred, on Monday and Friday.

Key Partner

The Foundation’s Stewardship, Marketing and Communications, Gift Accounting, and Advancement Services teams

  • Lead development officers for OSU’s colleges and units including Our Beaver Nation (Athletics) and alumni officers leading parent and family engagement strategies
  • Campus partners such as college stewardship/scholarship representatives, the financial aid/scholarship office, and Dean of Students Office
  • Volunteer leaders from constituency giving groups

Measures of Success

 

  • Meet annual goals for donors and dollars raised for key constituencies, including faculty and staff, Women’s Giving Circle, and parents
  • Meet for Beaver Leadership Circle
  • Implementation of a comprehensive stewardship and acknowledgment plan for annual giving donors and recognition groups that aligns creative multi-channel marketing initiatives with established organizational fundraising and engagement goals
  • Meet annual goals for the retention of academic annual giving donors, including $1000+ donors, based on 5-year average.

Major Duties

Constituent Group Fundraising and Engagement
Lead the OSUF’s primary annual giving recognition program, the Beaver Leadership Circle. Build a community of donors who make annual gifts of $1K+ through enhanced stewardship and engagement experiences. Work with Annual Giving, Athletics, and Marketing and Communications colleagues cultivate and steward Beaver Leadership Circle gifts, increase retention of Beaver Leadership Circle donors, and increase engagement via communications, webinars, events, and volunteering.

Lead OSU Loyal, a comprehensive effort to build a culture of philanthropy among faculty and staff that results in increases in faculty and staff giving and engagement in philanthropy. Recruit and manage a volunteer faculty/staff giving committee; design and execute direct mail, email, and face-to-face solicitation strategies; coordinate with colleges and other university units to support and encourage faculty and staff philanthropy; design engagement opportunities and other creative approaches to inspire employee giving.

Lead the OSUF’s Women’s Giving Circle. Develop and execute strategies to grow WGC donors and funds raised. Recruit and cultivate volunteers; develop direct mail and email solicitations; solicit individual donors. Communicate with campus partners about WGC funding opportunities. Coordinate committee meetings and grant application and distribution process.

Lead OSUF’s parent and family giving program. Partner with alumni engagement staff to develop parent giving strategies that complement parent engagement strategies. Develop and execute strategies to grow the number of parent donors and funds raised. Develop direct mail and email solicitations; solicit individual donors. Recruit and cultivate volunteers to leadership giving council; lead fundraising and engagement strategies for council. Coordinate with other campus partners on parent giving.

Leads the development and implementation of annual giving strategies for other key constituents, leadership, and volunteers, as needed.

Track progress, analyze data, and report on results of annual giving among key constituencies. Use data to inform changes in strategy.

Annual Giving Stewardship

Design and implement a long-term, comprehensive stewardship plan for all annual giving donors that increases donor retention and builds a pipeline for increased giving and engagement at all annual giving levels. Develop and execute customized stewardship strategies and communications for key annual giving segments, including unassigned donors, first-time donors, mid-level donors, and loyalty/consecutive donors; donors from target constituencies; and donors to certain areas. This will include providing a tailored donor experience for all cause-based initiatives. The director will be responsible for leading the engagement strategy for any new special initiatives that may happen on a yearly basis.

Work with the OSUF Stewardship team and Marketing and Communications to create engaging content that demonstrates both appreciation and impact of annual gifts, including impact reports, videos and other digital content, acknowledgement letters, thank you calls and other communication strategies.

Partner with unit fundraising leads to develop and design their stewardship strategies to achieve their annual giving goals. Track results and will communicate results and progress to unit fundraising leads in regular quarterly planning sessions facilitated by the annual giving leadership team. Collaborate with college fundraising units and development officers to develop stewardship strategies and design purposeful and meaningful recognition opportunities for college-based annual giving donors.

Develop new ideas and initiatives to recognize donors and convey appreciation for their continued and loyal support of OSU.

Track progress, analyze data, and report on results of annual giving stewardship. Use data to inform changes in strategy.

Research and communicate emerging trends and best practices in donor engagement and stewardship, in collaboration with Donor Relations.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Comprehensive knowledge of:

  • Donor relations and stewardship strategies
  • Face-to-face cultivation and fundraising techniques, as well as mass marketing strategies
  • Volunteer management

Demonstrated ability to:

  • Develop stewardship plans that demonstrate impact of gifts at all levels
  • Raise gifts through individual solicitation techniques, as well as direct mail, email, and other strategies
  • Use digital platforms to steward and engage donors.
  • Manage volunteers successfully
  • Employ strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Utilize quantitative and qualitative information to improve decision-making and outcomes and document results
  • Develop and manage complex programs and projects
  • Apply creative and entrepreneurial thinking, while applying sound judgment and conducting oneself with integrity
  • Approach work assuming the best of intentions from Foundation and campus colleagues
  • Effectively represent the interests and fundraising priorities of various colleges/units, while also maintaining a high degree of enterprise perspective by always acting in the best interests of the Foundation and the university
  • Work with a high degree of flexibility in a highly collaborative, fast-paced, goal-oriented environment
  • Be aware of, control, and express one's emotions appropriately, and to handle interpersonal relationships maturely, thoughtfully and empathetically, including the ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds

Education and Experience Minimum Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline and 5 years of development work experience, ideally in higher education. Education and experience equivalencies will be considered. Candidates must possess a valid driver’s license, and must be able to travel by varying modes of transportation.

Core Values 

We strive to be one of the best places to work in the country.  We know that our success depends in large part on the people who carry out our mission.  It’s what we do –and how we do it -- that makes the difference.  Our core values reflect our approach to work and to each other, and we are committed to conduct consistent with these values.

collaborative · responsible · respectful · inclusive · innovative

How To Apply