Associate Director Of Development & Planned Giving

The Associate Director of Development and Planned Giving excels in assisting the University community in relationship building and obtaining financial resources necessary to fulfill its mission and achieve the ongoing vision of the Board of Trustees and the executive leadership team. This position reports to the Vice President of Advancement and works closely with the advancement and alumni team to reach goals. This position implements strategies for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift prospects with the capacity for a major gift of $10,000 or more.

The Associate Director of Development helps identify prospects, develops unique solicitation strategies, personally solicits gifts, tracks, and reports gift visits, and manages a stewardship strategy for the portfolio. In addition, 50% of this position works with current Planned Giving donors and educates, markets, and solicits new prospects for planned gifts. This position must collaborate and strategize with other gift officers in working on planned gift solicitation in their portfolios. The Associate Director also assists in needed advancement and alumni projects throughout the year.

Essential Functions:

- Identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards major gift prospects and donors. Utilizes a return on investment strategy in managing a donor portfolio.
- Works to meet unrestricted and campaign annual goals. Works as part of a team to meet alumni participation goals.
- Manages a portfolio of approximately 150 individuals. Will also be responsible for a small group of prospective donors in discovery.
- Writes solicitation proposals for individual, corporate and family donors.
- Works with Scholarship Specialist to create scholarship proposals for endowed and sponsored scholarships.
- Attends functions and meetings as well as serve on internal/external committees as a representative of the campus.
- Creates contact reports and next steps in Slate after donor meetings. Works with Advancement Services to accurately document gifts and pledges.
- Works to achieve 6-10 meaningful visits each month.
- Works with the Donor Relations team to effectively steward and cultivate major gift and Planned Giving prospects.
- Plan and implement, with the major gift and advancement services team, an annual program of work designed to maximize contact with potential major gift donors and Planned Giving prospects.
- Creates a Planned Giving education and marketing annual program utilizing newsletters, email, webinars, and in-person workshops. Ultimately creating a drip education/marketing campaign.
- Creates a plan to follow up with all Planned Giving leads from these marketing efforts.
- Works one-on-one with other gift officers to assist them in identifying good Planned Giving prospects in their portfolios and in making asks.
- Manages and stewards the Heritage Society members.

Knowledge and Skills:
Diplomacy, strong interpersonal skills, proactive and collaborative in nature.
Extreme attention to detail and organized Innovative, self-motivated, able to manage multiple projects well, working both independently and as a team member.
Commitment to representing RU with enthusiasm, warmth, and professionalism.
The ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and calmly switch gears when priorities/objectives change.
Remain current on Planned Giving gift strategies and updated tax law changes regarding philanthropic giving.
Computer skills to include Microsoft Office Suite, Slate (or other CRM systems)

Education and Experience:
Bachelor's Degree required.
Demonstrated ability with at least five years of progressive experience in fundraising, preferably with non-profit organizations and/or higher educations, is required.
Prefer previous experience in Planned Giving.

Physical/Environmental Demands:
Average physical effort with some handling of light weights such as supplies or materials on an infrequent basis. (10 15 lbs.)
Willingness and ability to work nights and weekends, as required.

Full-time Rockhurst employees enjoy an excellent benefits package including:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Short- and long-term disability
• Life insurance
• A 37.5-hour work week
• Tax-deferred retirement plan with a generous company match
• Free undergraduate and graduate classes for employees - 6 credit hour limit per semester
• Free undergraduate classes for spouses and dependent children
• Vacation and sick time along with 15 paid holidays
• Positive work environment
• Leadership and development opportunities

Applicants should submit a cover letter with salary expectations and three professional references. Rockhurst cannot accept any application materials (resumes, cover letters, etc.) by email, mail, or walk-in. All applications and application materials must be submitted through our online application system.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Rockhurst University is committed to creating a diverse working environment. The University recruits and employs successful candidates without regard to race, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and/or disability in employment, educational programs, or activities that it operates. Rockhurst uses E-Verify.