Development Assistant

Department: College of Visual and Performing Arts

Classification: GMU Worker

Job Category: Part-Time / Hourly Wage

Job Type: Part-Time

Work Schedule: Flexible, with additional hours anticipated during August and September 2024

Location: Fairfax, VA

Telework Friendly: Yes; Hybrid work eligible

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is dedicated to advancing the study, creation, performance, and exhibition of the arts, acting on the strong belief in their transformative influence on individuals and societies. The College honors the values of great traditions in the arts while actively engaging in the creation of new works and ideas. This distinctive fusion of the academic and the professional, the campus and the community, the past and the present, defines the college as it engages new art forms, communities, and ways of working to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world.

The Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations division is a comprehensive development and alumni relations enterprise with a staff complement of approximately 125 FTE. Functional units within Advancement include development/fundraising, alumni relations, stewardship and donor relations, advancement communications, special events, gift processing, research, prospect management, gift planning, corporate and foundation relations, information systems and management, and infrastructure services.
Advancement’s mission is to build strong, lifelong relationships with George Mason University’s alumni and constituents, while matching their philanthropic interests with the university aspirations and priorities. The division is committed to serving the needs of the university, our alumni, and the greater community by providing access to quality education and lifelong learning. Respect, service, integrity, collaboration, diversity, transparency, and creativity are the values that guide our work and culture.

About the Position:

Under the supervision of the Director of Development, this temporary position will assist the College of Visual and Performing Arts Development Office with its largest fundraiser of the year, ARTS by George! Main areas of responsibility will include soliciting sponsorships via email, phone, and mail; maintaining the event guest list; creating social media materials for advertising the event and thanking sponsors; working with the ARTS by George! steering committee to identify and solicit new sponsors and ticket buyers; ensuring sponsor benefits are activated such as program ads; corresponding with sponsors and tickets buyers prior to the event; and general event support. Position is open from March to October 2024. Schedule will be flexible, up to 40 hours per week, hybrid work eligible.

Responsibilities:

• Manage guest list for ARTS by George!, CVPA’s largest fundraiser of the year, scheduled for Saturday, September 28, 2024;
• Correspond with sponsors and ticket buyers in a professional manner via email and phone;
• Assist Director of Development with sponsorship solicitation and follow-up correspondence for ARTS by George!;
• Assist Director of Development with managing the steering committee and invitation list;
• Manage sponsorship ads for ARTS by George! event program. Contact sponsors for ad materials, follow up with individuals and corporations to ensure timely completion of the event program;
• Create social media materials for steering committee members and to be shared via the CVPA social media channels to encourage ticket purchase and/or acknowledge sponsors;
• Manage guest list and correspondence for ARTS by George! Cultivation events as needed;
• Create year-end Center for the Arts corporate sponsor year-end reports and/or grant reports with assistance from the marketing team; and
• General donor stewardship and event support.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree, or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Administrative experience;
• Attention to detail and follow-through;
• Demonstrated success in managing multiple projects at a time;
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of alumni, faculty, staff, donors, students, and colleagues throughout the university;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills;
• Ability to take initiative and work independently;
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with appropriate discretion;
• Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office applications; and
• Flexibility to work evening and weekend hours between September 16-28, 2024.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience fundraising for higher education or not for profit;
• Event planning experience;
• Salesforce or CRM experience; and
• MicroStrategy or reporting experience.

Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Development Assistant at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and provide a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information.

Posting Open Date: January 24, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by: February 14, 2024

Open Until Filled?: Yes