Details
Posted: 24-May-22
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Salary: Open
Department: Advancement & Alumni Relations
Web Announcement:
Director of Annual Giving
The George Mason University Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations invites qualified candidates to apply for a full-time Director of Annual Giving position.
This position offers:
- Potential for flexible telework and hybrid telework scheduling;
- Competitive salary; and
- Outstanding benefits including:
- Health & life insurance, multiple industry-leading retirement plans available including state VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan, accrued paid days off per year, paid holidays, paid winter break, paid sick leave, professional development, tuition reimbursement at GMU, and employee assistance programs.
George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason's academic and culturally inclusive environment.
About the Department:
The University Advancement division is a comprehensive development and alumni relations enterprise with a staff complement of approximately 135 full-time employees. 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's 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:
Reporting to the Director of Development, the Director of Annual Giving will oversee all daily operational facets of Annual Giving including helping to determine the strategic vision, goal setting, program implementation and assessment, and daily management of Annual Giving staff.
Coordinating a year-round acquisition and cultivation program, the Director of Annual Giving will build strategies for acquiring new donors, with a special emphasis on increasing undergraduate alumni donors, while implementing innovative initiatives for increasing, retaining and upgrading current and new donor's annual support.
The Director will assist in generating support by implementing a variety of strategies to raise funds at the Leadership Annual Giving levels. The Director will be an excellent project manager with a passion for creating and implementing data-driven strategies and a proven ability to work across the university to execute projects and initiatives. The Director will be donor-centered and excited to experiment and explore new approaches for connecting with donors.
Responsibilities:
- Working with the Director of Development, this position will lead the university's efforts to increase annual individual giving from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and students;
- Assist with the development of a strategic plan for the Office of Annual Giving to meet yearly financial and participation goals;
- Work collaboratively with, and in support of: volunteers, school and college development staff, alumni relations staff, and other university representatives to engage prospects in the $1,000-$25,000 level;
- Collaborate with communication teams to develop relevant materials and external content for social media and Mason's Giving website;
- Incorporate emerging digital media opportunities into the overall solicitation plan;
- Ensure that the University's brand and overall marketing and communications strategy is used consistently in annual giving materials;
- Manage the Mason Vision Day campaign;
- Manage the Annual Giving Council;
- Assist in organizing the 15th and greater Alumni Class Reunions;
- Cultivate partnerships with other departments across campus;
- Ensure an optimal online giving experience for donors and optimal service to the development units;
- Manage a stewardship program for annual donors;
- Oversee ongoing strategic initiatives for annual giving, including: optimizing partnerships with gift officers, building the University's crowdsourcing program, determining how to best involve volunteers, and utilizing engagement scores and predictive indices;
- Analyze historical data and current year statistics to include suggestions, recommendations and solutions to running a more efficient Annual Giving program;
- Effectively manage, develop, and motivate Annual Giving's staff of professionals;
- Must be able to travel, occasional work on evenings and/or weekends may be required; and
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Significant experience (generally 5-7 years) in managing annual giving programs integrating the full strategic complement of solicitation channels;
- Experience in Higher Education, preferred;
- A significant background in all forms of direct marketing—especially direct mail and e-direct—including knowledge of direct marketing strategy, creative development, production, and program metrics which consist of creating dashboards and reporting;
- A background in call center/engagement center management and knowledge of University communications best practices;
- A thorough and current knowledge of, and a commitment to, overall fundraising principles and best practices in annual giving, including social and digital media;
- Ability to organize and interpret data sets relating to goal setting, projections, and results;
- Familiarity and comfort with complex data and donor management software platforms;
- Demonstrated understanding of new and emerging fundraising techniques and technologies;
- Demonstrated understanding of digital media and social media as key platforms for fundraising;
- Demonstrated organizational management and leadership skills;
- Ability to work collaboratively with multiple teams and volunteers;
- The ability to think critically, strategically, and creatively about the development and growth of the Annual Giving program;
- Be an accomplished presenter, demonstrated self-starter and an innovative/creative thinker;
- Exhibit an in-depth understanding of new and emerging fundraising techniques and technologies;
- Must be able to travel; occasional work on evenings and/or weekends may be required; and
- Demonstrate extensive analytical skills, vision, flexibility, and the drive to exceed yearly goals.
Salary: $100,000 - $130,000; Commensurate with education and experience.
Location: Fairfax, VA
Mason Ad Statement:
Great Careers Begin at Mason!
George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in both academics and research. Mason holds a top
U.S. News and World Report
About George Mason University
George Mason University is a public, comprehensive, research university established by the Commonwealth of Virginia located in Northern Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C. Mason was initially founded as a branch of the University of Virginia in 1949, and became an independent institution in 1972. George Mason University is an innovative and inclusive academic community committed to creating a more just, free, and prosperous world.
George Mason University has 37,000 students from all 50 states and 130 countries and a residential population of more than 6,000 students. Mason is a vibrant and dynamic community of scholars. 80% of our students are employed within six months of graduation. Nearly two-thirds of the 140,000 Mason alumni live and work in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Mason is a young university that, in just a short time, has made impressive strides in size, stature and influence. Today, as Virginia’s largest public research university, we are setting the benchmark for a bold, progressive education that serves the needs of our students and communities. To that end, we have 10 schools and colleges devoted to a variety of study.
Mission.
We prepa
...re Mason students for the demands of work, social responsibility, and life in an ever-changing global society. University Life's mission statement is core to our work. We support every student at Mason, from orientation through graduation.
George Mason: Patriotism Personified.
George Mason, for whom our university is named, was one of the greatest of the founding fathers of the United States. Mason drafted the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which became a model for the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights.
We Are in Virginia. But We Serve the World.
Mason is committed to creating a more just, free and prosperous world. Located in one of the most important political, economic and intellectual hubs in the world, we accept our responsibility to serve others: to help our students succeed, enrich the life of our community, and contribute to solving some of the most complex global problems of our time.
Washington, D.C.: Land of Opportunity.
Mason’s main campus is in Fairfax, Virginia, just 15 miles outside of Washington, D.C. The nation’s capital is easily accessible by car or public transportation.
At Mason, you can enjoy the best of both worlds: a beautiful wooded residential campus and outstanding college experience, as well as numerous internship and recreational opportunities that only a world-class urban setting like D.C. can offer.
You can intern with National Geographic or the Justice Department, visit the numerous museums with your Art History classmates, take a selfie in front of Lincoln Memorial, catch a Nationals baseball game, kayak along the Potomac, or check out the many neighborhoods where you’ll discover lots of great shopping, places to eat, art galleries, music venues, and much more. You can attend events and hear nationally recognized speakers. You’ll run out of time before you run out of things to do.
There’s more to explore. Students participate in a field trip to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., organized by the Office of International Programs and Services.
In just a short drive, you can be hiking in the Shenandoah Mountains or walking the boardwalk in either Ocean City, Maryland, or Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Our closest airports are Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan National Airport, and Mason is easily accessible by public transportation. Free shuttle buses help you get to the nearest Metro station in Vienna, Virginia, just a short distance from our Fairfax Campus. The Arlington Campus is within walking distance of the Virginia Square-GMU stop on the Orange Line.
Enriching Work Environment.
We will invest in recruiting, retaining, and developing talented and diverse faculty and academic and professional staff. We will create a vibrant campus life in which all members can grow and thrive.
Diversity.
Diversity is one of our core values; everyone is welcome here. Mason was recently named the most diverse university in Virginia by U.S. News & World Report.
We bring together a multitude of people and ideas in everything that we do. Our culture of inclusion, our multidisciplinary approach, and our global perspective makes us more effective educators and scholars.
While at Mason, you’ll be making your own decisions and forming your own view of the world. Engaging with diverse groups of individuals, including students, faculty, and staff, will enrich this experience. You will learn from them, and they will learn from you.
We have a variety of communities here, and you're sure to find a group of people who are like you. The great thing is you'll also be embraced by communities of people who are not like you. At Mason, you'll be in a place where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Interacting with people from a variety of backgrounds will:
•Widen your outlook of the world,
•Show you how to work and collaborate with people of differing views,
•Expose you to new perspectives from people with disparate life experiences, and
•Give you the social skills to interact with all kinds of people.
Diversity also enhances learning and creative thinking by prompting the study of new material and the awareness of fresh viewpoints. The power of many perspectives will boost your capacity to explore original ideas and solutions. Seeing issues in a new way heightens your creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Another benefit: As our nation becomes more diverse, students who learn in a diverse environment will be more competitive in an increasingly global economy. You’ll enhance your critical thinking skills and improve your ability to develop nuanced solutions to real-world problems.
Campus-Wide Accessibility.
Accessibility @ mason provide information regarding the physical access of all campuses and online accessibility of programs and services. Information for disability related services and resources available to all employee, students, and visitors the entire university include physical access to buildings, parking policies, and emergency evacuation procedures.
Accessible.
We are an open and welcoming community. We partner with public and private organizations in our region and around the world. We proactively engage with our community. We define our success by how many talented students with potential we serve, not how many we leave out.
Social and Cultural Venues.
Our venues bring world-class performances to the community through vibrant concerts and events. Community members are invited to take part in many artistic and cultural offerings at Mason. Spaces are also available to rent for your next event.
Show more
Show less
Connections working at George Mason University