Support University Advancement goals by developing cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for leadership annual giving donors and potential leadership donors. This includes determining the donor's area of interest and likelihood to give through qualification contacts such as emails, meetings, telephone calls, and solicitations. Specifically, this position will:
Successfully manage approximately 125–150 assigned prospects within the $1,000 – $24,999 range from identification through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship;
Work with stewardship team to properly recognize leadership donors;
Analyze data and pipeline reports to determine prospect mix, next steps and strategic ways to further engage leadership annual giving donors;
Maintain accurate donor records through timely contact reports, biographical updates, contact preferences, and/or event notes;
Maintain a plan for visiting managed prospects; make contact well in advance to plan a visit; bring appropriate University materials to the meeting;
Work closely with the Sr. Director of Annual Giving to ensure that leadership annual giving donors are annually solicited for gifts;
Collaborate with members of the offices of Annual Giving, Major Gifts, and Planned Giving to continually review donor lists to solicit donors for the proper giving levels;
Work with the Sr. Director of Annual Giving to maintain and develop programs that will encourage increased giving; and
Related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
A minimum of three (3) years of related work experience in nonprofit, higher education, fundraising, or relationship management.
Excellent writing and public speaking skills.
Excellent and demonstrated organizational and goal-oriented project management skills.
Must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and donor-centered.
Must have the ability to forge strong working relationships with other colleagues and a capacity for engaging confidence and trust among donors, alumni, and friends of the University.
Requires travel, including evenings and occasional weekends.
Desired Qualifications:
Direct fundraising experience, preferably within a higher education institution, with demonstrated ability to manage a large number of prospective donors resulting in donor acquisition, retention, upgrades, or significant gifts and strong donor relationships. Knowledge of higher education development, annual giving, and leadership societies.
Additionally, ability to work effectively with the donor community, with the academic community, and with colleagues in a cooperative environment.
Requires strong interpersonal skills and ability to interface professionally with alumni, parents, administration, faculty, and students.
Requires exceptional professional writing, editing, verbal, and analytical skills.
Oakland University is a nationally recognized doctoral university of high research activity located on 1,443 acres of scenic land in the cities of Rochester Hills and Auburn Hills in Oakland County, Michigan. The University has 142 bachelor’s degree programs and 138 graduate degree and certificate programs. Academics include programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Education and Human Services, School of Engineering and Computer Science, School of Health Sciences, School of Medicine and School of Nursing. As an anchor institution in southeastern Michigan, Oakland University is committed to building ongoing and collaborative relationships with the surrounding communities. Community and civic engagement enhances the lives of our students and has a positive impact on our broader community.