Assistant Director Development

SUMMARY

The Assistant Director of Development reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Advancement, is responsible for the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of annual donors capable of making gifts between $1,000 and $10,000. This role focuses on managing a portfolio of leadership annual giving prospects and building meaningful relationships to increase donor participation, retention, and philanthropic support for Oglethorpe University. 

The Officer partners closely with colleagues in annual giving, alumni engagement, and advancement to strengthen the pipeline from annual giving to major gifts while supporting university-wide fundraising priorities. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Portfolio Management and Fundraising

• Manage and grow a portfolio of leadership annual giving prospects, with a focus on securing gifts between $1,000 and $10,000. 

• Develop and execute individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for assigned donors and prospects. 

• Conduct regular outreach, including in-person visits, virtual meetings, phone calls, and personalized communications. 

• Meet and exceed annual performance metrics, including visit, solicitation, and revenue goals. 

• Identify, qualify, and transition prospects to major gift officers as appropriate. 
• Maintain accurate and timely records of donor interactions in the CRM system. 

Donor Engagement and Stewardship

• Build strong, long-term relationships with alumni, parents, and friends to deepen philanthropic engagement. 

• Partner with stewardship and events colleagues to deliver meaningful recognition and appreciation experiences for leadership annual donors. 

• Ensure timely and personalized follow-up after solicitations and gifts. 

• Engage volunteers, campus partners, and colleagues when appropriate to support donor outreach. 
• Serve as a liaison between donors and campus stakeholders to demonstrate the impact of giving. 
• Work closely with campus partners (faculty, athletics, programs, and departments) to identify funding opportunities aligned with donor interests. 

Annual Giving Strategy Support

• Collaborate with the annual giving team to support multi-channel campaigns, including giving days, appeals, and digital outreach. 
• Assist in developing targeted strategies to upgrade donors into leadership giving levels. 
• Partner with alumni engagement to leverage reunions, affinity groups, and campus events as opportunities for donor cultivation and solicitation. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, marketing, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in donor relations, development, and event planning.
• Ability to cross-train in other areas of annual giving to provide support and coverage when needed
• Demonstrated readiness and ability to listen and to work with others collaboratively to reach critical decisions, and the ability to communicate effectively about difficult decisions.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong customer service skills and phone and e-mail etiquette.
• Able to handle multiple tasks or projects at one time, meeting assigned deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team-oriented environment.
• Proficiency in CRM systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce).
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed for events.
• Appreciation of, a sensitivity to, and respect for a diverse academic environment, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of many social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.