The Assistant Director, Sorin Society, oversees the strategic marketing and operational execution of the Sorin Society—the University’s flagship unrestricted annual giving program. Charged with helping drive $26M+ in annual revenue while expanding the pipeline for future leadership donors, this role manages mass solicitations, donor renewals, member recruitment, and stewardship communications.
The Assistant Director designs multi-channel campaigns, manages members’ experience, crafts high-impact stewardship content, and tailors initiatives specifically to recruit new members, upgrade existing donors, and engage young alumni.
Key Responsibilities
Renewal Campaigns & Portfolio Management: Plan and execute annual renewal strategies and mass solicitations across direct mail, phone, and digital channels. Conduct direct fundraising and personal outreach—specifically with Green and Blue-level members—and track performance metrics using the Sorin Society tracker.
Recruitment Marketing & Audience Segmentation: Develop and execute large-scale recruitment campaigns targeting new member growth, with a focus on Green Level prospects. Collaborate with Annual Giving colleagues to segment populations, convert Notre Dame Fund/restricted donors, and evaluate recruitment campaign effectiveness.
Stewardship Communications & Content Development: Manage multi-channel stewardship communications, including quarterly newsletters, "Thankful Thursdays," Founder's Day campaigns, and prompt gift acknowledgments. Gather donor impact stories and support the planning of stewardship and cultivation events.
Young Alumni Engagement: Design and implement targeted marketing, unique experiences, and specialized solicitation plans to engage and recruit young alumni into the Sorin Society.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- 2–4 years of professional experience in marketing, annual giving, university development, strategic communications, or non-profit fundraising.
- Proven experience developing and executing multi-channel marketing campaigns (direct mail, email, digital, phone) with strong copy-writing and story-driven messaging capabilities.
- Ability to analyze campaign performance metrics, manage donor segmentation, and utilize tracking databases to drive strategy.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to conduct personal outreach and manage donor relationships effectively.
- Must be authorized to work in the United States without visa sponsorship.
Preferred Qualifications
- Direct experience working within a higher education annual giving program or large-scale annual membership society.
- Demonstrated track record of managing donor pipeline development, gift upgrades, and lapsed-donor recapture campaigns.
- Experience planning donor stewardship events and coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder marketing production schedules.
- Proficiency with donor management databases (e.g., Advance, Salesforce, or similar fundraising CRMs) and email marketing automation tools.
RESUME AND COVER LETTER REQUIRED to be considered for this position. Please add in the attachments section of the application.
Application Deadline to Apply: September 3, 2026
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Benefits page: https://hr.nd.edu/benefits-compensation/
The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in employment. Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and complies with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). We strongly encourage applications from candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
- 2-4 years of professional experience in marketing, annual giving, university development, strategic communications, or nonprofit fundraising
- Experience developing and executing multichannel marketing campaigns across direct mail, email, digital, and phone channels
- Strong copywriting and story-driven messaging skills
- Ability to analyze campaign performance metrics, manage donor segmentation, and use tracking databases to drive strategy
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to conduct personal outreach and manage donor relationships effectively
- Authorization to work in the United States without visa sponsorship
- Experience in a higher education annual giving program or large-scale annual membership society
- Track record managing donor pipeline development, gift upgrades, and lapsed-donor recapture campaigns
- Experience planning donor stewardship events and coordinating complex, multistakeholder marketing production schedules
- Proficiency with donor management databases such as Advance, Salesforce, or similar fundraising CRMs
- Experience with email marketing automation tools
What We Do
The University of Notre Dame is a global, private Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, Indiana. Founded in 1842, the institution is inspired by its Catholic character to be a powerful force for good in the world. It focuses on fostering intellectual growth and moral character in equal measure, pursuing academic excellence and breakthroughs in research and leadership across all fields of study.
