Assistant Director

Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

The Assistant Director, Philanthropy (Leadership Annual Giving) is an ambitious, collaborative, and aspirational fundraiser who is eager to grow in the field of higher education fundraising. This role supports building an inclusive leadership giving and pipeline program to identify, engage, qualify, solicit, and steward the next generation of donors for Rice University.

Using proven techniques and with attention to the art and science of fundraising, the Assistant Director will help expand Rice’s leadership annual giving program, focusing on donors with the potential to make gifts of $5,000+ and contributing to the growth of unrestricted annual giving. The role is designed to provide scaffolding for the Assistant Director to build a strong foundation in relationship management, digital outreach, and front-line fundraising.

Working in close collaboration with colleagues across the Individual Giving team in the Development and Alumni Relations division, the Assistant Director ensures prospective donors have a seamless experience—whether through joint visits, coordinated outreach, or referrals to other fundraisers. The Assistant Director will manage an evolving portfolio of philanthropic individuals and contribute to annual fundraising and donor engagement goals with success measured through qualifications, visits, commitments secured, and fundraising revenue, which grow as their portfolio matures. 

The ideal candidate is eager to learn about leadership-level fundraising, donor qualification, and partnering with campus colleagues to strengthen donor engagement. They are motivated to help build a sustainable higher education donor pipeline by combining emerging digital strategies with traditional fundraising practices.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. 

Must possess (or have the ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire) and maintain a valid Texas driver’s license with no more than three moving violations and/or at fault accidents within the past 36 months, and no convictions or deferred dispositions for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving Under the Influence (DUI) within the past five years.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s Degree

• 2+ years of related experience in fundraising, program development, sales/relationship development, customer service, and/or related experience (experience may be gained while a student)

Skills:

• Strong verbal and written communications skills

• Curiosity and interest in learning about people and their passions 

• Desire to be in a position where growth and change are intrinsic

• Ability to work well under pressure, balance multiple priorities, and manage time and projects simultaneously

• Strong organizational and time management skills

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office suite

• Strong understanding of data analysis and its potential uses

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet solicitation metrics

• Collaborative team player

• Understanding of problem solving, creating contingency plans and handling issues as they arise

• Strong attention to detail

• Strong client service orientation 

Preferences:

• Three or more years of experience in donor engagement or fundraising, preferably at a non-profit organization or an institution of higher education

• Experience making personal solicitations, especially at a leadership giving level ($2,500 and above)

• Understanding of leadership giving and prospect management best practices

• Experience using generative or predictive artificial intelligence to develop fundraising strategies

• Personal initiative, curiosity to learn and flexibility to adjust one’s schedule to accomplish important tasks

• Experience in manipulating data with tools like Excel or Tableau

• Ability to demonstrate good judgment in dynamic situations

• Demonstrated desire to help grow a strong program into an even stronger one

• Knowledge of fundraising database software

• Interest in being a part of the evolution of fundraising through the use of emerging technologies

• Familiarity with fundraising in a higher education environment

Essential Functions:

• Works with a portfolio of assigned prospects/donors with capacity of making gifts from $5,000 – $99,999 to cultivate, solicit, and steward their philanthropic support

• Creates and executes strategies for assigned prospects to move opportunities forward, pivoting as needed

• Organizes and prioritizes prospects, prepares for visits, and follows up to create a positive experience for the donor

• Serves as a collaborator in developing a donor pipeline for fundraising initiatives

• Establishes ongoing relationships with individual alumni, campus partners, and builds a bridge to higher levels of giving when necessary

• Performs all other duties as assigned 

Additional Functions:

• Up to 30% out-of-town travel

• Some evening and weekend work hours are required

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at [email protected] for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.