Assistant/Associate Director - Major Gifts

Summary

The Assistant/Associate Director, Major Gifts will be responsible for dollar growth, setting strategy and facilitating team efforts to secure major gift-level gifts and build a pipeline of major-gift level donors.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Major Gifts, the primary responsibilities for the Assistant/Associate Director, Major Gifts (ADMG) include developing long term philanthropic relationships with an assigned group of approximately 100+ prospects and donors, most of whom are alumni, friends, and family or parents of current Skidmore students. Responsible for solicitation of gifts with emphasis on those sized $50,000 and higher; and recruiting/managing fundraising volunteers.  The ADMG will work with the Research Department to identify new prospects, oversee ask amounts for annual and non-annual gifts for their assignments and will be responsible for setting up individual stewardship plans for their donors. These responsibilities entail not only working with the Advancement staff but also with volunteers and administrators and faculty across campus.

Primary Job Duties

1. Maintain and execute appropriate strategies, from identification to stewardship, for each prospect/donor in assigned portfolio. 
2. Conduct asks of $50,000+ to assist Advancement in reaching revenue goal of raising approximately $25M per year. 
3. Plan and execute extensive travel to build and maintain philanthropic relationships with constituents.  Conduct effective meetings either in-person or virtually with prospects/donors.
4. Record prospect/donor interaction and strategy in database effectively. Demonstrate the ability to pull reports and manipulate data.
5. Facilitate interactions between prospects/donors and key administrators, faculty, and volunteers.
6. Relay key information between Skidmore and constituents.   
7. Collaborate with fellow Advancement staff, especially as their work pertains to prospect management, cultivation, stewardship, and strategy related to major gifts.
8. Serve on Advancement-related projects as needed/assigned.

Qualifications and Competencies

Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Experience: Requires three to five years of experience in major gift fundraising

• Fundraising (major gift and annual fund expertise with experience in facilities fundraising and working knowledge of planned giving), strong interpersonal and volunteer management skills, public speaking and writing, time management, judgment and decision making, and strong computer skills.
• This position requires a professional with a background characterized by initiative, leadership, creative energy, refined organizational skills, and proven fundraising expertise.  The ADMG must be a superb communicator -- both written and oral -- who builds relationships and works well with varied constituents, including alumni, parents, friends, trustees, and staff. The ADMG must appreciate the important traditions of higher education and be able to articulate the mission and needs of the College, including the integral role of philanthropy in sustaining excellence and advancing strategic priorities. They must be able to make independent decisions, manage projects, work productively with colleagues and independent-minded volunteers, and inspire confidence among associates.  Discretion and the ability to maintain confidences and confidential material are a must.   
• Must be willing to relocate. This is not a remote position.  The position requires travel 50% of the time or conduct virtual visits.

Salary range: $65,000 - $85,000

Required documents needed to apply:

• On-line application
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• List of Three References

EEO STATEMENT

Skidmore College is committed to being an inclusive campus community and, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, familial status, dating violence, or stalking, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Employment at Skidmore College is contingent upon an acceptable post-offer background check result.

CREATIVE THOUGHT MATTERS.