Associate Director, Advancement Communications

Annual Giving Network LLC; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 65,900 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington University in St. Louis seeks an Associate Director of Advancement Communications to lead high-volume direct marketing for annual giving, crafting solicitation letters, brochures, emails, and web content, and coordinating with Annual Giving Programs to plan a strategic annual campaign.

The role emphasizes writing, design collaboration, project management, and timely delivery across multiple stakeholders, supporting the university’s donors and fundraising goals with creativity and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 3+ years experience in advancement or fundraising communications.
• Strong writing, research, and editorial skills.

Responsibilities

• Research and write solicitation materials for print and digital channels.
• Design and build solicitations and stewardship emails.
• Manage projects and timelines across stakeholders.
• Collaborate on creative concepts for direct mail campaigns.
• Support strategic annual campaign planning with Annual Giving Programs.

Skills

Writing

Editing

Fundraising comms

Project management

Teamwork

Adobe Creative Suite

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Print production

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Job description

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Advancement Communications has significant responsibility for developing and managing direct marketing including print and digital communications for Washington University’s annual giving efforts. This includes two primary areas of responsibility: a) researching, writing, designing, and scheduling print and electronic solicitation materials; b) collaborating closely with Annual Giving Programs as a member of the team to plan and implement a strategic annual campaign of mail and electronic publications. These activities will result in advancing Washington University’s strategic plans to acquire and retain donors and raise tens of millions of dollars per year.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Research and write materials for a high volume of solicitations and other efforts annually. Materials include solicitation letters, postcards, brochures, one-pagers, webpages, broadcast emails, and other tactics targeted to a variety of constituents. In collaboration with Annual Giving Programs staff, other fundraising staff, and vendors, ensure solicitation materials across University Advancement meet department and university quality standards in a timely manner.
• Design and build solicitation and stewardship emails for large audiences, coordinating elements and timing with the art director, data analyst, and Annual Giving and Digital Strategy teams.
• Project management to ensure timely delivery of materials, including overseeing schedules, coordinating approval process, and managing input and collaboration over multiple stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the Director of Advancement Communications, art director, and Annual Giving Programs to develop creative concepts for direct mail and electronic solicitations. Collaborate closely with Annual Giving Programs as a member of a team to plan and implement a strategic annual campaign of mail and electronic publications. Provide recommendations for new strategies to effectively market fundraising efforts.
• Other responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Advancement Communications and Assistant Vice Chancellor of Advancement Communications.

Working Conditions

Job Location/Working Conditions

• Normal office environment

Physical Effort

• Typically sitting at a desk or table
• Some light lifting and bending may be necessary
• Ability to travel to and from off-campus locations and between campuses is required

Equipment

• Office equipment

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor’s degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

Relevant Experience (3 Years)

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver’s License:

A driver’s license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

Preferred Qualifications

• Exceptional creativity demonstrated by effective communications developed for higher education, not-for-profit, or similar audiences.
• Strong research and writing skills demonstrated in feature, brochure, marketing, and/or direct mail copy.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality deliverables for multiple projects, to manage competing priorities, and to meet demanding deadlines.

This position is located in St. Louis, MO and the targeted hiring range for this position is $65,900 – $78,000.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:

Publications Editing, Writing, Production, Or A Related Field (7 Years)

Skills:

Adaptability, Adobe Creative Studio, Business Principles, Communication, Deadline Management, Detail-Oriented, Fundraising Communications, Goal-Oriented, Higher Education Research, Leadership, Microsoft Word, Organizational Commitment, Persuasive Writing, Print Production, Production Scheduling, Professional Integrity, Project Management, Project Management Software (PMS), Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Sound Judgment, Task Organization, Team Collaboration, Teamwork, Time Prioritization, University Education

Grade

G13

Salary Range

$65,900.00 – $112,700.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one’s qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to External Applicant FAQ

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [e-mail] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/