Associate Director, Reunion and Affinity Giving

Lehigh University; Bethlehem (Northampton County); On-site; USD 67,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Lehigh University’s Development and Alumni Relations team seeks a strategic fundraiser to lead Reunion and Affinity Giving programs, connecting thousands of alumni to the university’s mission and shaping a robust giving culture.

You will manage end-to-end campaigns, coordinate with DAR College Partners and faculty, and translate data-driven insights into targeted outreach and measurable results across direct mail, email, and events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Communications, Marketing or a related field.
• Three to five years of work related experience.
• Fundraising experience or experience in higher education would be preferred.
• Strong communications and marketing experience preferred.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to coordiate across departments and competing priorities.
• A data-informed approach to strategy with comfort using CRM or fundraising platforms.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a dynamic portfolio of Reunion and Affinity prospects through in-person/digital visits, strategic outreach, and tailored communications to assess donor capacity and passion.
• Drive unrestricted gifts for the Lehigh Fund by executing multi-channel strategies, preparing high-quality donor briefings and proposals, and ensuring prospects are solicited for the appropriate giving levels.
• Partner with DAR College Partners, Senior Directors, and Associate Deans to design direct response plans (direct mail, email, digital) aligned with institutional fundraising priorities and unified messaging across all five colleges.
• Manage end-to-end campaign timelines, vendors, and copywriting deliverables while collaborating with Information Systems to ensure precise audience segmentation, data integrity, and on-schedule campaign launches.
• Design and execute a comprehensive annual giving plan for Reunion classes by collaborating with Individual Giving, Alumni Relations, Planned Giving, and Family Philanthropy to align mass solicitations, events, and individual prospect strategies.
• Drive milestone reunion giving by leveraging events and cross-departmental partnerships to maximize high-impact, unrestricted support for the Lehigh Fund.
• Serve as the primary liaison for University constituent and affinity groups, partnering with Alumni Relations and Information Systems to define audience targets, evaluate direct-response channels, and elevate annual giving support.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and external vendors to design, coordinate, and launch integrated, multi-channel fundraising initiatives across direct mail, digital, and crowdfunding platforms.
• Partner with Donor Relations to build and evaluate targeted donor stewardship plans while continually analyzing campaign performance to optimize future solicitation strategies.

Skills

Strong communications

Marketing experience

Project management

Data-informed strategy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Communications, Marketing or related field

Tools

CRM or fundraising platforms

Job description

Lehigh University's Development and Alumni Relations team is looking for a strategic and relationship-driven fundraiser to lead Reunion and Affinity Giving programs that connect thousands of alumni to the University's mission. If you bring a sharp eye for data, a genuine enthusiasm for donor engagement, and the ability to turn collaborative plans into measurable results, this role offers real scope to shape giving culture at a nationally recognized research university.

Position Number: S80620

This position is a Grade: 10 - 40 with an approximate salary range of $67,270-$81,830 and is subject to change based on experience, skills and qualifications.

Key Accountabilities

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a dynamic portfolio of Reunion and Affinity prospects through in-person/digital visits, strategic outreach, and tailored communications to assess donor capacity and passion.
• Drive unrestricted gifts for the Lehigh Fund by executing multi-channel strategies, preparing high-quality donor briefings and proposals, and ensuring prospects are solicited for the appropriate giving levels.
• Partner with DAR College Partners, Senior Directors, and Associate Deans to design direct response plans (direct mail, email, digital) aligned with institutional fundraising priorities and unified messaging across all five colleges.
• Manage end-to-end campaign timelines, vendors, and copywriting deliverables while collaborating with Information Systems to ensure precise audience segmentation, data integrity, and on-schedule campaign launches.
• Design and execute a comprehensive annual giving plan for Reunion classes by collaborating with Individual Giving, Alumni Relations, Planned Giving, and Family Philanthropy to align mass solicitations, events, and individual prospect strategies.
• Drive milestone reunion giving by leveraging events and cross-departmental partnerships to maximize high-impact, unrestricted support for the Lehigh Fund.
• Serve as the primary liaison for University constituent and affinity groups, partnering with Alumni Relations and Information Systems to define audience targets, evaluate direct-response channels, and elevate annual giving support.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and external vendors to design, coordinate, and launch integrated, multi-channel fundraising initiatives across direct mail, digital, and crowdfunding platforms.
• Partner with Donor Relations to build and evaluate targeted donor stewardship plans while continually analyzing campaign performance to optimize future solicitation strategies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Communications, Marketing or a related field
• Three to five years of work related experience
• Fundraising experience or experience in higher education would be preferred
• Strong communications and marketing experience preferred
• Strong project management skills with the ability to coordinate across departments and competing priorities
• A data-informed approach to strategy with comfort using CRM or fundraising platforms

Why Lehigh

Lehigh University has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence and a fiercely loyal alumni community - assets that make fundraising here genuinely rewarding. As part of DAR, you'll work alongside colleagues who care deeply about the mission and bring real expertise to the table. Lehigh offers an exceptional benefits package including generous paid leave, above-benchmark retirement contributions, tuition benefits for employees and dependents, and a campus environment that balances intellectual rigor with genuine warmth. This is a place where your strategic ideas will find space to grow.

Lehigh University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate. We are committed to a culturally and intellectually diverse community and we seek qualified candidates to contribute to the university's mission.

Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing an accommodation for any part of the interview or hiring process may contact Lehigh's Accommodations Specialist.

Special Considerations

• This position will include some weekends and evening work as necessary for special university events.
• The duties of the position do not allow for a remote work option; the employee in this position will be required to work on campus where they can be fully accessible to the Lehigh community.

Successful completion of standard background checks including but not limited to: social security verification, education verification, national criminal background checks, motor vehicle checks, PATCH, FBI fingerprinting, Child Abuse Clearance and credit history based upon the requirements of the position.

Advertised

August 07, 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

Applications close