Director, Annual Giving

Annual Giving Network LLC; Kalamazoo (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Annual Giving Network LLC is seeking a senior leader to oversee Kalamazoo College's annual giving efforts, driving multi-channel campaigns, donor engagement, and staff supervision. You will translate strategy into actionable plans, manage budgets, and collaborate with colleagues across Advancement.

The role emphasizes data-driven decision making, donor stewardship, and continuous program improvement to achieve revenue and engagement goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in annual giving, advancement, or similar non-profit development or constituent outreach program.
• Experience supervising staff and managing workflows in a deadline-driven environment.
• Strong analytical skills and experience using data to inform strategy and decision-making.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practices in annual giving and donor engagement.
• A strong background in and understanding of audience segmentation is essential.
• Must be able to forge strong working relationships and engage with donors, parents and friends of Kalamazoo College.
• Strong competency in Microsoft Suite; experience with databases, CRMs, and other fundraising technologies.
• Ability to appropriately manage confidential information.
• A valid Michigan driver’s license and clean driving record.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, execution, analysis, and continuous improvement of all annual fund programs and strategies.
• Translate high-level strategy into clear, actionable plans, timelines, and performance metrics.
• Manage the annual giving budget.
• Supervise and develop annual giving staff and foster a collaborative, donor-centered team environment.
• Oversee leadership annual giving and a portfolio of leadership donors, coordinating with frontline fundraisers.
• Collaborate with major gift officers, CMAC, donor relations, alumni engagement, and advancement services to optimize multi-channel solicitation strategies.
• Regularly participate in Advancement staff meetings and events, including Homecoming and Commencement weekend.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Primary responsibilities:

Management and Leadership

• Serve as the team leader and subject-matter expert for annual giving. Provide regular progress and result updates to the AVP, Constituent Programs and Annual Giving, other Advancement leaders, and key volunteers.
• Translate high-level strategy and goals set by Advancement leadership into clear, actionable plans, timelines, and performance metrics.
• Manage the annual giving budget.
• Lead the design, execution, analysis, and continuous improvement of all annual fund programs and strategies. Provide day-to-day management and ensure strong execution focused on goal achievement.
• Supervise and develop annual giving staff and foster a team environment focused on collaboration with staff and volunteers, strengthening constituents’ relationships with the College through annual giving, achieving fundraising results, and pursuing continuous improvement.

Strategy Development and Execution

• Use data, segmentation, and performance analytics to optimize campaigns, improve donor acquisition and retention, and maximize return on investment.
• Develop and implement comprehensive annual giving plans, including KCF, HAA, and other targeted funds, across all channels (direct mail, digital, social, giving days, peer-to-peer outreach, and staff solicitations) to achieve revenue and donor goals.

Rev. 10/26

• Regularly evaluate program performance and recommend refinements and innovations, elevating significant strategy shifts or investments for senior leadership review and approval.

Leadership Giving Efforts

• Oversee leadership annual giving strategy (i.e., 1833 Society), including acquisition, retention, upgrade, and stewardship efforts in coordination with frontline fundraisers.
• Manage a portfolio of leadership and emerging leadership annual fund donors and prospective donors through all prospect stages (qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship) and with a focus on growing donor engagement and upgrading their giving levels. Target goals to be set each year in collaboration with the Assistant Vice President.
• Oversee volunteer engagement strategies for class agents, peer solicitors, and other volunteers to grow donors and dollars through annual giving. Ensure that all volunteers are asked to make a gift through the Kalamazoo College Fund each year.

Collaboration with Key Partners

• Partner with major gift officers and prospect development to identify, solicit, and qualify/disqualify prospects and, when appropriate, transition donors from annual giving team management to major and planned gift pipelines.
• Collaborate with college marketing & communications (CMAC) and donor relations to secure student stories and impact examples, develop compelling messaging, and devise plans to use it as part of a multi-channel solicitation strategy.
• With the stewardship staff, review and update the plan for annual giving stewardship, customized by giving level, by designation, by constituency, and/or by loyalty/recency of giving.
• Work closely with alumni engagement to leverage annual giving segmentation strategies to prioritize how alumni engage with the college. Partner with that team to strengthen the alumni perception of annual giving as a fundamental way to support their alma mater.
• Partner with advancement services to ensure effective use of systems and tools for solicitation and program management, reporting, tracking, analysis and donor experience.

Other

• Participate regularly in Advancement staff meetings and other relevant department meetings.
• Staff Homecoming and Commencement weekend activities (required) and other on- and off campus events on an as-needed basis.
• Participate in professional development and relevant professional organizations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in annual giving, advancement, or similar non-profit development or constituent outreach program (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Demonstrated success planning and managing multi-channel fundraising campaigns and achieving revenue goals.
• Experience supervising staff and managing workflows in a deadline-driven environment.
• Strong analytical skills and experience using data to inform strategy and decision-making.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practices in annual giving and donor engagement.
• A strong background in and understanding of audience segmentation is essential.

Rev. 10/26

• Must have the ability to forge strong working relationships with others and a capacity for engaging confidence and trust among donors, parents and friends of Kalamazoo College.
• Strong competency in the Microsoft suite; experience with the use of databases, CRMs, and other fundraising and engagement technologies.
• Ability to appropriately manage confidential information.
• A valid Michigan driver’s license and a driving record in accordance with College policy.