giving.umich.edu

Working Title: Director of Reunions and Reunion Giving
Posting Number: 60916
Job Category: Fundraising - Director of Development
Salary: $80,000 - $85,000
Reports To: Jointly reports to the Associate Vice President for Development, Office of University Development and Vice President, Alumni Engagement and Program Delivery, Alumni Association, who will both provide vision and program strategy
Experience Range: 5 to 7 Years

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Position Description

Develop and direct a university-wide reunion and reunion giving program that complements and strengthens the existing school and college-based reunion programs. This position is responsible for supervising three reunion and reunion giving team members, and for setting the strategic direction and building consensus on campus for university-wide reunion programs. The Director will have oversight of communications and volunteer identification and training programs for all reunions and reunion giving campaigns for recent graduates (0-5 years), 10th, 25th and 50th year reunions. The Director will partner with the development community and the Alumni Association to coordinate reunion structure and planning along with solicitation and giving as an integral part of the reunion process. The program will provide a platform for each school and college to develop a culture of philanthropy around reunions. The Director and Reunion Office will also work in close collaboration with the University Annual Giving team.

Supervises directly: Associate Director, Reunions; Associate Director, Reunion Giving; and Coordinator, Reunions and Reunion Giving.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities

Reunion Giving - (75%)
*Set the strategic direction for a university-wide reunion giving program. This includes but is not limited to:
Develop an overall reunion programming and giving communication strategy and volunteer structure including design and implementation of volunteer recruitment, training and stewardship materials.
Setting strategy and achieving reunion class giving and participation goals.
Oversight of 25th and 50th reunion class giving programs. In addition, provide guidance and direction to Associate Director's management of recent graduates (1st - 5th) and the 10th reunion giving program.
Collaborate and partner with school and college reunion giving programs.
Develop and manage a comprehensive reunion solicitation approach including direct mail campaigns, email and telefund.
*Management and oversight of the 25th and 50th - year reunion class giving campaigns:
Identify, recruit, train, and solicit prospects for Reunion Class Chair (or co-chairs) and other volunteer leadership.
Provide support and guidance to the volunteer leaders and committees to ensure active, focused and productive work.
Design and execute cultivation and solicitation plans for lead reunion volunteers.
Coordinate strategies for volunteer identification and recruitment with development colleagues across campus.
Manage efforts of volunteers, providing reporting, solicitation support and training where appropriate; coordinate personal solicitations for the reunion gift committee members.
Develop and implement strategies for giving and participation; including mail, phone and personal solicitations.
Steward reunion class gift donors and volunteers.
Write and produce direct mail solicitation pieces, taking input from the Reunion Gift Chair.
Provide necessary documentation and follow-up to donors, volunteers, and colleagues.
*Create and devise a model to retain key reunion class gift volunteers and enlist their support in non-reunion years.
*Plan, implement and coordinate initiatives to conduct personalized class-based solicitations in non-reunion years, and maintain class participation rates in years following a milestone reunion.
*Supervise the administrative assistant in the tracking of gifts, pledges, fulfillment rates and production of progress reports.
*Make annual solicitations for reunion gifts.
Identify and research prospects for solicitation
Travel to areas where there are significant clusters of reunion prospects
Work with annual giving and major gifts staff from university development and school and colleges to coordinate contacts with prospects.
Personally solicit gifts from identified prospects.

Reunion Programming - (25%)
*Develop strategy and provide oversight for all activities and events surrounding university-wide reunion programs. Partner with University and Development Events in the design, theme and implementation of reunion programs and events.
*Partner and collaborate with school and college development colleagues so that reunions are complementary and not competitive with individual school and college reunion events. Develop a framework of time for school reunion events and time for university-wide reunion events.
*Work with members of university administration, development, and alumni association colleagues to enlist program support and formulate and implement plans for participation in the reunion programs.
*Create and coordinate a university-wide marketing program to promote Reunion Weekend.
Use various forms of media to create efficient and effective communication with and to specific reunion classes.
Create a webpage for each reunion class that allows for a list of participants, various comments and online registration.
Devise and implement special promotions and marketing efforts to engage reunion participants' enthusiasm for the university-wide event programs (i.e. Alumni, parents, current students, etc..).
*Provide leadership for the Reunion team staff; establishing performance goals and standards of excellence to ensure optimal results of reunion campaigns, quality of service to alumni and volunteers and productive coordination of work with colleagues in the Office of University Development, Alumni Association, and schools, colleges and units across campus.
Train, develop, mentor, and monitor daily activity of the Reunion team staff.
Set and evaluate individual goals, develop and sustain appropriate training and mentoring.
*Develop and manage the reunion program budget, and create long-range strategy for the growth of the reunion program.
*Manage special projects as assigned or required.

Required Qualifications

*A baccalaureate degree is required.
*Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in annual giving or major gift fundraising, or alumni relations and volunteer management at a college or university.
*Demonstrated leadership ability to develop strategic plans, implement programs, organize, initiate, and motivate staff, high-level volunteers, and interact successfully with faculty and academic leaders.
*Strong management skills and proven ability to lead a team of individuals towards a common goal.
*Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both oral and written), sound organizational abilities, and a high degree of creative initiative are also essential to the position
*Experience in volunteer management, working with large groups and/or committees, is required.
*Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues in a team environment.
*Discretion and an ability to interact with high-level donors and the ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
*Comfort with personal computers and software programs for retrieving, organizing and researching appropriate donor/prospect information, as well as data gathering and manipulation
*An ability and willingness to quickly learn the University history, mission, demographics, faculty, current programs, departments, etc., as well as the University culture to be able to persuasively articulate how Michigan distinguishes itself from peer institutions.
*Strong interpersonal skills are required, both written and oral, as well as a high level of sophistication and maturity in social and professional settings.

Preferred Qualifications

*Familiarity with University processes and procedures and a commitment to higher education

Additional Information

Although the Posting End Date may indicate otherwise, this job may be filled and closed anytime after a posting duration of seven calendar days.

Mission Statement

The Office of University Development maximizes private support for the University of Michigan through high-quality collaboration with the development programs of schools, colleges, and units. We also provide fundraising leadership through the stimulation and facilitation of healthy, productive and life-long relationships with our colleagues, alumni, friends, foundations and corporations.

U-M EEO/AA Statement: The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

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