Detailed Job Listing:
JOB FAMILY: MANAGERIAL AND PROFESSIONAL
STARS Requisition: 86103BR
University Job Title: Assistant Director 1
Department Job Title: Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Campaign Initiatives
Grade: 22
Position Focus:
The Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Campaign Initiatives is responsible for planning, producing, and executing a range of compelling stewardship and campaign-related activities, communication materials, and events. The successful candidate will be a highly collaborative, innovative, independent professional who is strategic, creative, and employs best practices for stewardship of donors, volunteers, and otherwise engaged SOM alumni and friends. The position will report to, and serve as a thought partner to, the Director of Donor Relations and Campaign Initiatives, and will collaborate with all members of SOM’s Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) team.
Essential Duties:
- Conceptualize and execute stewardship reporting to donors in various categories of SOM support: donor-funded scholarships and internships; professorships and faculty activities; programs and centers. This includes overseeing specific scholarship criteria and ensuring awards are appropriately awarded; implementing the process of collecting stewardship information from recipients; researching, writing, and/or editing print and digital stewardship reports; and arranging on-site or virtual visits between students and donors.
- Lead stewardship of SOM’s newly rebranded Alumni Fund Dean’s Society Scholarship program, including ensuring best practices; liaising with gift officers; and researching, writing, and/or editing print and digital stewardship reports. Develop a plan to extend this work to other SOM giving societies.
- Research and write tailored correspondence on behalf of various SOM leaders for different occasions including gift acknowledgements, detailed stewardship, and thank-you letters, and more.
- Plan and execute donor relations-related and campaign-related special events, such as large-scale celebrations and the annual Student-Donor Scholarship event, working closely with the Director of Donor Relations and Campaign Initiatives.
- Strategize and develop content related to Driving Purpose—The Yale SOM Campaign communications including reports, newsletters, correspondence, articles, events materials, and fundraising collateral. As appropriate, oversee crossover with creation of SOM’s annual Impact philanthropy and campaign report.
- Create and implement digital strategies for stewardship campaigns.
- Manage the SOM Campaign Committee of top donors and volunteers and help steward campaign donors. In partnership with the Director for Donor Relations and Campaign Initiatives, develop, implement, and monitor engagement for alumni across all degree and non-degree programs and across all regions for Campaign reporting. Proactively suggest and create special opportunities for custom outreach, such as one-off creative projects to thank, inform, and inspire top donors. Communicate with donors and alumni as required.
- Conceptualize and implement additional projects based on the needs of the Development office.
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Education & Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 3 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
Required Skills & Abilities:
- Outstanding written, oral, and creative communication skills. Demonstrated ability to work closely with and command the respect and confidence of senior administrators, donors, and colleagues in Yale SOM’s Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) team; the University’s Office of Development; SOM faculty and students; and development colleagues in Yale’s schools and units.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently to prioritize, manage, and deliver multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast paced and goal-oriented environment. Must be able to maintain the highest standards of output, business practices, good judgment, and discretion.
- Detail-oriented, with exceptionally strong analytic, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with ability to establish strategies and respond to challenges.
- Expertise in using digital tools for enhanced communication outreach.
- Superior interpersonal skills. A leader with a positive and can-do attitude who supports the mission of the school. A team player who works well with other members of the staff.
- Proven ability maintaining high levels of confidentiality on sensitive issues and on all matters related to relationships with the DAR office and other key constituencies.
- Willing to travel on an as needed basis to off-site events.
- Appreciation and respect for principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ability to engage with diverse audiences (age, gender, nationality, race/ethnicity, profession, etc.).
Preferred:
Development experience. History of working with frontline fundraising and/or donor stewardship.
Competencies:
- Customer Service Focus – Listening carefully to and understanding customers’ needs and proactively responding to those needs in a consistent and timely manner.
- Teamwork/Communication – Working cooperatively to achieve common goals. Support cooperation, collaboration and the sharing of information.
- Product Excellence – Provide the best quality product available and continuously upgrade standards to maintain quality.
- Leadership – Provide direction and motivation to others through communication, modeling appropriate behavior, optimism and high achievement
- Innovative – Openness to new ideas and their implementation. Ability to react and adapt to changing situations appropriately.
- Strategic Thinking – Recognize opportunities, identify critical, high pay-off activities and prioritize them to attain goals.