Position Title: Donor and Alumni Engagement Officer
Department/Location: Advancement Office at SMSA
Job Classification: Professional Staff
Reports to: Chief Development Officer
Status: Full-time, year-round
Supervises: N/A
Position Summary:
The Donor and Alumni Engagement Officer is responsible for donor identification, stewardship, cultivation, and solicitation. Annual fundraising goals will be met through managing, retaining and upgrading an annual portfolio of approximately 200 donors. They will also cultivate new and deepened relationships with prospective donors and will manage all first-time donors, recurring donors and memorial donors. This position has responsibility for alumni engagement, connecting with and recognizing alumni in ways that grow their relationship to the Academy.
Essential Job Functions:
Donor Engagement
- Actively cultivates, solicits and stewards a portfolio of mid-level donors giving between $500 and $4,999 on an annual basis, with focus on renewing and upgrading donors.
- Conducts in-person and virtual meetings with donors both in Wisconsin and in surrounding states.
- Researches prospective mid-level and major donors, using iWave (a donor wealth screening tool), providing ongoing, comprehensive reports/profiles to the CDO and System President.
- Manages cultivation and stewardship activities with prospective mid-level, first-time and recurring donors, with specific goals to grow the recurring donor program and retain solicitable first-time donors.
- Coordinates annual donor stewardship activities including, but not limited to, annual student led thank-a-thon, annual fund goal achievement messaging, engaging update videos, congratulatory notes, etc.
- Knowledgeable and continually learns about all areas of the Academy, including the strategic plan, KPI’s, financial status, opportunities/needs, market position, educational outcomes, etc. to effectively communicate with donors.
- Recruits, trains, and coordinates students for the annual phone-a-thon.
- Leads end of year giving campaign strategy, with support from the CDO and marketing.
- Collaborates with the team to plan for and execute the annual fund strategy, including written and digital appeals, thank-you letters, strategic communications, etc.
- Assists the Database Coordinator in the review and clean-up of donor acknowledgement and mailing lists from Raiser’s Edge (our donor CRM software).
- Creates and executes strategic campaigns, targeted at capturing lapsed donations with the goal of increasing donor retention rates.
- Serves as a lead user in Raiser’s Edge, with the ability to pull reports, extract data, insert donor notes, update donor information, etc.
- Communicates with/thanks memorial donors. Alumni Engagement
- Develops and coordinates an annual opportunity to celebrate outstanding alumni for significant post-graduation accomplishments.
- Proactively participates in alumni reunion planning, providing tools and resources to engage and connect classes back to SMSA, serving as their point of contact, conducting tours and attending reunions as necessary.
- Develops and leads a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy with the goal of increased alumni participation in the annual fund.
- Identifies and develops content for the Alumni LinkedIn page and Alumni Spotlight Newsletter through fact finding via yearbooks, meetings with alumni, faculty/staff interviews, etc.
- Captures senior class contact and participation information and instills a philanthropic spirit, welcoming them to the alumni network, and setting expectations for life beyond the ledge.
- Leads all aspects of alumni engagement events (including but not limited to Academy Girls, Men of the Ledge and Athletic Hall of Fame). This includes:
- In partnership with marketing, promote the event to internal and external stakeholders,
- Recruit, train and deploy volunteers to support event efforts,
- Conduct all pre-event, event day, and post-event activities, and
- Manage the budgeting process; monitoring expenses and driving to maximize net revenue.
General Engagement
- Provides support for all Advancement Team events, including, but not limited to: Ledgerfest, Swing Fore Springs, Big Money Raffle, Open Houses, etc.
- Maintains flexibility and possesses the ability to both take initiative and work well within a team, welcoming new challenges with a positive attitude.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
The following are the minimum qualifications which an individual needs to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this position.
- Ability to travel and flex time to work on weekends.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google and their web applications; familiarity with Raiser’s Edge, iWave, or other similar CRM and donor wealth screening tools preferred.
- Access to reliable transportation.
- Must be a highly motivated, energetic professional with the ability to form fast relationships and comfort asking for financial gifts.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, thriving in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment, with a variety of groups including students, teachers, staff, donors and volunteers.
- Strong organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail.
- Ability to anticipate tasks, set priorities, meet deadlines and function under strict deadlines and shifting priorities, exercising initiative and accepting responsibility to work proactively and with minimum supervision.
- Outstanding oral and written communication skills, including presentation skills.
- Models and promotes the Core Values (Faith, Learning, Respect, Leadership, Community and Responsibility).
PERKS & BENEFITS:
- Flexible summer schedule.
- Closed the weeks of Christmas and Spring Break.
- Flexible work hours and location, including ability to work remote as needed.
- Tuition discounts for your child(ren) attending SMSA.
- Comprehensive insurance including medical, dental, vision and life.
- Paid time off and sick days.
- Ample faith and professional development opportunities.
- Pension plan.
- Work with an awesome, fun team!
ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:
You must have the ability to:
- Sit or stand for prolonged periods, up to six hours in an eight-hour day.
- Perform light physical work, lifting up to 25 pounds without assistance.
- Have dexterity and hand/eye coordination necessary to operate a computer keyboard and other office equipment such as a fax machine, copier, telephone, etc.
- Hear adequately to participate in numerous conversations throughout the day, both in person, over the telephone, and virtually.
