Job Description Summary:

The Division of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) is seeking a Director of Leadership Annual Giving for the George Washington University. DAR is responsible for leading the university’s alumni and fundraising efforts and seeks to promote a culture of philanthropy throughout the university community, including alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, corporations and foundations, patients and other friends. The business school is located on the GW campus in the downtown neighborhood familiarly known as Foggy Bottom. Our goal is to advance GWs mission of excellence in education, research, and scholarship. The Director of Leadership Annual Giving reports to the Executive Director of Annual Giving and is responsible for designing, implementing, and coordinating a comprehensive leadership annual giving strategy that improves GW’s total attainment and donor count for key audiences giving between $1,000-$49,000 annually.

Job Duties:

• Qualifies, cultivates, and solicits GW alumni, parents, and friends capable of making gifts in the $1,000 or more, retaining and increasing giving from existing donors, with a special emphasis on securing gifts of $10,000 or more.
• Manages a team of 1-3 Leadership Annual Giving Officers, ensuring they are well trained, have clear goals, and have the resources they need to be successful.
• Leads, as indirect manager, all leadership annual giving officers university-wide.
• Assists with their portfolio management, training and coaching, results tracking, and professional development.
• Serves as a thought leader and subject matter expert for leadership annual giving efforts university-wide, presenting at team meetings and building relationships with university leadership, faculty, other staff, and key stakeholders.
• Alongside the director of direct response, devises and owns marketing and communication efforts for Luther Rice Society.
• Collaborates with the Donor Relations team to devise meaningful stewardship opportunities for Luther Rice Society, including the annual 4th of July fireworks viewing event and regional events Works with Advancement Services and Research and Relationship Management to fine-tune reporting that will track LAG progress to goal, performance metrics, growth trajectory and other metrics needed to assess program health.

This is a management position at the university that, in addition to leading a work unit, leads and supervises staff directly, makes hiring decisions, provides coaching, training and mentoring, manages performance and determines future staffing needs. This position supervises the Leadership Annual Giving team.

Performs other work duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Minimum Qualifications:

Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 6 years of relevant professional experience, or, a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant area of study plus 4 years of relevant professional experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in leadership annual giving with a track record for identifying targets, tracking progress, and delivering results Proven ability to multi-task numerous projects, develop long-term planning, and team leadership
• Exceptional verbal and written skills to effectively communicate with donors, and internal audiences Organized, data-driven, and able to work as part of a larger annual giving team

Background Screening:

• Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire.

EEO Statement:

• The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.