Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Advancement Communications and Donor Relations, the Assistant Director will be responsible for cultivating and stewarding relationships with a select group of high-net-worth individuals and families who have made or have the potential to make 7- to 8-figure gifts. We seek an outgoing and engaging professional to strengthen these connections and ensure ongoing support for our mission. Working closely with the Vice President for Advancement, the Director of Principal Gifts, and other prospect managers, this role requires a strategic thinker who can develop personalized engagement plans and oversee targeted outreach efforts.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive system of scheduled stewardship strategies for principal gift donors. This system should enhance the existing Vassar stewardship processes and align with fundraising goals and College priorities, along with maintaining effective partnerships with key campus and Advancement partners.
• Expand senior-level stewardship for principal gift-rated prospects and donors by creating a customized schedule of meaningful and creative communications and touchpoints to individual prospects and donors.
• Assist in creating consistent digital and print reports for high-level donors, providing up-to-date, detailed, and personalized information about their gifts by collaborating with campus partners.
• Support ongoing efforts and devise new strategies to engage principal gift prospects, proactively exploring opportunities to sustain their interest in the institution and its priorities.
• Integrate donor relations best practices in principal gifts into the overall efforts of the principal gifts team, fostering better coordination among all team members.
• Maintain reporting in office databases around stewardship activities and communications.
• Work directly with the Associate Director for Campaign Operations in their work with Advancement Services to monitor and improve reports on the principal gift pool.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum of two years of professional experience in donor relations, stewardship, individual fundraising, or a related field, showcasing a strong grasp of donor engagement strategies.
• Excellent verbal, writing, editing, and proofreading skills, enabling the creation of clear and compelling communications for varying audiences.
• Proven experience with high-level donors, successfully building and maintaining meaningful relationships.
• Demonstrates a high level of creativity and innovation in developing engaging materials and communications that effectively convey the organization’s message and vision.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently with minimal oversight, ensuring accuracy in all communications and reports.
• Willingness to adopt a collaborative approach and foster respectful communication within a diverse community.
• Availability for occasional evening and weekend work to support donor engagement activities and events.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience in the higher education industry, and/or as a personal or executive assistant.
• Direct experience in event planning.
• Direct experience with proposal writing.
• Familiarity with principal gift fundraising.
• Proficiency with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) databases and data-reporting tools.

Special Instructions to Applicants

To complete your on-line application, you will be required to attach your resume, cover letter, and contact information for 3 professional references. All attachments must be in PDF format. Review of applications will begin immediately. If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources, 845-437-5820.