Michigan State University seeks an Assistant Director of Annual Giving to fundraise for the Cultural Arts; the Beal Botanical Garden, MSU Broad Art Museum, and the MSU Museum.

The Assistant Director of Annual Giving is the primary project manager for the annual giving programs in the Cultural Arts at MSU. This role requires meticulous organizational skills to design and implement high-quality annual giving, donor relations, and donor experience strategies and programs. The ideal candidate will not only be organized and motivated, but also possess a positive mindset.

Reporting directly to the Senior Director of Development, Cultural Arts, the Assistant Director will actively work with University Advancement’s Annual Giving team, as well as Cultural Arts units, to collaborate on best strategies. This position has a dotted line report to the Director of Annual Giving, University Advancement.

CULTURAL ARTS AT MSU

Established in 1873, the W. J. Beal Botanical Garden is the oldest continuously operated university botanical garden in the United States and illuminates the interconnectedness between people, plants, and places. This living laboratory encourages learning and exploration of the natural world. With a collection of over 2,000 plants from around the globe situated in the heart of MSU’s campus along the Red Cedar River, this lovely natural landscape is perfect for collaborative programming to advance research, teaching, well-being, and public engagement.

The Broad Art Museum connects people with art through experiences that inspire curiosity and inquiry. With a focus on the art of our time—in dialogue with the historical—the museum encourages engagement with timely issues of local relevance and global significance. Through a program that features local, national, and international artists, a permanent collection of over 10,000 works, and dynamic public programming, the Broad Art Museum advances the values of quality, inclusion, and connectivity that are paramount to Michigan State University.

The MSU Museum is an innovative and experimental collaboratory that exists to catalyze creativity. Here, people can openly explore, express, and experiment with ideas across disciplines and interests and indulge their natural curiosity about the world. The American Alliance of Museums accredits it and is the state’s first Smithsonian Affiliate. The MSU Museum is a registered scientific institution with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and a member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.

Duties and Responsibilities:

ANNUAL GIVING:

Develop and maintain an annual giving and membership plan that supports prospect and donor moves management, quantified in positive impact on year-over-year fundraising program growth. Specific project responsibilities include:

• Creating digital and print annual giving campaigns to acquire new donors.
• Engaging donors through membership programs and insider communications.
• Implementing a member renewal process.
• Overseeing event follow-up to promote giving.
• Pursuing professional development opportunities to understand and implement new approaches in annual giving and membership.
• Using data, reporting, and analysis to develop creative and successful strategies to increase giving and identify new major donor prospects.

DONOR EXPERIENCE:

Manage the annual events plan for the Cultural Arts units, ensuring consistent donor experience. Specific project responsibilities include:

• Creating an annual calendar of key events (campus and community), regularly updating the calendar and apprising the team of upcoming events.
• Working with the units and the UA events team to design special experiences at unit events for donors and members.
• Overseeing the invitation process for unit leaders, ensuring appropriate leaders are invited to and prepared for events.
• Maintaining lists of key prospects, donors, and board members to invite to events, ensuring invitations are sent in a timely manner.
• Coordinating with UA and other campus partners to leverage existing campus-wide events for donor identification, cultivation, and stewardship.
• Serving as the main point of contact for donor-related event logistics (e.g., specific parking and dietary needs, swag, etc.) as needed.

DONOR RETENTION:

Manage donor relations for the Cultural Arts units, ensuring prompt acknowledgment of donor gifts and reporting on gift impact in order to retain donors. Specific project responsibilities include:

• Executing the acknowledgment process in close coordination with the Cultural Arts units, the UA Donor Relations group, and gift officers.
• Developing stewardship reports for endowments (annually), sponsorships (after sponsored events), and on a situational basis (as needed).
• Overseeing donor recognition events and gifts on an as-needed basis.

REPORTING:

Reports to the Senior Director of Advancement, Cultural Arts with a dotted line reporting to the Director of Annual Giving, University Advancement.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing and/or Business; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in professional fund raising, public relations, marketing, higher education fund raising or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Meticulous organizational skills.
• Excellent customer service and the ability to work with a variety of people.
• Cultural competence in working with diverse populations and commitment to learning about and practicing anti-racism.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• Some evenings and weekends are required throughout the year.
• Possible in-state travel and out-of-state travel.
• Experience in fundraising, membership, or donor relations.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a complex higher education institution and understanding and experience in development are highly desirable, as is a collaborative, team-oriented style.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

Resume and cover letter

Special Instructions

HOW TO APPLY

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Patricia Karam, Director of Recruitment, at [email protected].

Screening of applicants will continue until the position is filled.

Work Hours

8 am – 5 pm with some evenings and weekends

Website

Advancement.msu.edu

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.