Assistant Director, Athletics Engagement & Stewardship
As a member of the OSU Foundation’s Athletics Annual Giving team, the Assistant Director of Athletics Engagement & Stewardship reports to the Director of Athletics Annual Giving & Engagement, and is a key contributor to the solicitation, engagement and stewardship of annual giving donors. Together, the Athletics Annual Giving team play a role in developing the donor pipeline through modern solicitation strategies, engaging stewardship activity, and volunteer management.
The Assistant Director executes fundraising and engagement strategies to advance future leadership annual giving, major gifts, and planned gift donors. The Assistant Director is also responsible for executing acknowledgement and stewardship strategies for annual giving donors that demonstrate impact and appreciation of giving, including tailored and personalized stewardship methods and resources designed to maintain high rates of donor retention. This role primarily focuses on annual fundraising and engagement, and annual giving stewardship.
Work Location
The work location for this position is in Gill Coliseum located in Corvallis, Oregon office, and will require occasional nights and/or weekend work for game days or athletic events
Key Partners
- The Foundation’s Stewardship, Marketing and Communications, Gift Accounting and Advancement Services teams
- OSU Athletics head coaches and their designated staff
- Our Beaver Nation Advisory Board
- Athletic Department partners in marketing, communications, student-athlete development, and compliance.
- Contracted partners
Measures of Success
- Meet annual goals for the retention of leadership annual giving donors, including $1000+ donors
- Execute modern solicitation strategies and external communications accurately and on time.
- Execute and meet engagement participation goals through Athletics Development stewardship strategies and volunteer efforts.
Major Duties
Annual Fundraising and Engagement
Create and execute communications that inspire support for annual gifts, including written and digital solicitations, videos and other digital content with a focus on the OSU Athletics Fund for Excellence and Fearless: Supporting the Women of OSU.
Track progress, analyze data, and report on results of assigned annual giving initiatives to meet annual goals. Use data informed strategies to build donor pipeline by implementing annual giving solicitations.
Support the development and execution of the OBN and Athletics Dam Proud Day strategy in partnership with Director of Athletics Annual Giving & Engagement. Tasks include creation of giving pages; tracking challenge gifts; strategic communications before, during and after; head coach and staff communications, and post DPD performance review.
Maintain and update ourbeavernation.com as a home to highlight donor impact on student-athlete support and an education tool describing athletic development programing.
Collaborate with Director of Athletics Annual Giving & Engagement, coaching staffs, and development officers to identify major gift donors and potential donors who are engaging in annual giving opportunities to advance support.
Plan and coordinate volunteer committee meetings, events and communications for the Our Beaver Nation Board of Advisors.
Partner with coaching staff to develop and design fundraising and engagement strategies to achieve their annual giving goals as described in each sports written annual plan. Determine the appropriate communication segments to support goals. Track and communicate results and progress to coaching staff in regular quarterly collaborative sessions.
Execute strategies for annual giving constituent and recognition groups such as athletics donors in the Beaver Leadership Circle, student-athlete alumni, parent donors, OSU Loyal (faculty and staff). Develop direct mail and email solicitations, participate in engagement opportunities, and stewardship tactics.
Annual Giving Stewardship
Execute the annual giving acknowledgement process, ensuring consistency across OSU Athletics. Expand appreciation of support through gift anniversary celebrations.
Create engaging content that demonstrates appreciation for annual gifts, including written and digital acknowledgements, impact reports, videos and other digital content, and other communication strategies.
Collaborate with Director of Athletics Annual Giving & Engagement, athletics development leadership, coaching staffs, and development officers to execute annual giving stewardship, and design purposeful and meaningful recognition opportunities for the Athletics Fund for Excellence, Fearless, and programmatic annual giving donors.
Manage and coordinate the Oregon State Athletics Beaver Bennyfits program, which is designed to allow donors to select their own stewardship engagement activities. Work closely with development, athletics department, and coaching staff to determine engagement opportunities. Maintain mobile application and website software. Communicate with donors and coordinate redeemed benefits.
Assist Director to develop new ideas and initiatives to recognize donors and convey appreciation for their initial and continued support of OSU. Enhance stewardship strategies associated with pipeline development activities, including OSU Foundation’s Giving Day – Dam Proud Day and cause-based initiatives.
Track progress, analyze data, and report on results of annual giving stewardship and leadership annual giving.
Research and communicate emerging trends and best practices in annual giving donor engagement and stewardship.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Comprehensive knowledge of:
- Cultivation and fundraising techniques
- Multi-channel communication production and distribution
- Donor relations and stewardship strategies
Demonstrated ability to:
- Develop and execute stewardship strategies
- Raise gifts through direct marketing techniques
- Manage and retain volunteers successfully
- Attention to detail while employing strong written and verbal communication skills
- Utilize quantitative and qualitative information to improve decision-making and outcomes and document results
- Anticipate opportunities and possesses a high level of follow-through
- Multitask and manage multiple complex projects
- Resourcefully problem-solve
- Apply creative and entrepreneurial thinking, while applying sound judgment and conducting oneself with integrity
- Approach work assuming the best of intentions from Foundation and campus colleagues
- Effectively represent the interests and fundraising priorities of various units/sports, while also maintaining a high degree of enterprise perspective by always acting in the best interests of the Foundation and the university
- Work with a high degree of flexibility in a highly collaborative, fast-paced, goal-and team-oriented environment
- Handle interpersonal relationships maturely, thoughtfully and empathetically, including the ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds
Education and Experience Minimum Requirements
Bachelor’s degree and three years of development work experience, ideally in higher education. Education and experience equivalencies will be considered. Must possess a valid driver’s license and must be able to travel by varying modes of transportation.
To apply for this job please visit fororegonstate.org.