The Assistant Director of Annual Giving, Academic Health Sciences (“the Assistant Director”) has primary responsibility for annual fund fundraising to benefit strategic priorities at the Robert Larner MD College of Medicine at The University of Vermont and the UVM College of Nursing and Health Sciences. The Assistant Director also assists with select donor cultivation and stewardship projects and partners with the Executive Director to plan and implement a coordinated direct marketing campaign across other areas in AHS, which includes the UVM Medical Center, the UVM Cancer Center, and the UVM Children’s Hospital. The Assistant Director reports to the Executive Director of Annual Giving, Academic Health Sciences and manages the annual giving budgets for both Colleges.

Essential Functions:

75%       Direct Marketing

• Manage the planning, coordination, and execution of a comprehensive direct marketing program for the UVM Larner College of Medicine including print, electronic/web, and texting components. Execute direct mail and email campaigns for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences that will supplement the UVM Foundation central annual giving comprehensive direct marketing program. Tasks for both colleges’ direct marketing programs include strategy, content development, design, writing, editing, and data management.
• Work closely with the UVM Foundation central annual giving and marketing team for marketing strategy, data management, donor continuum strategy and execution, and design. Identify and select vendors as needed based on competitive estimates and manage vendor relationships.
• Serve as the development team’s lead for all departmental ad hoc solicitations, partnering closely with major gift officer department liaisons.
• Develop and oversee a residency and fellowship alumni direct mail and email solicitation program.
• Assist with comprehensive direct marketing programs for the UVM Medical Center, UVM Cancer Center, and UVM Children’s Hospital. Tasks include assisting with content development, editing, design modifications, ensuring data accuracy, vendor management, and email campaign development and implementation.

25%       Donor, Student, and Alumni Engagement & Volunteer Management

• Establish annual fund, donor communication, and engagement strategies that increase alumni and student giving, with a particular focus on the management of the class agent program and the growth of a young alumni program in coordination with the Alumni Relations team. Occasional travel and staffing of events is expected. Develop strategies to increase the number of alumni and friends participating at a leadership level.
• In partnership with the UVM Foundation central annual giving team, develop and execute a strategy and framework to move donors along the donor commitment continuum to build the pipeline for major gifts.
• Maintain and grow student philanthropy at the Larner College of Medicine through class agent selection and oversight of the 4th-year class gift. Maintain and grow student philanthropy at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences in partnership with UVM central annual giving team. Organize opportunities for LCOM and CNHS student philanthropy activities in partnership with members of the Academic Health Sciences team.

Minimum Skills and Abilities:

• Skillful strategist who can negotiate challenging situations and maximize donor impact while managing multiple projects.
• Experience creating and executing a direct marketing program, ideally for annual giving.
• Experience developing and managing a budget.
• Experience working with a database.
• Experience in higher education or the non-profit sector.                  
• Self-starter with the ability and desire to achieve a high level of productivity and success and to consistently seek new opportunities to learn and grow.
• Effective problem-solver, able to flexibly adapt in a complex environment.
• Experience in exercising discretion in a dynamic, evolving environment
• Collaborator and team-player, with a track record of working effectively with others toward common goals.
• Connector with strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills. 
• Champion for the mission and purpose of higher education, and the ability to talk with others about your passion.
• Effective communicator with the ability to present oneself professionally both in person and in writing.
• Demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, combined with the ability to meaningfully apply those principles to strategy development and implementation.
• Enduring commitment to learning and ethical conduct
• Must be able to work occasional nights and weekends for special events.
• Must be willing and able to travel occasionally, if needed. Valid driver’s license required

Minimum Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree and at least 1 year of successful annual giving and/or direct marketing experience, or equivalent combination of education and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities can be demonstrated.

Salary Range: $55,000 – $65,000 per year