Donor and Alumni Engagement Specialist
Description of Duties
Luther College (www.luthercollege.edu) invites applications for the position of Donor and Alumni Engagement Specialist. As a member of the Luther College President’s Office and reporting to the Director of Development, the Donor and Alumni Engagement Specialist is responsible for donor engagement and fundraising as well as alumni relations at both the High School and University campuses.
Responsibilities
Donor Engagement and Fundraising
- Engage donors through effective cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to ensure donor retention, increased giving, and long-term engagement.
- Develop and manage a portfolio of mid-level donors with personalized touchpoints for donors based on their interests and giving.
- Create compelling fundraising proposals, cases for support, and impact reports.
- Oversee, manage, and grow the existing direct mail and email programs, including writing direct response letters.
- Collaborate with other members of the Development team to ensure a cohesive and integrated fundraising approach, including direct mail, annual giving campaigns, targeted appeals, and special fundraising initiatives.
- Work closely and develop relationships with internal stakeholders (faculty and staff) to learn about and understand programs to be able to update donors on program outcomes and impact.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records in the fundraising database, including contact information, interactions, and solicitation history.
- Other duties as required by the Director of Development.
Alumni Relations
- Develop and implement comprehensive strategies to engage and foster relationships with alumni, including recent graduates.
- Plan and execute alumni events, reunions, and networking opportunities to strengthen connections and promote a sense of community.
- Collaborate with faculty and staff to provide alumni with meaningful opportunities for alumni involvement, mentorship, and professional development.
- Evaluate outcomes of alumni engagement efforts in order to determine effectiveness and guide program planning.
- Collaborate with members of the Communications team to utilize various communication channels, including social media, newsletters, and alumni publications, to keep alumni informed and engaged with the College.
- Represent the College at events, conferences, and networking opportunities to enhance visibility and cultivate relationships with donors and alumni.
- Other duties as required by the Director of Development.
Qualifications
- Successful completion of an undergraduate degree with at least two years of prior experience in development, fundraising, donor relations, customer service, events, volunteer management, or related experience in fields such as sales, business, marketing, communications, or public relations.
- Experience working with relationship management systems/databases (such as Raiser’s Edge).
- Effective and professional oral and written communications skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills that demonstrate warmth, tact, patience, and courtesy.
- Ability to establish and maintain appropriate relationships with team members, internal clients and external stakeholders.
- Detail oriented and organized with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
- Collaborative team player that can also handle tasks independently.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office software: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Affinity with the general goals of Luther College and the small college environment in which flexibility, warmth, kindness, patience and cordiality are essential and valued.
- Willingness to work in an office setting where collaboration among staff, at times beyond the job description, is necessary and valued.
- In all matters must be concerned with projecting a professional and competent image of the College and the President’s Office.
Association
- Maintains working relationships with all operational areas of the College including the President, Director of Development, faculty, and staff.
- This position works closely to build relationships between the school and its various constituencies including alumni, volunteers, students, parents, board members, and other friends of the College.
Working Conditions
- This is a full time position with hours of work normally totaling 35 hours per week; however, from time-to-time there can be College events, interviews, special projects or emergencies that will result in irregular or extended hours
- The work is performed primarily in an office environment and a variety of other areas throughout the College and University; attention to safety procedures and practices associated with these environments is required
Luther College
Luther College offers a competitive salary, vacation, personal days, medical and dental benefits, a health/personal spending account, educational opportunities, the possibility for flexible work opportunities, and an employee and family assistance plan.
Salary Range
The salary range for this position is $67,626 to $91,266 annually.
To Apply
Interested candidates are asked to submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references in a single PDF document to humanresources@luthercollege.edu by Monday, August 14, 2023.
Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Luther College is committed to an inclusive workplace and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including individuals within employment equity categories of women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, Indigenous persons, individuals of diverse gender and sexual orientation and all groups protected by the Human Rights Code.