Director of Annual Giving

The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff “for fit” makes significant contributions to Howard University’s overall mission.

At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth.

Here Is What We Offer:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support
• Work-Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements
• Financial Wellness: Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match 
• Professional Development: Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths
• Additional Perks: Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture

Join Howard University and thrive with us! 

https://hr.howard.edu/benefits-wellness

Job Purpose:

The Director, Annual Giving is responsible for leading a comprehensive, integrated, omni-channel, data-driven program focused on the acquisition and retention of annual donors in support of Howard University.

Supervisory Authority:

The Director manages four FTEs

Nature And Scope:

Under the guidance of the Executive Director, Development Operations and Annual Giving, the Director of Annual Giving is responsible for the development, management, execution and evaluation of strategic and tactical long and short-term program plans and budgets for a comprehensive annual giving program. The incumbent directs communications, services, and solicitation activities that engages and encourages the participation of alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents, and friends to successfully increase annual philanthropic support of Howard University. The Director of Annual Giving fosters the growth of best practices and leads the investigation and adoption of new solicitation and stewardship methods and channels. The incumbent will represent and promote Howard University as a liaison to philanthropic partners at the annual giving and leadership annual giving levels, communicating program objectives through written materials, email, telephone contact, personal visits, social media platforms, and additional channels.

Core Competencies:

1. Responsible for the strategic planning and execution of a comprehensive annual giving program, including segmentation, benefits, and the retention of a long-term pipeline of philanthropic support.
2. Establishes annual revenue goals and associated metrics for the program, utilizing dashboards and reports to monitor progress.
3. Develops goals and strategies for all annual giving fundraising campaigns in consultation with the Executive Director, Development Operations & Annual Giving.
4. Creates a balanced funding mix of donor sources and solicitation programs tailored to the needs of the university.
5. Facilitates segmentation strategy around securing current use, expendable funds.
6. Regularly evaluate programming, emerging digital technologies, dual ask, and other partnerships with gift officers, and strategies for leadership annual donors.
7. Partners with colleagues in Donor Relations & Stewardship to execute a solicitation and stewardship program for targeted constituencies, including but not limited to first-year donors, young alumni, and consecutive donors.
8. Supports the management of the university’s annual giving calendar, ensuring that all solicitations are segmented, targeted, maintain key performance metrics, and delivered on time.
9. The leader will be aware of and conversant about best practices and benchmarking with peer institutions.
10. Develop a strong working partnership with the various development and alumni relations departments, including but not limited to Advancement Services, Advancement Communications, Alumni Relations, and Donor Relations & Stewardship.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree
• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in higher education or nonprofit fundraising, preferably in a complex environment
• Knowledge of fundraising CRM (Raiser’s Edge preferred)
• Experience with fundraising and donor engagement platforms such as Signal by EverTrue, GiveCampus and ThankView
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and interest in AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Compliance Salary Range Disclosure

Salary Range: $115,000 - $125,000