Bachelor's degree and 5-7 years of fundraising or donor-relations experience.
Proven track record in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors.
Ability to manage a donor portfolio and meet fundraising goals independently.
Strong relationship-building, writing, communication, and organizational skills.
Experience with donor databases or CRM systems; willingness to travel.
Responsibilities
Manage a portfolio of leadership-level donors and prospects with annual commitments of $1,000 or more.
Develop and execute tailored strategies for donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Solicit and secure leadership-level and multiyear pledges in collaboration with Major Gifts colleagues.
Set annual revenue and activity goals with the Associate Vice President for Philanthropy and monitor progress.
Identify prospects for larger commitments and facilitate transitions to Major Gifts colleagues.
Coordinate leadership solicitations with the Annual Giving team, including donor communications.
Plan and execute events for leadership donors and strengthen retention and acquisition efforts.
Benefits
Opportunity to work in a strategic fundraising role at a centennial institution.
Engagement with a diverse community of parents and alumni.
Collaboration with various campus partners and leadership.
Access to professional development opportunities in fundraising and donor relations.
Full Job Description
Posting Details
Position Information
Job Title Associate Director of Leadership & Parent Giving
Job Description
Position OverviewSarah Lawrence College, now celebrating its centennial, seeks a strategic, relationship-oriented fundraiser to serve as Associate Director of Leadership & Parent Giving. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Philanthropy, the Associate Director will manage a portfolio of leadership-level donors and parent prospects.
The Associate Director will cultivate, solicit, and steward gifts, strengthen the Parents Council, and build a pipeline of future major-gift donors in support of the College's priorities as it enters its second century. The role works closely with Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Alumni Relations, and campus partners across the College.
Essential Duties Summary
Essential Responsibilities
Leadership Giving and Portfolio Management
Manage a portfolio of leadership-level donors and prospects, emphasizing annual commitments of $1,000 or more and opportunities to increase support.
Develop and execute individualized qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies; conduct regular in-person and virtual donor meetings.
Solicit and close leadership-level and multiyear pledges, including five- and six-figure commitments, in partnership with Major Gifts colleagues.
Establish annual revenue and activity goals with the Associate Vice President for Philanthropy and track progress toward them.
Identify prospects ready for larger commitments and coordinate transitions to Major Gifts colleagues.
Coordinate leadership-level solicitations with the Annual Giving team, including donor communications and appeals aimed at leadership donors.
Strengthen retention, reactivation, and acquisition of leadership donors, including Westlands Society members; plan Westlands Society events and produce the Impact newsletter.
Maintain timely, accurate donor records, strategies, and proposals in Blackbaud
Parent Giving and Parents Council
Develop and implement a comprehensive parent giving strategy for current parents and families.
Build relationships with parents capable of making meaningful annual and major gifts; tailor solicitations to their interests and institutional priorities.
Serve as the primary Advancement liaison to the Parents Council, coordinating meetings, communications, engagement, and philanthropic participation.
Partner with College leadership to recruit and retain Council members and strengthen volunteer leadership.
Collaborate with campus colleagues to create meaningful opportunities for parent engagement.
Stewardship, Events, and Donor Preparation
Plan and manage annual parent and leadership stewardship events (approximately 4-6 per year), including regional Summer Send-Offs in collaboration with the Dean's office.
Develop briefing materials, including talking points and donor profiles, to prepare the President and Advancement leadership for events and individual donor meetings.
Attend donor cultivation events, regional gatherings, parent programs, and other Advancement activities.
Required Qualifications
Required
Bachelor's degree and at least five to seven years of relevant fundraising or donor-relations experience.
Demonstrated success personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors.
Ability to independently manage a donor portfolio and deliver against measurable fundraising goals.
Excellent relationship-building, writing, communication, organizational, and collaborative skills.
Experience with donor databases or CRM systems; ability and willingness to travel.
Preferred Qualifications
Preferred
Higher education or secondary school advancement experience, especially parent philanthropy or leadership annual giving.
Experience working with volunteer councils or advisory groups.
Familiarity with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT or a comparable platform, and with an online giving and events platform such as GiveCampus.
Comfort using data and reporting tools to analyze giving trends and inform donor strategy.
