Asst Director of Leadership & Family Giving

Job Description

Job Description

PCN 2092

Position Description:

Merrimack College seeks a highly motivated, relationship-oriented advancement professional to serve as Assistant Director of Leadership & Family Giving. Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President for Principal Gifts & Family Philanthropy, the Assistant Director will help build Merrimack’s pipeline of future major and principal gift donors, with particular focus on current and former families, leadership annual donors and other high-potential individuals.

The Assistant Director will manage a portfolio of leadership and emerging major gift prospects, developing relationships and creating pathways that move donors toward greater engagement and philanthropic support. The position will also provide programmatic and administrative support for Merrimack’s family philanthropy initiatives, including the Parents Leadership Council, and the College’s Boards of Advisors (BOA).

Working closely with the Senior Associate Vice President, Prospect Research, Annual Giving, Major Gifts and colleagues across the College, the successful candidate will combine fundraising and relationship-building skills with strong organization and follow-through to help grow Merrimack’s philanthropic pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Family Giving

• Manage a portfolio of current and former families, leadership annual donors and other emerging major gift prospects, developing individualized strategies to increase engagement and philanthropic support.

• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward donors with the potential to increase their giving and develop into major gift prospects.

• Conduct discovery and qualification meetings to understand prospective donors’ interests, capacity and connection to Merrimack.

• Partner with Annual Giving and Prospect Research to identify donors demonstrating increased engagement, giving and philanthropic potential.

• Develop and execute strategies to move qualified prospects from annual and leadership giving toward major gift relationships.

• Coordinate with Major Gifts and the Senior Associate Vice President to ensure appropriate assignment and transition of prospects as relationships develop.

• Maintain an active pace of donor engagement, solicitations and closed gifts consistent with established annual goals.

• Track prospect activity, moves management and pipeline development consistently within the College’s advancement systems.

Family Philanthropy & Parents Leadership Council

• Support the continued development and growth of Merrimack’s family philanthropy program.

• Partner with the Senior Associate Vice President to engage and develop current and former families with leadership, major and principal gift potential.

• Support the growth and operation of the Parents Leadership Council, including prospective member identification, recruitment, engagement, communications, meetings and events, annual commitments and stewardship.

• Build and manage a pipeline of prospective Parents Leadership Council members with the interest, capacity and engagement to assume greater philanthropic leadership.

• Develop relationships with Council members and other families, identifying opportunities for increased giving, volunteer involvement, referrals and introductions.

• Coordinate follow-up from family events, meetings and engagement opportunities to advance relationships and philanthropic opportunities.

• Work with colleagues across the College to create meaningful opportunities for families to connect with Merrimack’s students, faculty, leadership and institutional priorities.

Boards of Advisors & Strategic Engagement

• Provide programmatic and administrative support for Merrimack’s Boards of Advisors in partnership with the Senior Associate Vice President and academic leadership.

• Support BOA meeting planning and execution, including scheduling, communications, materials, member coordination, preparation, follow-up and tracking.

• Maintain accurate information on BOA membership, participation, engagement, philanthropic activity, prospective members, referrals and other key measures.

• Partner with Prospect Research and academic leadership to identify prospective BOA members who bring philanthropic potential, strategic expertise, influence and networks aligned with Merrimack’s priorities.

• Coordinate follow-up on introductions and referrals generated through BOA members, partnering with Prospect Research and gift officers to assess philanthropic potential and determine appropriate next steps.

• Help create opportunities for BOA members to deepen their engagement with Merrimack and serve as philanthropic ambassadors and connectors for the College.

• Support stewardship and engagement activities that connect BOA members with institutional, academic and campaign priorities.

Collaboration & Program Support

• Collaborate with Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Prospect Research, Alumni Relations and Advancement Communications to ensure coordinated donor engagement and solicitation strategies.

• Develop strong partnerships with deans, faculty, Athletics, Student Affairs and other areas of the College to support donor, family and volunteer engagement.

• Assist with donor and volunteer communications, briefings, events and other materials and activities supporting family philanthropy and BOA engagement.

• Maintain a high level of accuracy, responsiveness, discretion and professionalism in working with donors, prospects and volunteer leaders.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required.

• Three to five years of experience in advancement, development, alumni relations, donor relations, higher education or a related field; candidates with relevant relationship-management, sales or nonprofit experience may also be considered.

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and engage individuals around an organization’s mission and priorities.

• Fundraising experience, including donor qualification, cultivation and solicitation, strongly preferred.

• Interest in and aptitude for developing donors from annual and leadership giving toward major gift relationships.

• Excellent organizational and project-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and ensure effective follow-through.

• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.

• Ability to work effectivel