What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Strategic Communications position at Aurora University?
Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.
AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples’ lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.
We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found
Position Purpose
The Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Strategic Communications is responsible for the organization, planning, and management of the University’s annual giving program to seek annual gifts from alumni, staff and university friends. This position manages a program to establish, identify, cultivate, and broaden a base of annual contributors and volunteers for the future major gift efforts. The Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Strategic Communications is also responsible for collaborating on communications projects with Advancement and University Communications and executes strategies to raise the visibility of the University and to increase engagement with key audiences.
Core Competencies
Education: Bachelor’s degree required
Experience: At least three years of successful experience with a fundraising program.
Skills
The anticipated pay rate for this position is $65,000-$75,000 per year. This compensation is subject to change at the sole discretion of the university, based on institutional needs.
The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein.
Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.
Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Aurora University offers competitive, flexible benefits to eligible employees.
01
Which statement below best describes the highest level of education you have completed?
How many years of prior experience do you have with a fundraising program?
Do you understand that this position is not remote and will require you to be onsite or work in a hybrid capacity within the Chicagoland area?
AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples’ lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.
We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found
Position Purpose
The Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Strategic Communications is responsible for the organization, planning, and management of the University’s annual giving program to seek annual gifts from alumni, staff and university friends. This position manages a program to establish, identify, cultivate, and broaden a base of annual contributors and volunteers for the future major gift efforts. The Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Strategic Communications is also responsible for collaborating on communications projects with Advancement and University Communications and executes strategies to raise the visibility of the University and to increase engagement with key audiences.
Core Competencies
- Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner with prospective, former and current students, clients, suppliers and the community we serve. Interacts effectively with a diverse group of faculty, staff, students and other customers of our service, learns and uses operating practices of the department and Aurora University.
- Upholds the Mission Statement: Aurora University is an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful and examined lives. Our singular goal is to empower our students to achieve lasting personal and professional success.
- Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of university business.
- Supports learning through performance of essential job functions and performing other duties and functions as necessary or as assigned, including voluntary participation in university committees, activities and events.
- Develops and implements a comprehensive annual giving program to acquire, retain, and upgrade annual donors.
- Collaborates with University partners on philanthropic communications via email, direct mail, phone, online giving, social media and targeted digital outreach to execute effective solicitation and engagement campaigns.
- Coordinates annual giving initiatives including the AU Day of Generosity, reunion class giving, and affinity-based campaigns.
- Serves as the liaison between OPE and University Marketing Communications, ensuring alignment and collaboration on messaging, branding, and promotional strategies for fundraising, alumni engagement, and donor stewardship initiatives.
- Develops tools, processes, procedures, policies and materials to support the annual giving program, peer-to-peer fundraising efforts, and campus partners to ensure a seamless and positive donor experience.
- Acts as prospect manager for select annual fund gift prospects, donors and volunteers.
- Directs the development of comprehensive annual fund strategies in alignment with University and department-approved priority projects.
- Develops the annual donor materials and all other OPE communications.
- Researches, writes, and edits a variety of communications, publications, and reports.
- Develops and manages digital and print communications projects.
- Acts as content development resource for the Office of Philanthropy & Engagement.
Education: Bachelor’s degree required
Experience: At least three years of successful experience with a fundraising program.
Skills
- An understanding of relational databases and report-writing systems. Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge strongly preferred.
- Knowledge of fundraising principles, best practices, methods, and standards.
- Experience working with data to inform all aspects of annual giving or related equivalent experience.
- Strong interpersonal skills necessary to build relationships with internal and external constituents.
- Ability to work collaboratively and as a team player.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects/functions to produce quality results in a fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to fostering a diverse working and learning environment.
- Strong organizational and detail-orientation skills.
The anticipated pay rate for this position is $65,000-$75,000 per year. This compensation is subject to change at the sole discretion of the university, based on institutional needs.
The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein.
Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.
Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Aurora University offers competitive, flexible benefits to eligible employees.
- Health Insurance Choice of HMO or PPO offered through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois.
- Dental and Vision Insurance Choice of two dental plans and vision insurance offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield.
- Life Insurance and AD&D 1.5 times annual salary, dependent on age. Additional life insurance also may be purchased for self, spouse, and children.
- Long Term Disability 60% of salary, taxable and nontaxable options.
- TIAA Retirement Account The University offers a 403b retirement plan, administered by TIAA. Matching contributions offered first day of employment to eligible employees, at the discretion of the University and Board of Directors.
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) FSAs are available for medical costs and dependent care costs.
- Paid Time Off Vacation, personal, and sick leave are provided to eligible employees.
- Holidays The university observes nine major holidays where the university is closed.
- Tuition Assistance Tuition assistance for AU undergraduate courses is available to eligible employees and eligible family members beginning the term following one (1) year of regular, full-time employment. Tuition assistance for graduate programs paid at 60% for employee following Senior Leadership approval.
- Tuition Exchange Consortiums AU is a member of the Tuition Exchange (TE) and the Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP) enabling full-time employees and eligible family members to be eligible for tuition assistance at more than 600 universities nationwide. Eligibility for the CIC-TEP and TE programs is one (1) year of regular, full-time employment as of 8/31.
01
Which statement below best describes the highest level of education you have completed?
- High school graduate, diploma or the equivalent (GED)
- Associate degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Master's degree
- Professional degree
- Doctorate degree
- Doctor of Philosophy
How many years of prior experience do you have with a fundraising program?
- No experience
- Less than 3 years of experience
- 3 years but less than 5 years of experience
- 5 years but less than 7 years experience
- 7 or more years of experience
Do you understand that this position is not remote and will require you to be onsite or work in a hybrid capacity within the Chicagoland area?
- Yes
- No
Salary : $65,000 - $75,000
