Assistant Director, Annual Giving

Are you a dynamic, relationship-driven professional passionate about philanthropy and higher education? Brandeis University is seeking an Assistant Director of Annual Giving to strategically manage a robust portfolio of alumni, parents, and friends—helping advance the University’s most important initiatives.

This is a high-impact role for someone who thrives on building meaningful donor relationships, achieving ambitious fundraising goals, and representing a leading research university with sophistication and energy.

The hiring range for this position is $70,300 - $76,300.

There are multiple positions available.

What You Will Do

Portfolio Management & Fundraising (70%)

• Manage a portfolio of ~500 prospects across the Northeast and an additional U.S. region
• Conduct 175 face-to-face visits annually, including 50 discovery meetings with new prospects
• Execute 25 $5K solicitations per year, with annual revenue targets of $500K–$1M
• Secure multi-year commitments of $10K and identify prospects for major gifts, principal gifts, and planned giving
• Build and advance meaningful donor relationships from discovery to solicitation and stewardship

Travel, Discovery & Campus Engagement (25%)

• Plan and execute regional travel to engage donors, prospects, and volunteers
• Organize campus visits, connecting donors with faculty, staff, and university leadership
• Act as a University ambassador at events and during engagement opportunities in assigned territories

Communication & Data Management (5%)

• Collaborate with Advancement colleagues and University staff to maximize donor engagement
• Maintain accurate and current donor records, strategies, and correspondence in the database

What We’re Looking For

• Education: BA/BS required
• Experience: 2–4 years in fundraising, alumni engagement, or related roles (higher ed or nonprofit preferred)
• Proven ability to solicit and close philanthropic gifts of $1,000
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Strategic, detail-oriented self-starter capable of managing multiple priorities
• Willingness to travel frequently and work occasional evenings/weekends

Why Brandeis?

Brandeis University is a nationally recognized research institution, committed to academic excellence, social justice, and creating opportunities for meaningful alumni engagement. Join a collaborative team where your work directly fuels the University’s mission and impact.

Ready to make a difference?

If you are energized by building relationships, achieving results, and advancing a mission-driven institution, we invite you to apply.

Pay Range Disclosure

The University's pay ranges represent a good faith estimate of what Brandeis reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of posting. The pay offered to a selected candidate during hiring will be based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience and education/training, internal peer equity, and applicable legal requirements.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Brandeis University is an equal opportunity employer which does not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religious creed, gender identity and expression, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, genetic information, disability, caste, military or veteran status or any other category protected by law (also known as membership in a "protected class").