Assistant Director, Annual Giving

Title: Assistant Director, Annual Giving

Department: Annual Fund

Duration: Indefinite

Employment Status: Exempt, Full Time

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director, Annual Giving, the Assistant Director, Annual Giving advances institutional fundraising priorities through strategic digital engagement, compelling storytelling, and cross-campus collaboration. The Assistant Director leads the development and execution of multi-channel annual giving campaigns designed to increase donor participation, strengthen constituent engagement, and generate annual revenue. The Assistant Director manages fundraising appeals, collaborates with campus partners and ambassadors, and oversees initiatives such as student crowdfunding and a Student Ambassador Program to expand peer-to-peer outreach. Working closely with colleagues across Institutional Advancement, the position supports key annual fundraising initiatives and contributes to building a sustainable base of philanthropic support while achieving annual participation and revenue goals.

Job Duties

• 40% - Annual Giving Campaign Management & Coordination - Lead project management, execution, and evaluation of institution-wide annual giving initiatives, including Day for Oxy, digital and mail appeals, and other annual fundraising campaigns. Coordinate cross-functional fundraising teams, including campus partners, Advancement Communications, Development, Planned Giving, Alumni & Parent Engagement, and student ambassadors to ensure alignment with overall fundraising goals. Manage and optimize online fundraising through Salesforce, partnering with Advancement Services and Donor Relations teams to ensure functionality, accuracy, and strong donor experiences throughout the donor lifecycle. Oversee the administration and content of digital fundraising pages, ensuring consistency with campaign strategy, branding, and messaging. Plan and execute student-led and departmental crowdfunding projects, using peer-to-peer and ambassador-based outreach strategies to maximize participation and impact. Monitor campaign timelines, deliverables, and budgets, ensuring projects are completed on time and within scope. Lead the planning, production, and delivery of print appeals, creative assets, vendor relationships, and mailing lists to ensure accurate, timely, and compelling donor communications.      - (Essential)
• 25% - Multi-Channel Fundraising, Content & Digital Strategy - Draft, edit, and manage compelling donor-facing content across multiple channels, including direct mail, email, digital appeals, scripts, social media, and stewardship communications. Collaborate with Advancement Communications and design partners to ensure integrated messaging and donor-centered storytelling across platforms. Develop and maintain an annual appeals and digital fundraising calendar that incorporates testing, segmentation, and performance insights to support donor acquisition and retention. Observe and apply industry trends, emerging technologies, and digital fundraising best practices to improve effectiveness, mitigate risk, and ensure donor privacy and data security. Develop and implement strategies to engage and retain annual giving donors, delivering personalized and meaningful experiences that complement broader stewardship efforts.    - (Essential)
• 20% - Student Ambassador & Peer Engagement Leadership - Design, implement, and manage Occidental’s Student Ambassador Program that empowers students to serve as storytellers, peer fundraisers, and advocates for philanthropy. Recruit, train, and supervise student ambassadors and student groups participating in digital giving and crowdfunding campaigns. Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to students and advisors, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing environment. Coordinate student-generated content (videos, testimonials, social media posts, peer outreach) in alignment with campaign goals and brand standards. - (Essential)
• 10% - Data Analysis, Reporting & Collaboration - Partner with Advancement Operations to track, analyze, and report on annual giving and digital fundraising performance. Utilize CRM systems and digital fundraising platforms to analyze donor behavior, engagement, and campaign outcomes. Produce comprehensive reports and dashboards for leadership, including trend analysis and optimization recommendations. Ensure data integrity, compliance with fundraising policies, and adherence to best practices in reporting and donor engagement. Collaborate regularly with unit leadership and campus partners to ensure alignment, address challenges, and refine strategy. - (Essential)
• 5% - Perform other duties as assigned in support of Institutional Advancement and annual giving priorities. - (Marginal)

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or an equivalent combination of education, certifications and experience.
• Four years of experience in fundraising, annual giving, marketing, communications, or public relations. Knowledge of advancement and/or marketing platforms, such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud or Account Engagement (Pardot), and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Workspace tools, Adobe Acrobat, web editing platforms, social media applications, and other productivity software relevant to position responsibilities.
• Skilled in written, verbal, and electronic communication, including drafting fundraising appeals and other mission-driven communications, with strong interpersonal and relationship-building abilities across diverse constituencies.
• Skilled in executing and supporting digital marketing and digital fundraising campaigns, including the use of data, testing, and performance insights to inform strategy and engagement efforts.
• Ability to analyze information strategically, translate data into actionable recommendations, and support informed decision-making.
• Skilled in organization, project management, and leadership, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, coordinate simultaneous projects, anticipate challenges, and maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail in a fast-paced, high-accountability, and confidential environment.
• Ability to work independently, demonstrate initiative and self-motivation, and collaborate effectively across functions, disciplines, and organizational levels.
• Ability to provide leadership, guidance, and training to student employees, ambassadors, volunteers, or other stakeholders in a professional and inclusive manner.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity, and the ability to foster inclusive and collaborative working relationships.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification in Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot) or related marketing automation platforms preferred. Prior experience in higher education or nonprofit organizations, particularly within advancement, development, or annual giving functions, strongly preferred.
• Experience supervising or coordinating student employees, interns, volunteers, or ambassador programs preferred.
• Demonstrated experience supporting institution-wide fundraising campaigns, annual giving initiatives, and peer-to-peer fundraising efforts preferred.
• Experience using Canva and preferably Adobe Creative Suite to create branded print materials, social media graphics, and donor-facing communications that support campaign storytelling and engagement.

EXPECTED HIRING RANGE:  $70,304/yr-$77,000/yr

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth.  We also offer a generous compensation and benefits package.