Description

ABOUT WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY: 

Willamette University, founded in 1842, is a nationally-renowned private university enrolling 2800 students across five colleges. Our historic campus, adjacent to the Oregon State Capitol, hosts a distinguished undergraduate liberal arts college in Salem, Oregon. Our downtown Portland campus is home to the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA). We offer a wide range of professional graduate programs, including Oregon’s top-ranked MBA program, the Northwest’s oldest law school, as well as MA/MFA programs at PNCA and master’s degrees in data science and computer science. 

Willamette University provides a high-value and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our Benefits Summary includes options for health, dental, life insurance, retirement, substantial paid time off, tuition and more. If you need assistance applying for a job or have any questions on recruitment at Willamette, please contact our HR Department, hr@willamette.edu or call us at 503-370-6210.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Willamette University is seeking a strategic, collaborative leader to serve as our next Director of the Willamette Annual Fund. This vital role leads our ambitious, mission-driven annual fund program, helping to foster a culture of philanthropy that supports the people, programs, and priorities of all our colleges and schools. 

If you're passionate about higher education, data-informed fundraising, and building strong, high-performing teams, and you thrive in a dynamic, relationship-centered environment, we’d love to connect. 

As Director, you’ll lead a results-oriented Annual Fund team to drive annual goals in donor engagement, acquisition, and retention. You’ll work closely with Advancement colleagues—including Major Gifts, Gift Planning, Strategy and Operations, Advancement Communications, and Donor Relations—as well as with deans, faculty, and university leadership to align efforts and inspire generosity at all levels. You'll also partner with Alumni & Community Engagement to expand volunteer leadership, increase diversity among supporters, and grow parent and student giving. 

The ideal candidate is an inspiring manager with a deep understanding of annual fund strategy, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to inclusive engagement that strengthens the Willamette community. You’ll bring strong leadership and creativity to growing support, mentoring staff, and building partnerships that advance Willamette’s continued momentum and impact.

The Director adheres to the principles of ethics and standard practices as articulated in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Donor Bill of Rights the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement’s (APRA) Statement of Ethics, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ (AFP) Code of Ethical Principles and Standards as well as the standards of practice of his/her departmental profession, as appropriate. 

Willamette is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Willamette recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. For more, see Willamette’s Diversity and Inclusion Statement.
 

JOB DESCRIPTION

Program Management and Oversight (50%)

• Create, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive, multi-year plan to increase donors and dollars in support of the Willamette Annual Fund as part of meeting an overall dollar goal and strengthening donor participation. The plan will include audience segmentation, timing, messages, and goals.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate specific strategies to increase Willamette Annual Fund donor retention, upgrades, and acquisition.
• Manage the partnerships between various offices as they relate to the annual fund. Provide leadership in developing an understanding of the fundamentals of the annual fund and its role in supporting programs.
• Work proactively with the on-campus partners to establish and meet ambitious goals for increasing annual fund support from all constituencies, including students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
• Work directly with the advancement staff and leadership within the colleges to develop, monitor, and evaluate a long-term and annual set of plans to grow dollars and donor support for both schools.
• Monitor progress toward the annual and multi-year goals. Provide a rigorous, systematic review and analysis of all Willamette Annual Fund activities to find ways to do things more effectively and efficiently. Develops appropriate formats for regular, routine reporting on Willamette Annual Fund performance to share with a broad array of internal and external constituencies. Provide effective reporting and analysis to volunteers, supervisor, and colleagues for use in management decision making.
• Work effectively and collaboratively with the major gifts team to develop goals, objectives, and strategies that maximize opportunities for annual fund from target audiences.
• Involve the team in strategic discussions for leveraging the Willamette Annual Fund to qualify and cultivate major gift prospects.
• Serve as the leader of the Willamette Annual Fund, with day-to-day oversight for the entire annual fund program and its staff. Provide advice, support, and guidance to officers and support staff. Evaluate staff performance annually. Hire and train staff as appropriate by being versed in all aspects of an annual fund program and the work of volunteer management, personal solicitation, and broad-based campaigns. Provide the framework for, and oversight to, goal setting and benchmarking, recognition of volunteers and donors, events, volunteer recruitment, training, and support, along with related activities of identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for donors.
• Develop and manage the annual fund budget in accordance with programmatic goals and objectives, as reviewed and approved annually.

Volunteer Management (40%)

• Develop a plan to increase volunteer engagement through the creation of annual fund chairs for parents, faculty, staff, community, and overall Willamette Annual Fund program chair. Recruit, train, and support these volunteers as appropriate. Develop opportunities for new generations of volunteers who can take on leadership roles and serve as solicitors for future fundraising efforts.
• Provide support to the Willamette Annual Fund Chair and coordinate information provided to all Willamette Annual Fund volunteers to ensure cohesion within the team and a clear understanding of the programs they support.
• Advocate for the Willamette Annual Fund with the Alumni Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees. Partner with staff as needed to ensure that all members of both organizations are asked to contribute to the Willamette Annual Fund.

Personal Solicitations (10%)

• Personally solicit top-level annual fund prospects. Set up annual activity goals based on review of the gift table and the number of individuals who are appropriate for solicitation by the Director. Document information in the database to ensure proper recording and tracking of results.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Any combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position. 

Experience:

• Five to seven (5-7) years in development.
• Proven record of leadership, management, and supervisory skills. Possess a supportive and accessible management style, and a strong commitment to personal and professional development, with a proven track record motivating, training, and managing a staff with diverse skills and experience.
• Experience in personally soliciting gifts.
• Extensive experience working with volunteers; demonstrated ability to work successfully and effectively with a wide range of constituents and manage complex relationships; proven collaboration and teamwork skills. 
   

Computer Skills:

• Knowledge of modern data management practices and techniques, including data-based computerized information systems, data modelling, and models of analysis that lead to effective decision making on behalf of the program.
• Strong Excel skills, including proficiency in formulas, pivot tables, and lookups, are required; familiarity with Raiser’s Edge and Engaging Networks is preferred.

COMPETENCIES STATEMENT

Applicants should have:

• A thorough understanding of Willamette and the value of a private liberal arts education
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to analyze data
• Strong initiative, creativity, high energy level, and demonstrated ability to lead and motivate people
• Thorough knowledge of general office practices and procedures
• Ability to form productive working relationships with colleagues at all levels of the organization, including external constituents
• Ability to actively listen to donors and campus partners to identify areas of common interest and to develop a compelling case for the university
• Strong writing and editing skills, including a commitment to accuracy
• The ability to manage multiple tasks or projects simultaneously, prioritize work based on organizational goals, and proactively and creatively support the work of the Development Team
• An outstanding customer service demeanor, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to clearly and professionally communicate with all members of the Willamette community
• Proven ability to work autonomously
• Demonstrated collegial and collaborative approach to working in a team environment
• Ability to maintain confidential information, navigate relationships with finesse, and work to the highest ethical standards as outlined by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
• Attendance and punctuality
• A sense of humor and a positive, team-oriented attitude are highly valued.  
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends for signature events and activities, including Alumni Reunion  

Typical Work Schedule    
Monday through Friday, 8 am–5 pm, with regular evening hours and flexibility required to accommodate donor schedules. Must be comfortable with frequent travel and occasional weekend commitments.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions
Work is typically performed in a variety of environments, including on campus, in homes, offices, and at off-site locations during donor visits and events. 

Salary: $95,205.00 

TO APPLY

Learn more and apply on our website. You will need to upload the following two documents as part of your application materials in the "My Experience" section labeled Resume:

• Cover letter addressing the required/desired qualifications and presenting any other applicant characteristics that deserve emphasis
• Current Resume

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please read the following carefully before beginning the online application process. To be considered for employment at Willamette University, please complete our online employment application. Your application and all required attachments must be submitted for each individual job post that you are interested in applying to. Once you submit your application, you will not be able to edit it.

BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENT:
All University positions require that candidates submit to a criminal conviction record check prior to hire. Conviction does not automatically preclude candidates from being hired. Nature of conviction will be considered relative to the duties of the position.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.