• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $76,000 - $82,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Dean for Development at the School of the Arts, the incumbent leads the operations and stewardship functions for the Development department of the School of the Arts and provides administrative support to the Associate Dean. Within this scope of work the incumbent is responsible for managing the School’s direct mail and digital giving appeals, event production and maintaining the development office budget. The individual in this role is dedicated to ensuring that donors are stewarded, recognized and acknowledged in meaningful ways that communicate the impact of their philanthropic support at the School of the Arts.

The incumbent is the key liaison for the department, on behalf of the Associate Dean, with the School of the Arts' Offices of Finance and Facilities, the University's Office of Endowment Compliance, the Office of Alumni and Development (OAD)’s various business units including Gift Systems, Finance and the Office of the President. In addition, the incumbent is the key liaison with the School of the Arts’ four Directors of Academic Administration (in Film, Theatre, Visual Arts and Writing) in matters of stewardship of restricted and unrestricted gifts and endowments.

Responsibilities

• Monitoring the unit's fundraising projections; tracks team’s progress to goals throughout the fiscal year; critically analyzes and prepares data for reporting.
• Reconciles the unit's expenses and coordinates budget activities with the OAD’s Office of Finance.
• Tracks all development-related activity tasks and deadlines; calendars current and upcoming workflow.
• Oversees information on policy matters, tracks various requests and action items for the Associate Dean, prepares reports, and responds to information requests.
• Oversees and audits the database list management for key solicitations and prospect events as needed.
• With guidance from the Director of Development, manages the School’s participation in Columbia Giving Day as well as all Direct Mail and Digital Giving appeals—through donor outreach and solicitation, material preparations, tracking of gift opportunities and other responsibilities as assigned.
• Leads donor acknowledgement process and proofs letters written on behalf of the Dean and the Associate Dean.
• Works with the Schools' Directors of Finance, Admissions and Financial Aid regarding the allocation and monitoring of named/endowed gifts, awards and prizes to ensure proper donor stewardship.
• Leads the written reporting process to donors of named gifts for ongoing stewardship.
• Serves as key liaison with the University’s Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship and consultants as needed in the creation and execution of stewardship and other donor communications.
• Coordinates several annual cultivation events plus the School’s periodic Gala with responsibility for list generation, invitation production, event implementation, participant outreach and follow up, briefings, and prospect research.
• In partnership with the team, helps produce key presentations for faculty and advisory committee meetings.
• Leads administrative responsibilities for the office, including ordering supplies.
• Prepares travel and Business Reports for reimbursement requests by the Associate Dean and other members of the team; periodically manages the appointment calendar of the Associate Dean.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent required.
• A minimum of three to five (3-5) years of related experience required.
• Previous experience in higher education or a similarly complex institutional setting required.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Strong organizational and follow through abilities with outstanding attention to detail.
• Project management experience as well as strong understanding of the development process, particularly in the areas of major gift cultivation and stewardship.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a complex setting, balance competing priorities and assignments and collaborate with colleagues.
• A demonstrated commitment to the arts and to higher education.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends as needed.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and experience handling highly confidential information.
• High level of energy, enthusiasm and flexibility.

A resume and cover letter must be submitted to be considered for the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in event planning and data management.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.