• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $63,700 - $70,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director, Parent Fundraising, the Assistant Director is an integral part of the College Parent fundraising team who helps the College’s parent fundraising effort. The incumbent seeks gifts and pledges from the parent community, supports the volunteer efforts of the Parent Leadership Council, and provides input and assistance for direct marketing aspects to parents. The incumbent manages a portfolio of prospects and works closely with the Director to support all activities related to the Parent Leadership Council. Key tasks include personal solicitation, volunteer management, interactive communications, stewardship, events, and direct marketing.

Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the Director, help develop and lead overall gift strategy for current and past parents’ annual fund gifts, with a focus on leadership gifts, and a particular focus on gifts beginning at $15,000, the threshold for the Council.
  • Manage a portfolio of no more than 300 rated parent prospects.
  • Identify, cultivate, solicit parent gifts and steward parent donors, focusing on raising dollars and increasing participation.
• Support day-to-day activities for the Parent Leadership Council by recruiting members, staffing and tracking volunteer assignments, stewarding volunteers and maintaining regular communications with volunteers. With the Director, volunteer leadership and others, develop and assist with parent cultivation events.
• Provide input and help execute strategy for all related direct marketing including working collaboratively with the Columbia College Development and Alumni Relations Marketing team and Prospect Management team to ensure that the specific needs of the Parent Fundraising program are met. Draft and review appeal letters and scripts as necessary. Review reports regularly and analyze results, making adjustments as necessary to ensure the programs are tracking toward goals.
• Partner with development officers, academic leaders, Student and Family support staff and Engineering School parent staff, on key initiatives, as necessary. Represent and attend, as appropriate key parent events such as Move In, Convocation, Family Weekend, Homecoming, Class Day, and other in-person and virtual programs as needed.
• Facilitate and manage regular communications with parents through web site; quarterly PLC newsletter, and emails to individual members. Partner with Donor Relations for the PLC Annual Report.
• Other duties as assigned.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent required.
• A minimum of three years’ relevant experience required, preferably fundraising in a higher education setting and volunteer management.
• Possesses skills for written and oral communication with an emphasis on the ability to execute written materials that are appropriate for the parent audience including being grammatically correct.  
• Candidate must possess initiative and collaboration skills. 

**Position requires some evening and weekend assignments and possible travel.**

**Applications submitted without a resume and cover letter will not be reviewed.**

Preferred Qualifications

• A working knowledge of personal computers is necessary.
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team is essential.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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