Assistant Director of Annual Giving
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA, United States
Assistant Director Of Annual Fundraising
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary is a multidenominational, evangelical graduate school committed to equipping Christian leaders to think theologically, engage globally, and live biblically. With nearly 1,400 students across campuses in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida, and online, Gordon-Conwell's student body represents more than eighty-five denominations and fifty countries. The seminary offers master's and doctoral programsdelivered in English, Spanish, and Portuguesethat combine academic excellence, spiritual formation, and a deep commitment to Scripture. Its 12,000 alumni serve Christ through ministry in the church, the academy, and the workplace. Gordon-Conwell is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, the New England Commission of Higher Education, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Position Summary Reporting to the Senior Director of Alumni Engagement, the Assistant Director supports and manages year-round annual fundraising efforts, including direct mail, digital campaigns, monthly giving, donor acquisition, and stewardship. The Assistant Director works within the Advancement team to expand the donor base, steward donors with care, increase donor loyalty, and achieve annual revenue goals through data-driven outreach. Key Responsibilities Annual Fund Campaign Management Execute the annual giving calendar, including seasonal appeals, Giving Tuesday, year-end, and targeted campaigns Coordinate print and digital solicitationsemail, direct mail, texting, and social media Develop campaign messaging, donor segmentation, and audience targeting in partnership with Alumni Engagement, Partnership Program, and Marketing & Communications Manage monthly giving programs, recurring gift upgrades, and donor re-activation efforts Donor Stewardship & Retention Coordinate prompt gift acknowledgements and stewardship touchpoints Collaborate with Advancement Services, Director of Development, and the Alumni team on thank-you messaging, impact updates, and recognition Support cultivation strategies for first-time donors, pledge reminders, and renewal campaigns Data & Reporting Work with Advancement Services to pull lists, track results, and maintain donor records Segment donor audiences (LYBUNT/SYBUNT, new donors, lapsed donors, Partnership Program donors, alumni donors, sustainers) Produce campaign performance reports, ROI analysis, donor retention trends, and acquisition costs Cross-Team Collaboration Support messaging and outreach for events, peer-to-peer campaigns, and crowdfunding initiatives Partner with Advancement Services on accurate gift coding and reconciliation Coordinate with Marketing & Communications on appeal content Donor Engagement & Community Presence Personally engage $1,000-$2,500 donors by phone/Zoom Assist with donor service inquiries via phone, email, or social outreach channels Key Competencies Administrative Skills: Excellent administrative, organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple and competing priorities in short-term and long-term objectives. Comfort working with data reports, spreadsheets, and basic analytics. Knowledge and Discernment: Strong analytical and decision-making skills, including the ability to work independently. Must have meticulous attention to detail. Must maintain professionalism and confidentiality. Cultural Intelligence: Commitment to collegiality, diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness. Demonstrated ability to collaborate and serve in a team environment that requires collegiality and regular collaboration across matrixed, multi-campus environment. Communication and Interpersonal Effectiveness: Must have strong written and verbal communication skills, including strong content creation skills for appeals and donor communications. Technical Knowledge: Experience in digital fundraising or email automation (Mailchimp, HubSpot, Pardot, etc.) and familiarity with donor databases (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, Bloomerang, DonorPerfect) preferred. Basic research skills and the ability to leverage technology is required. Required competency with Microsoft Office, prioritizing Word and Excel. The ability to use web conferencing software (e.g., Zoom) preferred. Clear understanding of the mission of the Seminary and willingness to abide by the Statement of Faith and Community Life Statement of GCTS. Education and Experience Bachelor's degree required; graduate degree preferred. 24+ years of experience in fundraising, marketing, digital engagement, campaign management, or related areas required. Understanding of annual giving pipelines, donor segmentation, and stewardship best practices strongly preferred. Familiarity with, and experience working within, the context of Christian higher education, especially graduate theological education strongly preferred. Application Process Please apply through Gordon-Conwell's Career Center available here: https://www.gordonconwell.edu/employment/ Please include these documents in either Microsoft Word or PDF formats: A cover letter addressed to Laura Carmer, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement, explaining your interest in the position preferred. A formal CV that includes the names of at least three references required. No hard copy materials, please. Opportunities to interview will be made available at the search committee's initiative. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary is a multidenominational, evangelical graduate school committed to equipping Christian leaders to think theologically, engage globally, and live biblically. With nearly 1,400 students across campuses in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida, and online, Gordon-Conwell's student body represents more than eighty-five denominations and fifty countries. The seminary offers master's and doctoral programsdelivered in English, Spanish, and Portuguesethat combine academic excellence, spiritual formation, and a deep commitment to Scripture. Its 12,000 alumni serve Christ through ministry in the church, the academy, and the workplace. Gordon-Conwell is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, the New England Commission of Higher Education, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Position Summary Reporting to the Senior Director of Alumni Engagement, the Assistant Director supports and manages year-round annual fundraising efforts, including direct mail, digital campaigns, monthly giving, donor acquisition, and stewardship. The Assistant Director works within the Advancement team to expand the donor base, steward donors with care, increase donor loyalty, and achieve annual revenue goals through data-driven outreach. Key Responsibilities Annual Fund Campaign Management Execute the annual giving calendar, including seasonal appeals, Giving Tuesday, year-end, and targeted campaigns Coordinate print and digital solicitationsemail, direct mail, texting, and social media Develop campaign messaging, donor segmentation, and audience targeting in partnership with Alumni Engagement, Partnership Program, and Marketing & Communications Manage monthly giving programs, recurring gift upgrades, and donor re-activation efforts Donor Stewardship & Retention Coordinate prompt gift acknowledgements and stewardship touchpoints Collaborate with Advancement Services, Director of Development, and the Alumni team on thank-you messaging, impact updates, and recognition Support cultivation strategies for first-time donors, pledge reminders, and renewal campaigns Data & Reporting Work with Advancement Services to pull lists, track results, and maintain donor records Segment donor audiences (LYBUNT/SYBUNT, new donors, lapsed donors, Partnership Program donors, alumni donors, sustainers) Produce campaign performance reports, ROI analysis, donor retention trends, and acquisition costs Cross-Team Collaboration Support messaging and outreach for events, peer-to-peer campaigns, and crowdfunding initiatives Partner with Advancement Services on accurate gift coding and reconciliation Coordinate with Marketing & Communications on appeal content Donor Engagement & Community Presence Personally engage $1,000-$2,500 donors by phone/Zoom Assist with donor service inquiries via phone, email, or social outreach channels Key Competencies Administrative Skills: Excellent administrative, organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple and competing priorities in short-term and long-term objectives. Comfort working with data reports, spreadsheets, and basic analytics. Knowledge and Discernment: Strong analytical and decision-making skills, including the ability to work independently. Must have meticulous attention to detail. Must maintain professionalism and confidentiality. Cultural Intelligence: Commitment to collegiality, diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness. Demonstrated ability to collaborate and serve in a team environment that requires collegiality and regular collaboration across matrixed, multi-campus environment. Communication and Interpersonal Effectiveness: Must have strong written and verbal communication skills, including strong content creation skills for appeals and donor communications. Technical Knowledge: Experience in digital fundraising or email automation (Mailchimp, HubSpot, Pardot, etc.) and familiarity with donor databases (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, Bloomerang, DonorPerfect) preferred. Basic research skills and the ability to leverage technology is required. Required competency with Microsoft Office, prioritizing Word and Excel. The ability to use web conferencing software (e.g., Zoom) preferred. Clear understanding of the mission of the Seminary and willingness to abide by the Statement of Faith and Community Life Statement of GCTS. Education and Experience Bachelor's degree required; graduate degree preferred. 24+ years of experience in fundraising, marketing, digital engagement, campaign management, or related areas required. Understanding of annual giving pipelines, donor segmentation, and stewardship best practices strongly preferred. Familiarity with, and experience working within, the context of Christian higher education, especially graduate theological education strongly preferred. Application Process Please apply through Gordon-Conwell's Career Center available here: https://www.gordonconwell.edu/employment/ Please include these documents in either Microsoft Word or PDF formats: A cover letter addressed to Laura Carmer, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement, explaining your interest in the position preferred. A formal CV that includes the names of at least three references required. No hard copy materials, please. Opportunities to interview will be made available at the search committee's initiative. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.