Bennington College - Director of Annual Giving | PND

Bennington College seeks a talented and engaging Director of Annual Giving to strategically plan and lead a comprehensive annual giving program to ensure ongoing engagement with alumni/donors and the continued growth of the College’s annual fund. The foundation of this work includes developing a compelling communications/messaging plan, using data and metrics to drive strategic decisions, engaging and expanding the College’s volunteer fundraising program, managing the Next Pioneers, an alumni leadership giving society, cultivating and building relationships with leadership donors, and overseeing all aspects of the annual giving program, including phonathon and direct mail. The Director will maintain a personal portfolio of donors and prospects and will manage a staff of two. As part of this work, the Director will serve as a key liaison with the Communications Office and work collaboratively with the team on the message and design of all Bennington Fund collateral material.

Candidates must possess a broad and lively understanding of and interest in liberal arts education as well as a commitment to Bennington’s rich and innovative history. This position requires demonstrated success in the development and execution of annual giving programs; a minimum of five years of related experience is required as is direct experience with donor solicitation and volunteer management. He or she will have a sophisticated understanding of fundraising best practices and strategy, with the ability to engage both internal staff and external volunteers in the work of the College in ways that leverage and augment existing relationships and build new ones. The successful candidate will be able to drive strategic decisions through strong data analysis and be results-oriented, but must also be equally adept at building individual relationships with Bennington’s constituents and with a team of colleagues and staff. Strong communication skills required with a keen talent for crafting and editing marketing materials. A bachelor’s degree is required. The position requires some travel, and occasional evening and weekend work for campus events.

Bennington College, founded in 1932, is distinguished for its pioneering initiatives in higher education. Rooted in its abiding faith in the talent, imagination and responsibility of the individual, Bennington has been a national leader among liberal arts colleges, bringing an intensity and breadth to undergraduate education that comes from building deep connections between doing and knowing, thinking and acting, passion and reflection.

Bennington is located in southern Vermont, on 370 acres at the foot of the Green Mountains. It is a short drive to the cultural offerings of the northern Berkshires in Massachusetts, Albany, New York, and many of Vermont’s recreational centers. New York City, Boston, and Burlington, Vermont are all within three and a half hours by car.

Bennington College is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity. www.bennington.edu

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Job Type: Development/Fundraising
Organization Type: Educational Institutions