Assistant Director of Leadership Giving

Scheduled hours per week: 40 Scheduled months per year: 12 Remote work eligibility: Hybrid Hiring range: $83,500 to $104,400 #### Position purpose Reporting to the Executive Director of Development for the Geisel School of Medicine, the Assistant Director of Leadership Giving fosters strong, donor‑centered philanthropic partnerships with individuals capable of making leadership‑level gifts of $25,000–$100,000. By aligning donor interests with institutional priorities through thoughtful engagement, personalized cultivation, and direct solicitation, this position advances Geisel’s mission and philanthropic goals while building long‑term donor loyalty. Working collaboratively across the Geisel/D‑H development enterprise and with Dartmouth College Advancement, the Assistant Director supports the strategic progression of donors toward deeper and more sustained philanthropic investment. #### Key accountabilities **Fundraising and Portfolio Management** · Manages a qualified portfolio of approximately 125–175 leadership‑level prospects and donors, with a focus on strategic movement through the donor pipeline. · Serves as the primary relationship manager for assigned donors, developing and executing individualized engagement strategies based on organizational priorities, donor interests, capacity, and readiness. · Plans and executes direct, personalized solicitations for leadership‑level annual and multi‑year gifts in the $25,000–$100,000 range. · Meets or exceeds assigned fundraising performance metrics, including revenue, solicitations, visits, and proposals. · Positions leadership gifts as critical stepping stones toward larger philanthropic commitments and campaign priorities. · Assesses donor readiness for larger or more complex commitments and recommend timely transition to Major Giving officers, ensuring continuity and appropriate stewardship. · Partners with Major and Principal Gift Officers on joint strategies or solicitations when donors are nearing readiness for higher‑level engagement. · Actively qualifies and elevates prospects originating from Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement, transitioning high‑potential donors into deeper philanthropic relationships. · Maintains a dynamic, appropriately sized portfolio by recommending additions, removals, or reassignment as donor capacity evolves. · Uses data and prospect insights to support forecasting, portfolio planning, and performance evaluation. **Donor Coordination and Contact** · Ensures donors receive thoughtful, timely, and mission‑aligned stewardship, demonstrating impact and reinforcing philanthropic partnership. · Collaborates closely with both Geisel and College Advancement’s Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement teams to align engagement strategies. · Leverages alumni, volunteer, and engagement activities as opportunities to deepen relationships and uncover philanthropic interest. · Serves as a trusted advisor and institutional ambassador, helping donors understand where their giving can make meaningful impact. · Partners with development colleagues, prospect development, and institutional leadership to align donor strategies with organizational priorities. · Maintains accurate, timely documentation of all donor interactions, strategies, and outcomes in both Raiser’s Edge NXT and Advance (when applicable). • Works with development peers across Dartmouth College and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in annual giving, individual giving, research, and donor relations on matters related to prospects with institutional giving ties. **Program and Project Management** • Supports effective fundraising by maintaining strong institutional and programmatic knowledge. • Develops and maintains working knowledge of Geisel’s priority areas for fundraising; gains knowledge of faculty research interests and areas of expertise. • Attends appropriate Geisel School of Medicine events, programs and meetings. • Performs other duties as assigned. #### Required qualifications: education and experience Bachelors plus 3-5 years' experience or equivalent combination of education and experience #### Required qualifications: skills, knowledge and abilities **Skills & Knowledge** • Strong written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated success engaging donors and making effective solicitations. • Strong customer/service orientation and commitment to donor‑centered fundraising. • Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in a large, complex, and decentralized organization. • Proven ability to relate to and communicate with diverse audiences, including volunteers, alumni, donors, and institutional partners. • Highly developed planning, administrative, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage a donor portfolio, prioritize competing demands, and meet deadlines. • Flexibility, creativity, and initiative in advancing donor relationships and solving problems. • Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of an integrated development team. • Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and professionalism. • Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and in serving a diverse community. Brings joy and a sense of humor to work. **Experience** • Minimum three to five years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, preferably in leadership annual giving, major gifts, or a related advancement role. • Demonstrated understanding of the philanthropic process and individual giving behaviors, with direct solicitation experience. • Experience managing a portfolio of prospects and donors, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. • Experience working collaboratively with Annual Giving, Alumni Engagement, and other development colleagues to advance donors through the giving pipeline. • Exposure to campaign fundraising, higher education, healthcare, or another complex nonprofit environment preferred but not required. • Demonstrated ambition and readiness to grow into higher‑level major gift fundraising responsibilities. **Education** • Bachelor’s degree required. #### Preferred qualifications • Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience. • Writing and donor communication experience in a nonprofit or higher education setting preferred.