Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement, the Assistant Director will manage a portfolio of discovery prospects and annual donors to achieve short-term fundraising objectives. The Assistant Director will be responsible for discovering, engaging, soliciting, and stewarding high-level leadership annual donors with the long-term objective of developing a robust pipeline of enthusiastic, qualified prospects prepared to make a major gift investment. The Assistant Director of Development will play an important role in strengthening Widener University’s future major gift pipeline.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (including, but not limited to):
Essential Duties:
- Actively manage a portfolio of consistent annual donors with potential for increased giving and engagement.
- Demonstrate upward movement within the portfolio, to include increasing gift amounts, multi-year commitments, and deeper programmatic involvement.
- Collaborate with the Associate Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement to determine next steps for prospects capable of $25,000+ commitments, including continued management with guidance, partnership with a senior gift officer, or referral to a major gift officer portfolio.
- Contribute to fundraising results by soliciting annual gifts and leadership-level annual gifts.
- Serve as an early relationship and stewardship manager for donors who will be solicited in the future for $25,000 or more gifts.
- Collaborate effectively with stewardship, annual giving, alumni engagement, major gifts, and data management colleagues to ensure quality donor experiences.
Core Skill Areas and Competencies:
Prospect Discovery and Qualification
- Demonstrated curiosity and analytical thinking to identify philanthropic potential and donor motivation.
- Ability to conduct meaningful discovery conversations that reveal values, interests, and readiness to engage.
- Skill in assessing giving patterns, engagement indicators, and capacity signals to inform next steps.
- Comfort initiating outreach with previously unassigned or lightly engaged donors and prospects.
Early-Stage Donor Relationship Development
- Ability to build rapport and trust with alumni, parents, and friends through thoughtful, donor-centered engagement.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy, active listening, and adaptability across diverse audiences.
- Capacity to move donors from transactional giving toward deeper connection and philanthropic purpose.
Portfolio Management and Accountability
- Emerging ability to manage a portfolio of annual donors in a strategic, intentional manner.
- Skill in prioritizing outreach and engagement based on donor behavior and institutional priorities.
- Sense of ownership and accountability for donor experience and engagement outcomes.
Communication and Mission-Based Messaging
- Strong written and verbal communication skills tailored to donor interests and readiness.
- Ability to articulate Widener University’s mission, strategic priorities, and impact in accessible, compelling ways.
- Storytelling ability that connects philanthropy to student success, academic excellence, and institutional transformation.
Collaboration and Organizational Awareness
- Ability to collaborate effectively with Advancement colleagues and campus partners.
- Openness to learning how faculty, deans, and administrators contribute to donor engagement.
- Willingness to seek guidance, feedback, and mentorship from senior development professionals.
Secondary Responsibilities:
- Support departmental initiatives, events, and projects that advance University Advancement goals, including but not limited to:
- Management of the Student Philanthropy Council.
- Alumni communications and newsletters.
- Management of student workers.
- Perform other job-related duties as assigned or directed to support departmental needs and align with the mission of University Advancement and Widener University.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (education/training and experience required):
Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree.
- Two (2+) years of experience in fundraising and/or alumni engagement. An equivalent combination of experience and education may be considered.
- Ability to establish rapport quickly with donors.
- Demonstrated organizational and communication skills with ability to work with and motivate other development professionals and volunteers.
- Ability to clearly articulate the mission, vision and values of the University.
- Ability to work independently and cooperatively within a team environment.
- Value trust, accountability, discretion, honesty, and teamwork.
Preferred:
- Experience using Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT, ThankView, and Give Campus.
- Experience in project management.
- Understanding of database management, gift processing and donor relations.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR UNUSUAL HOURS:
- Ability and willingness to travel to ensure successful volunteer activities and cultivation efforts.
- Ability and willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends required.
- Ability to stand for long periods of time at campus events, presentations or other related events.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Widener University is committed to fostering an inclusive community in which faculty, staff, and students from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, disability, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or status as a protected veteran.
Some positions may be eligible for a hybrid or remote work arrangement that may include a partially or fully remote work location, consistent with Widener’s Flexible Work policy.
Widener University, an independent, metropolitan, doctoral-intensive university, connects curricula to social issues through civic engagement. Dynamic teaching, active scholarship, personal attention and experiential learning are key components of the Widener Experience. Located in Chester, PA, Widener's main campus is nestled between Philadelphia, PA and Wilmington, DE, with Law Schools located in both Harrisburg and Wilmington. For more information about the university, please visit our website at www.widener.edu.
EOE M/F/V/D
