About the Department:

Advancement's mission is to build strong, lifelong relationships with George Mason University's alumni and constituents, while matching their philanthropic interests with the university aspirations and priorities. The division is committed to serving the needs of the university, our alumni, and the greater community by providing access to quality education and lifelong learning. Respect, service, integrity, collaboration, diversity, transparency, and creativity are the values that guide our work and culture.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts (known as Mason Arts) facilitates a shared pursuit of creative and academic discovery, inspiring a broad population of learners and patrons toward lifelong engagement in the arts.

About the Position:

The Assistant Director of Development, reporting to the Senior Director of Development, College of Visual and Performing Arts, is responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship and growth of the College’s donors and assists in the creation and implementation of annual and strategic plans for the College’s fundraising program. The position is primarily responsible for generating support by managing a portfolio of donors and prospects of the College for the purposes of fundraising for the School of Dance, Dewberry School of Music, School of Theater, and Film at Mason.

Responsibilities:

Maintains Personal Portfolio and Supports Comprehensive Fundraising Program

• With a focus on the School of Dance, Dewberry School of Music, School of Theater, and Film at Mason, carries and maintains a portfolio of 90 to 100 Prospects that are being moved through the donor engagement process by soliciting annual gifts, Annual Leadership Gifts, and Endowment Level gifts;
• Collaborates with the Senior Director of Development and University Annual Fund Team to improve annual giving outcomes;
• Meets or exceeds all metrics and expectations set by Central Advancement; 
• Maintains accurate and timely records using appropriate software and follows Mason and GMUF policies and procedures;
• Tracks personal prospect contacts (face to face visits, phone calls, and e-mails), all donations, and run reports and conducts analysis on progress to goal for the College’s fundraising; 
• Performs thank you and stewardship visits to engage and cultivate annual donors encouraging future giving;
• Stewards donors to the Schools of Dance, Theater, Music and Film by coordinating the stewardship activities and ensuring recognition of these donors;
• Ensures that the College’s donors are included in university-wide stewardship programs including Presidents Circle, Annual Scholarship Dinner and annual Stewardship Reports;
• Supports successful execution of a comprehensive fundraising program that appropriately partners with and leverages resources from the central advancement team to accomplish objectives;
• Coordinates the efforts of those who can assist in fundraising: tracks contacts, asks, and funds raised, drafts proposals and pledge agreements for potential donors, and proposes and coordinates appropriate cultivation and stewardship activities;
• Travels as necessary for donor outreach and cultivation;
• Works with offices across campus to coordinate related activities that further the University’s mission and achieve fundraising goals;
• Finds new and creative ways to engage donors that will enrich the donor experience and add value to the academic life of the University;
• Works with staff to engage all alumni to advance the percentage of active involvement and increase alumni donations;
• Engages a wide range of colleagues, alumni, donors, prior faculty and staff, and individuals who might be able to help in pursuing/winning major gifts;
• Displays good judgment and confidentiality;
• Assists in overseeing the College’s portfolio of donors and potential donors both individually and through the management of the team to maximize unit revenue from philanthropic giving;
• Communicates and executes the advancement and alumni relations agenda with the school’s volunteer boards and alumni affinity groups;
• Assists with planning and implementation of school efforts to raise individual, corporate and foundation funds;
• Conducts discovery visits with prospective donors as identified by Central Advancement Research and hand-off or disqualifies individuals from their portfolio based on an unwillingness to connect, lack of affinity, or philanthropic interest in another aspect of Mason;
• Works with staff to engage all alumni to advance the percentage of active involvement and increase alumni donations; and meet or exceed fundraising goals;
• Regularly updates supervisors as to any fundraising and relationship-building activities taking place in the College; and
• Strategizes about which major gifts would have the greatest value to and impact on the College and prioritizes said gifts. Works with donors to try to interest them in gifts that have the greatest value to and impact on the College. Understands that certain gifts will transform the school more than others, and takes responsibility for pursuing and capturing more valuable gifts.

Volunteer and Board Management and Engagement

• Maintains and builds a supportive and effective relationship with the Friends of Music at Mason (FOMM), Friends of Theater at Mason (FOTM), the Dance Partnership Council, and Film Advisory Board; and
• Assists the FOTM, FOMM, Dance Partnership Council, and Film at Mason volunteer efforts through volunteer leadership management and works with members of the board and councils on various events and activities to assist these groups in meeting the goals of financially supporting the academic programs, primarily with scholarship support, and acting as ambassadors for these programs in the community at large.

Coordination with Central Advancement and Schools/Colleges/Units

• Coordinates fundraising with other departments and utilizes services as appropriate;
• Ensures consistent and adequate communication between College/Unit and Central Advancement;
• Works closely with Central Advancement services including, but not limited to, Planned Giving, Annual Giving, Parents and Family Philanthropy, University Priorities, Alumni Relations, Communications, Systems, Operations, Donor Relations, Gifts and Records, etc.;
• Takes on additional work as needed to ensure the smooth operations of the team and department; and
• Assists and attends University and College events, programs and activities, many of which occur on weekends and evenings.

Other Related Duties as Assigned

• Seeks out opportunities to improve office operations and makes recommendations for their implementation;
• Takes on additional work as needed to ensure the smooth operations of the team and department; and
• Assists and attends University and College events, programs and activities, many of which occur on weekends and evenings.

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Fundraising experience in either a higher education or a complex non-profit setting;
• Demonstrated success in working with volunteers and membership development;
• Knowledge of the donor engagement process;
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills, and attention to detail;
• Demonstrated writing skills associated with proposals, solicitation letters, etc.;
• Skill with MS Office Suite;
• Substantial customer service orientation;
• Ability to exhibit independent decision making, work independently on a wide variety of tasks, prioritize tasks, make decisions and be self-motivated;
• Ability to interact positively with a wide range of constituencies in person, via telephone, email and in writing;
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative along with following through on specific requests;
• The ability to motivate others, work effectively as part of a team, and with volunteers and donors;
• Ability to adapt in a fast-paced, multi-faceted, and dynamic organization; and
• Ability to attend evening and weekend activities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Experience working in a complex fundraising office (generally 3+ years);
• Knowledge and experience in the donor engagement process (moves management);
• Experience planning and executing cultivation, stewardship and fundraising events;
• Experience in creating and producing fundraising reporting systems;
• Experience engaging and managing the efforts of volunteer groups;
• Experience using Salesforce, Microstrategy, or IModules/Anthology software systems;
• Demonstrated experience working with colleagues and students from diverse backgrounds;
• Familiarity with CRM fundraising software; and
• Arts background or knowledge.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Assistant Director of Development at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review. 

Posting Open Date: December 20, 2024

Posting Close Date: January 16, 2025

Open Until Filled:  No