As the Assistant Director of Annual Fund, Athletics you will be responsible for contributing to the fundraising efforts of the athletic development team and will identify, qualify, engage, solicit, and steward individual prospects capable of making leadership gifts of $1,000 or more annually. You will secure and retain annual gifts of $1,000-$9,999 in support of the annual fund program and pipeline development.

This is an early career fundraising position focused on the strategic identification, qualification and engagement of current donors and highly rated non-donors with a goal of building and maintaining a new pipeline of prospects for the athletic department and university.

In this role, you will:

• Implement and execute strategies for identifying, engaging, and successfully soliciting individuals for gifts to support athletics with an emphasis on soliciting gifts at the leadership annual giving level.
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 400 prospects through an active schedule of solicitation, engagement, and stewardship calls or virtual visits to donors and new prospects.
• Build connections with current and prospective donors and alumni to support programs and priorities.
• Provide exceptional customer service to incoming inquiries, including and not limited to the athletics point system, ticket requests, and event arrangements.
• Perform a high volume of daily touchpoints (email, phone calls, social media) to help identify and keep engaged leadership level donors.
• Maintain information on selected donors and prospects including contact reports in CRM system.
• Participate in the strategic planning of the annual fund team and execution of planning, as necessary and practicable.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

To be successful in this role, you should:

• Value diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• Demonstrate the ability to personally solicit annual giving level gifts
• Have strong interpersonal skills, tact, and diplomacy. The ability to build productive, beneficial relationships with a broad range of constituencies.
• Be able to be congenial, professional, and effective in handling situations with donors, Foundation staff, University staff and visitors.
• Have the ability to engender trust and confidence of donors and prospective donors and to maintain confidentiality of donor information. Adept in the use of computers and information management tools, such as CRMs (Blackbaud).
• Possess strong written and verbal communications skills, including ability to effectively communicate University priorities to donors and prospects, and to positively represent the University and Foundation.
• Be able to handle multiple tasks, to assess and order priorities, and to track details in a fast-paced environment.
• Be able to work to the demands of the position which may exceed a 40-hour work week.
• Maintain a high level of motivation and assertiveness, as well as an ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Have knowledge and understanding of a Division I athletics and NCAA rules and regulations
• Be willing to travel extensively and reliable personal transportation is required for this position.
• Possess a valid driver’s license issued from state in which employee resides. Employee must maintain at their expense, automobile liability insurance coverage in the minimum amount of $500,000 or a combination of umbrella and automobile liability insurance coverage of $500,000. A certificate of automobile insurance evidencing the limit, must be provided to the Foundation at hire and annually thereafter.

Education and Experience:

We provide a broad set of requirements to be inclusive of people of all backgrounds and experiences. If you think you have the skills for the position, we want to hear from you. Even if this is not the right role, we may know of opportunities elsewhere or have future opportunities that better match your skill set.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 1 years of experience in athletic fundraising, fundraising, or relevant transferrable skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite and donor management systems.

Salary:

The expected salary for this position is $58,000 . It will be commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also placing an emphasis on internal equity.

Benefits:

Benefits start from day one. We offer medical, dental, and vision plans and will make an annual contribution to your health savings account if enrolled in one of the high-deductible health plans offered by the Foundation.

In addition, there are a few other perks to being a UConn Foundation employee:

We offer a generous contribution to your 403(b)-retirement plan to help you plan for retirement.

We place an emphasis on work/life balance. You will receive thirteen paid holidays, five weeks of paid time off per calendar year, and additional sick time.

We invest in your professional development. Aside from opportunities to participate in various trainings, committees, and conferences throughout the year, you will also be eligible for partial tuition reimbursement after one year of employment.

The UConn Foundation is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. We celebrate diverse perspectives and are committed to a welcoming environment that will value your unique experiences and identity. We recognize that a true commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion requires ongoing education and action and we strive for continued growth each and every day.

Please inform a Human Resources Representative if you need assistance completing any forms or participating in any part of the application process due to a disability.