Executive Director, Annual Giving
Summary
The Executive Director of Annual Giving is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the institution’s annual giving program and requires a combination of strategic leadership, donor cultivation, team management, and innovative fundraising techniques. This position leads a team of professionals, directs fundraising campaigns, and collaborates closely with other departments within the development office to meet institutional financial goals.
Examples of Work
Job functions are specific duties that would be included in the essential functions of the job description. These functions are not all-inclusive nor do they cover the full extent of the duties performed.
• Oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive annual giving direct marketing strategy for the University of Florida and guides the creation of targeted strategies with unit partners across campus, including the UF Alumni Association.
• Responsible for developing an annual plan focused on growing alumni participation while maintaining pro-active working relationships with all units and ensuring that goals are reached annually.
• Manage and mentor a high-performing team, providing guidance, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.
• Set clear objectives and performance metrics for the team, ensuring alignment with institutional fundraising goals.
• Perform analysis, in partnership with the data analyst, to understand the effectiveness of strategies deployed across direct marketing channels and proactively adjust strategies to ensure optimal performance.
• Partner with leadership across the centers of excellence to build program buy-in and to develop innovative programs that drive donor participation, donor engagement, and annual revenue.
• Serve as the annual giving team’s strategic leader on APR and primary liaison to strategic communications, marketing and engagement, operations, and development leadership on topics related to annual giving.
• In partnership with the units, annual giving colleagues, and Advancement leadership, develop a comprehensive direct marketing plan that meets the university’s annual giving goals of growing alumni participation, building pipeline, and raising current-use funds.
• Manage the annual giving budget, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently across campaigns, projects, and team activities.
• Track return on investment (ROI) for annual giving campaigns and make data-driven decisions to optimize resource allocation and maximize fundraising impact.
• Lead efforts to implement innovative fundraising techniques and new technologies to engage donors.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging the team to experiment with new strategies and adapt to changing donor preferences.
• Provide regular reports to senior leadership and the Board of Trustees on the progress of annual giving campaigns, donor participation, and overall revenue results.
Education and Experience
Master’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization and eight years of appropriate experience in annual giving or related field; or a bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization and ten years of appropriate experience in annual giving or related field.
Licensure and Certification
N/A
Supervision
This position does have supervisory responsibility.
To see common career pathways for each position at the University of Florida please visit the Career Paths section of the UFHR website.