Assistant Director of Annual Giving – Golden Gopher Fund

Reporting to the Assistant Athletic Director/Development, the Assistant Director of Annual Giving will coordinate and execute annual giving strategies that increase donor participation and fundraising resources for Gopher Athletics. The position will manage the Gopher Loyalty Program, donor communication and assist with benefit fulfillment along with coordinating Golden Gopher Fund communications and fundraising content.

Additional duties include analyzing and reporting on campaign results, developing content calendars, assisting with scholarship seating renewals and donor parking and management of select sport specific fundraising efforts. The Golden Gopher team focuses on generating philanthropic revenue to support, enhance and continue the premier student-athlete experience at the University of Minnesota.

Gopher Athletics and the University of Minnesota encourage and support a workplace of diversity, equity and inclusion in everything we do. We are united in our efforts to provide opportunities and a safe workplace for all those who want to support and assist the University, and encourage any and all candidates to apply for this position. 

Annual Fundraising & Development Operations (75%)

• Coordinate and execute annual giving strategies in support of Gopher Athletics.
• Manage Gopher Loyalty Program donor communication and benefit fulfillment.
• Assist with data queries and use of donor data.
• Analyze and compile performance metrics for digital campaigns.

Golden Gopher Fund Social Media & Marketing Operations (15%)

• Oversee the coordination and implementation of the Golden Gopher Fund’s social media outreach plan. Work closely with marketing, creative and Gopher Digital Productions to utilize all digital media channels in promotion of the Golden Gopher Fund. Create graphics adhering to brand guidelines.
• Manage email marketing including database management, market segmentation, and testing to ensure optimization across devices.
• Maintain graphic updates and design for Golden Gopher Fund website.
• Create, manage and update Golden Gopher Fund digital marketing calendars.

Office & Administration Support (10%)

• Assist with managing Golden Gopher Fund phone lines and email inbox.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Two years related development/fundraising experience

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Experience and familiarity with Athletics Annual Giving strategies and campaigns
• Experience with creating, coordinating, and tracking email marketing processes, systems, and results
• Ability to develop digital content (includes photos and video) and apply content marketing principles
• Proficient with Adobe Creative Cloud (all applications)
• Proficient with Google Analytics (certification preferred) and experience in reporting metrics for digital marketing analysis
• Experience using CRM systems, preferably Paciolan and/or Salesforce
• Possesses analytical skills and data-driven thinking
• A high level of judgment is expected based on the priorities of the department
• Strong writing, editing and interpersonal communication skills
• Creative and innovative thinker
• Ability to balance multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
• Ability to work both independently and collaborate with a team
• Well-organized with attention to detail
• Interest or knowledge of sports