Associate Director, Alumni Annual Fund Marketing - Carleton University : Job Details

Job Title: Associate Director, Alumni Annual Fund Marketing Department: Alumni Annual Fund Classification: Exempt Grade: 12 FTE/Working Schedule: 1.0 FTE Position Overview: The Associate Director for Alumni Annual Fund Marketing is an integral part of a well-organized and collaborative Alumni Annual Fund (AAF) team. This team is nationally recognized for its success in alumni participation, particularly through its volunteer-driven model of peer-to-peer outreach. In this role, you'll ensure that office-based messaging thoughtfully complements the personal outreach from classmates, as the AAF works to achieve its ambitious fundraising goal of over $11 million annually from alumni, parents, and friends of the College. This is a full-time (1.0 FTE) exempt, regular, benefit-eligible staff position. Some travel, as well as some evening and weekend work is expected. Compensation: The expected starting salary range for this position is between $75,800 and $78,400. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility. Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities: Office-Based Communications & Messaging Support:

• Develops solicitation and stewardship communications across diverse channels (email, direct mail, digital platforms) to articulate the Annual Alumni Fund's impact on core college operations, thereby encouraging giving and cultivating lasting donor relationships that amplify volunteer engagement.
• Designs and implements a strategic digital marketing presence for the AAF, optimizing our social media footprint through targeted content and campaigns.
• Collaborates closely with the AAF Director and the College Communications' Marketing Strategist to establish overarching primary and secondary messaging frameworks for each AAF fiscal year, providing a consistent foundation for both office and volunteer communications.
• Consults regularly with the DAR Communications Manager to ensure that central AAF messaging aligns with the broader DAR communication calendar and strategic priorities, creating a cohesive institutional voice that supports and amplifies volunteer outreach.
• Provides comprehensive messaging support for volunteers by creating outreach message templates as part of outreach toolkits. These templates suggest primary talking points that align with current messaging from the AAF office and the college, empowering volunteers with consistent and effective communication resources.

Alumni Annual Fund Program Analysis & Strategy:

• Analyzes solicitation data to develop strategic recommendations for improving solicitation and segmentation strategies at both the overall Fund level and within specific alumni generations/class cohorts.
• Partners with the AAF Director to track and evaluate donor retention and acquisition metrics, using these insights to inform strategic decisions aimed at growth.
• Collects and analyzes key data and metrics to track the AAF's progress towards its goals, documenting historical trends to inform future strategies.
• Monitors national trends in annual giving and benchmarks AAF performance against peer institutions within consortia such as the Minnesota Private Colleges, ACM, or STAFF groups.

Strategic Communications & Partnerships:

• Develops and executes a comprehensive fiscal year AAF communications strategy, encompassing key messages, timelines, and multi-channel deployment (including print, digital platforms like GiveCampus, email, and social media) for both solicitation and stewardship efforts. This includes providing guidance on data segmentation and audience selection in collaboration with the AAF Office Coordinator.
• Periodically confers with the Director of Parent and Family Giving to identify opportunities for cost-sharing on print materials, recycle effective content, and align messaging for both parent and alumni audiences.
• Cultivates and maintains strong working partnerships with integral campus partners (College Communications, Development Operations, Alumni Relations, Stewardship, Planned Giving, and PEAR), ensuring aligned messaging and collaborative project execution, particularly during key campaigns like Maize & Blue Daize or All Day, All Knights.
• Serves as the primary campus point person for the GiveCampus digital fundraising platform, overseeing its strategic integration into AAF campaigns and providing support to internal teams and volunteers.
• Leads the full lifecycle of key AAF communication projects, including print materials (Fall/Spring Class letters, Carleton calendar, Three Oaks Recognition booklet, impact mailers) and event support materials (website content, agenda booklets, signage, marketing collateral for CAVE and Maize & Blue Daize), managing vendor relationships and ensuring alignment with all communication channels.
• Proactively gathers information on academic and student support services by engaging with campus colleagues, translating this knowledge into compelling content for AAF solicitations and volunteer communications.

Education/Experience/Skills: Required:

• Bachelor's degree (B.A.).
• 3-5 years experience in one or more of the following areas: content creation, messaging, marketing project management, communications, or non-profit fundraising (or comparable experience).
• Possesses a strong interest in creatively and strategically developing organizational messaging that fosters engagement, philanthropy, and volunteerism.
• Exhibits enthusiasm for working within a volunteer-driven program.
• Demonstrates a collaborative and team-oriented approach.
• Possesses excellent oral and written communication skills, demonstrating sound judgment and discretion in handling confidential or sensitive information.
• Shows understanding of and commitment to the College's liberal arts mission.
• Demonstrates commitment to the College's inclusion, diversity, and equity goals.
• Exhibits exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and a commitment to excellence.
• Shows proficiency in data analysis and interpretation to inform planning.
• Demonstrates proven ability to manage multiple tasks and competing priorities effectively.
• Shows willingness and ability to travel, with some evening and weekend work required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace.
• Experience with digital communication and project management tools such as Slate, ThankView, GiveCampus, Emma, Asana, and Canva.
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (particularly InDesign and Illustrator) and Adobe Premiere is a plus.

Must have the ability to understand and follow written and oral work instructions, operations, safety procedures, and hazardous labels. Note: This position description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the hire is complete. We accept only online applications. Carleton College is an AA/EEO Employer: We are committed to developing our staff to better reflect the diversity of our student body and American society. Members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. Carleton also offers a robust suite of benefits including: A generous 403(b) retirement plan with a 10% employer contribution and 2% employee contribution. Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance. Paid time-off, including 20 vacation days, 8 paid holidays, 3, floating holidays, 2 weather days, and extra days at the end of the calendar year to make a continuous week off before New Year's. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees. A dependent tuition program after six years of service. Founded in 1866, Carleton College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college of roughly 2,000 students located in the historic river town of Northfield, Minnesota. Carleton College occupies more than 1,000 scenic acres of campus, arboretum, over 100 campus buildings, and athletic fields. Located 40 miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Carleton offers access to the cultural advantages of a major metropolitan area.