Company Description

Carleton College, founded in 1866, is a small private liberal arts college located in the historic river town of Northfield, Minnesota. Renowned for its commitment to academic excellence and inclusive campus community, the college offers 36 majors and 15 minors across the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Carleton fosters a collaborative learning environment where students and faculty thrive. Explore more about the institution and opportunities at carleton.edu/jobs.

Role Description

This is a full-time role located in Northfield, MN, for a Director of Parent and Family Giving. The Director will be responsible for developing and managing strategies to grow support from parents and families of Carleton students and alumni. Daily responsibilities include identifying and cultivating potential donors, building and maintaining relationships, developing fundraising campaigns, and collaborating with other departments to meet institutional advancement goals. The role also involves providing leadership and strategic direction for parent and family giving programs to meet annual fund and major gift targets.

Compensation:

The expected starting salary range for this position is between $99,200 and $102,500. 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:

Parent and Family Giving Program Goals:

Maximize annual giving from parents of current students and parents of alumni
Identify and solicit prospects for major and planned giving
Elevate the profile of families as strong Carleton ambassadors
Collaborate with colleagues across campus to identify areas of improvement for parent engagement and communications

Program Direction, Oversight, and Evaluation:

Focus on strengthening the parent and family giving program, raising philanthropic sights, identifying gift capacity, and cultivating new volunteer and donor leadership.
Develop, implement, and evaluate data-driven fundraising strategies and plans for the Parents Fund to achieve annual and long-term goals and objectives.

Program Management:

Establish annual campaign fundraising strategies and cultivate and solicit prospects.
Develop and implement tailored fundraising plans and communications strategies for new parents, continuing parents, and parents of alumni.
Identify, qualify, directly solicit, and manage a pool of leadership parent prospects.
Create a fundraising calendar for mass and segmented fundraising messages. Write fundraising appeals for parents of current students and parents of alumni.
Coach colleagues in Development on strategies and messages that are most effective with parent donor prospects.
Travel to solicit leadership Parents Fund gifts, in collaboration with development officers as needed/appropriate.
Work with colleagues in College Communications on communications to parents, including a regular parent e-newsletter. Develop a strategy and timeline for parent webinars/calls with the Vice President and Dean of Students, and other campus leaders.
Develop opportunities to utilize the Three Oaks Society (leadership giving) for donor recognition and stewardship.

Relationship Management:

Identify, recruit, and engage members of the Parents Advisory Council, collaborating with colleagues in Development, Prospect Research, and the President’s Office. The PAC is a group of current parents who advise the president and senior staff, and serve as resources to the college community, especially in the areas of fundraising, careers, communications, and admissions.
Work with the PAC leadership to set agendas for and execute twice-yearly meetings. Solicit input from the President of the College on strategic agenda items.
Manage PAC working groups to address key priorities, guiding colleague liaisons from the Career Center, Admissions, and other departments to obtain the best outcomes.
Involve colleagues in responding to parent issues and concerns as needed.
Advise the college’s Events Office on strategic direction and program objectives for Fall Family Weekend
Coordinate activities and events with other pertinent campus offices (primarily the Alumni Annual Fund, Alumni Relations, Career Center, Development, and the President’s Office).

Supervision Received and Exercised:

Provide project direction, feedback, and contribute to the supervision and evaluation of the Alumni and Parent Giving Coordinator
As an experienced advancement professional with unique experience with parents, provide coaching and guidance as appropriate to colleagues across the college.
Manage the Parents Fund budget
Evaluate program success and opportunities annually

Qualifications

B.A. degree required.
Ten or more years of previous experience in educational fundraising or comparable work. Annual Fund, major gift solicitation, and volunteer management experience preferred.
Powerful oral and written communication skills, with the judgment and discretion to handle confidential or highly sensitive matters.
Collaborative team player; able to develop positive relationships with colleagues, key prospects, and volunteers.
Commitment to the college’s liberal arts mission and college and divisional goals related to inclusion, diversity, equity, and belonging.
Ability to think creatively, critically, and strategically about all aspects of development at Carleton.
Demonstrated skill with data analysis to inform strategic program directions and achieve dollar goals.
Highly organized, achievement-oriented, and attentive to detail.
Ability to manage multiple tasks while prioritizing responsiveness to colleagues, volunteers, and donors.
Willingness to travel.

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. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees. A dependent tuition program after six years of service.

Carleton College

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Director of Parent and Family Giving