Director of Constituent Engagement

Baltimore, MD, United States

Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) supports Johns Hopkins' focus on research, teaching and patient care, and its role as a national and global leader in higher education. We create and foster enduring relationships that result in advocacy and philanthropic support for Johns Hopkins University & Medicine"strengthening the institution through partnerships with donors, alumni, volunteer leaders, faculty, students, staff, and patients.

Johns Hopkins University supports a flexible work model which includes four different work modalities. This role has a hybrid arrangement with an onsite presence of 3 days per week. The manager will confirm the team's core onsite days where the majority/all team members will work in the office. Employees who travel on university business can count those days towards their onsite days.

The Director of Constituent Engagement is a strategic thought partner and leader, and a tactical expert at event management, volunteer engagement and special events programming aligned with the vision and priorities of the Dean of the School of Education and the SOE Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations. Under the Associate Dean for Development and External Relations, the Director of Constituent Engagement and Annual Giving will oversee and implement strategies that enhance relationships with and inspire contributions of time, talent and treasure from stakeholders aligned with the School of Education. Stakeholders include alumni, current and prospective students, volunteers, local and regional education leaders, and JHU donors. Fast-paced and highly variable, this leadership role is best suited for an individual with deft interpersonal skills and collaborative instincts, high adaptability and creativity, strong communicative abilities, and intellectual curiosity.

The successful incumbent will have the opportunity to build an innovative and sustainable constituent engagement program and to strengthen existing programming at the School of Education during an exciting time as school leaders pursue a new vision, strategic plan, and renovated building. Additionally, they will innovate and direct the campaign to raise annual donations from constituents aligned with the school's mission.

This position requires proven project management and detail-oriented organizational skills, strong oral and written communication skills, an enthusiasm for working with a variety of people, the ability to manage many projects simultaneously including those involving alumni volunteers, and a sense of humor. An understanding of and commitment to fundraising best practices are essential.

Key responsibilities:

Annual Giving (40%)

The Director of Constituent Engagement and Annual Giving is responsible for the overall management of the School of Education's annual campaign. Specifically, this position works closely with the Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations, the Office of Annual Giving, SOE DAR colleagues, and others to plan, implement, and monitor the SOE's annual campaign to raise and grow the amount of unrestricted annual contributions made to support the School of Education, its students, faculty, and mission.

Duties include:

Develop and execute long-range strategies and goals (e.g. three-year fundraising plan, with quarterly milestones) for growth in annual contributed dollars, number and retention rate of donors, and overall growth of donor pipeline.

Draft, innovate, and complete annual giving toolkits in alignment with SOE's messaging and mission (to include annual appeal letters, accompanying collateral pieces, corresponding digital content, and acknowledgement letters.) Coordinate messaging with designated JHU and SOE colleagues in accordance with communications strategies and calendared opportunities.

Develop, draft, and implement donor and alumni stewardship strategies to include digital and print pieces designed to inspire SOE's stakeholders and to clearly narrate the impact of annual philanthropic support of all levels.

Identify new annual giving donors and support strategic, intentional donation upgrades with targeted communications, tailored engagement opportunities, and pipeline programming (to include donor newsletters, targeted virtual and/or in-person events, one-to-one conversations).

Manage a minimum portfolio of 75 - 100 stakeholders for the purpose of qualifying, engaging, soliciting and stewarding relationships for the benefit of the School of Education. Stakeholders will include alumni, donors and others aligned with SOE's mission; portfolio focus will include goals of encouraging and upgrading annual gifts, inspiring major/transformational gifts, and encouraging planned gifts. Some work will require collaboration with other JHU DAR staff.

Constituent Relations (40%)

This position is also responsible for the overall management of the School of Education's alumni programs and constituent engagement activities. A crucial part of SOE's capacity to garner philanthropic support is the strategic and effective engagement of alumni and volunteer leaders who provide keen insight and an increasingly significant share of fundraising dollars. The Director will engage and cultivate alumni in the philanthropic priorities of the school through matching interests/expertise with volunteer leadership opportunities and by creating, staffing, and supporting appropriate targeted, strategic programming including special events.

Duties include:

Develop, implement, and support strategic programs that engage current students, alumni and other stakeholders with the school and university, to advance volunteer-led programming and annual giving goals. Includes efforts to engage with and support growing global community through in-person and online opportunities including both regional and interest-area communities. Plan and execute cultivation and stewardship events (virtual, hybrid, and in-person) for alumni and friends.

Serve as primary liaison to the JHU Alumni Relations Office, manage and coordinate the SOE's Alumni Association Alumni Council membership and award nominations, Alumni Trustee nominations, and collaborative regional programming. When appropriate, attend Leadership Weekend and Executive Committee meetings, providing staff support to the SOE representatives to the Johns Hopkins Alumni Council.

Explore, create, and support key alumni volunteer groups that can support the mission of the School of Education.

Direct and supervise SOE alumni communications including bi-annual Alumni & Friends Newsletter (print and digital); alumni presence on SOE web page, strategic social media (e.g. Linked In, What's App, Facebook groups), and event invitations.

Collaborate with Student Affairs on student/alumni programs including annual Passion to Profession and other opportunities that can advance the student experience and alumni connection.

Partner with the SOE and JHU staff to develop shared goals and implement strategies that cultivate strong alumni/student interactions in-person, virtually, and through digital platforms (i.e. admissions messages, career panels, mentor programs, mock interviews, etc.)

Represent SOE alumni interests at various activities, events, and SOE/university meetings.

Travel occasionally overnight for events and stakeholder engagement meetings.

Supervision and Project Management (20%)

Supervise the Assistant Director of Constituent Engagement whose primary responsibilities include event planning and support, donor identification and qualification, stewardship, communications strategies associated with annual giving and alumni engagement.

Manage small, medium, and large projects - sometimes simultaneously - which require strong collaboration with, and/or oversight of, other DAR and SOE staff assigned to aspects of a specific project. Collaborators typically include colleagues in the Dean's Office, special events, alumni relations, student affairs, annual giving, and SOE faculty and staff.

Manage members of team (some direct reports, others not) focused on pipeline development to include the comprehensive process for donor identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

Innovate, implement, and analyze the alumni relations and annual giving aspects of SOE DAR annual work plan in collaboration with Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Relations and appropriate colleagues.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree

Five years professional related experience

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree

Five to seven years of progressively responsibly experience required in development, annual giving, and/or alumni relations in higher education or comparable in addition to relevant experience in a nonprofit or private sector institution required.

Highly detail-oriented with strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously. Demonstrates an ability to multi-task and function in a fast-paced environment; proven organizational skills and attention to detail.

Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with successful event planning and management for small, medium, and large groups.

Demonstrates strategic communication skills and capacity to implement effective campaigns.

Known as strong collaborator and team player; committed to supporting diversity, equity, and camaraderie among colleagues.

Demonstrates strong written and verbal communications skills, with the ability to draft and deliver persuasive, consistent correspondence across multiple platforms. Communicates with tact and persuasion.

Exercises, on a regular and continuous basis, administrative judgment and assumes responsibility for decisions, consequences, and results having an impact on people, costs, and/or quality of service within the functional area.

Demonstrates a high level of professionalism and a solid work ethic. Is privy to, and maintains, confidential information. Above all is a colleague who engenders trust-worthy relationships with School of Education, University and DAR leadership.

Demonstrates experience with budget management, specifically for events and projects.

Knowledge of annual giving, and alumni and donor relations, preferably in a higher education environment.

Demonstrates fundraising expertise.

A proven track record of building programs and motivating staff and volunteers.

Supervisory experience

Must be adept at working effectively with diverse constituent groups and senior institutional staff.

Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office applications, and content management software, Database software, or willingness and aptitude to learn such programs.

Salesforce experience helpful.

Familiarity with university nomenclature, protocols and programs and any previous experience with the JHU development database are desirable.

Classified Title: Annual Giving Manager

Job Posting Title (Working Title):Director of Constituent Engagement

Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PE

Starting Salary Range: Minimum: $72,600- Maximum: $127,00 (targeted salary: $98,000; commensurate with experience)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm

Exempt Status:Exempt

Location:Homewood Campus

Department name: 60000003-Development & Alumni Relations

Personnel area: School of Education

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