Through our shared values and culture of professional team service, we engage and inspire the Aggie Network to support Texas Aggies and perpetuate the Aggie Spirit. We seek an individual to join a highly motivated team in selflessly advancing The Association of Former Students’ noble mission by providing critical leadership of fundraising, development and stewardship activities. The ideal candidate can lead a diverse team of high-achieving fundraising professionals by seeing the potential in others and helping them achieve success by understanding and developing their strengths through an individualized approach to leading each team member. The ideal candidate can also demonstrate skill in (i) working with team members to sort through complexity, (ii) exploring alternative courses of action, as well as (iii) determining and executing the best possible outcomes. Flexibility in learning and understanding new subject matters as well as the ability to sell ideas and gain support for programs within the organization through effective relationship building are also desired strengths. 

DUTIES 

Provides direction and consultation for staff direct reports: 

• Fosters an environment of selflessness, trust, respect, innovation, professionalism, and excellence among Development team members. 
• Appraises, coaches, and motivates direct reports to be an effective and efficient team. 
• Encourages collaboration and promotes a culture of professional team service among assigned direct reports. 
• Develops role clarity and a high-performing team through a strengths-based approach of matching mission-critical tasks with a thorough knowledge of staff skills and talents. 
• Analyzes workload to ensure efficient and effective donor service, including walk-ins and inbound phone calls. 

Develops, executes, assesses, and leads strategic and tactical Annual Giving activities: 

• Leads the Annual Giving team’s development and execution of fundraising and stewardship strategies and tactics, including the development of an annual fundraising strategic plan. 
• Drives innovation of all fundraising strategies, including development of strategies and tactics for increasing recurring donors, Young Alumni giving, and leadership-level giving.  
• Researches and assesses new and emerging trends and innovative strategies in Annual Giving to determine effective solicitation tools and strategies. 
• Works collaboratively with the Fundraising Analyst and Manager of Annual Giving to develop and execute data analyses and research projects to inform and enhance ROI of fundraising initiatives. 
• Oversees the management of the Engagement Center outbound-calling operations in collaboration with the Manager of Fundraising and outside vendors, as needed. 
• Collaborates with senior management to determine appropriate Annual Fund goals and measurements of success as well as long-term strategic plans and goals. 
• Reports Annual Fund results, as well as short-term and long-term strategies, to senior management, Board of Directors, and peers. 
• Assesses need for, retains, and manages outside consultants for specific projects and initiatives to improve fundraising results. 
• Leads efforts to benchmark results against peer institutions and identifies opportunities for improvement through analysis of benchmarking. 
• Collaborates with Association teams to develop strategic initiatives for the program and to support The Association’s fundraising efforts. 

Raises major-gift support for The Association of Former Students and Texas A&M University  

• Develops and manages a portfolio of leadership-level and major-gift prospects. 
• Identifies, cultivates, and solicits potential donors for The Association’s Annual Fund and major gift and capital giving priorities. 
• Assesses and expands portfolio by building relationships, identifying new potential candidates, and acting on data and potential donor research. 
• Travels as necessary to visit with prospective donors. 

Provides oversight, management, and direction of stewardship efforts: 

• Oversees the gift acknowledgement and receipting process for all unrestricted and restricted gifts. 
• Maintains accurate and timely record-keeping activities for restricted and other capital gifts in compliance with internal and legal standards. 
• Oversees the production of accurate and timely statements for endowment accounts. 
• Manages efforts to provide timely and appropriate stewardship recognition to all Annual Fund and major gift donors, including recognition events. 
• Fulfills personal stewardship activities as needed by Vice President for Development.  

Participates in and provides input on various Association-wide activities: 

• Actively contributes toward efforts to achieve our culture, engagement, and fundraising goals. 
• Provides on-site event support for Board and Leadership Council meetings. 
• Participates on internal event teams and task committees. 
• Participates in Association events, including Aggie Muster, Aggie Ring Day, All-Aggie Grad Party, All-Aggie Hullabaloo, Distinguished Alumni Gala, Reunions, Pass It Back Day, Thank an Ag Day, gameday receptions, and others as required. 

Serves as an ambassador for The Association: 

• Meets our Team Expectations. 
• Supports The Association’s marketing, communications, and branding initiatives. 
• Fosters relationships with students, former students, faculty, staff, and friends of Texas A&M.  
• Attends external events in support of the Vice President for Development or on behalf of The Association, as directed. 

Other duties as assigned: 

This description of expected duties is neither all-inclusive nor permanent. Employees may be required to take on different or additional duties without notice. 

TEAM EXPECTATIONS 

The Association of Former Students is a team, and each member of the team is important to the overall success of the organization. To achieve our goals and mission, each team member will: 

• Display a positive, customer-focused attitude and treat all individuals with courtesy and respect. 
• Manage each customer experience with the highest level of service and enthusiasm. Seek opportunities to exceed expectations and develop lasting relationships. 
• Make innovative contributions by proactively challenging current practices and suggesting and implementing improvements. 
• Contribute to our team environment by being a productive, supportive and reliable teammate. Take responsibility for their actions and the outcomes produced. 
• Lead with a positive example and in doing so, inspire others to fulfill the expectations of our team. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES 

Required: Sound judgment and utmost discretion. Ability to organize concurrent projects and manage time, while working independently with minimal supervision or collaboratively with teammates, in an environment of rapid change and numerous deadlines. Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including excellent listening skills and the ability to articulate complex information with influence. Strong critical thinking skills and appreciation for implementation of data-driven analysis in strategic and tactical decision-making. Ability to lead fundraising professionals and successfully communicate with volunteer Board members by modeling appropriate behavior and creating an optimistic, collaborative, high-achieving team culture. Strong relationship-building and customer service skills with the ability to initiate meaningful and trusted relationships with diverse audiences. Proven ability to navigate complex situations with diplomacy and discretion while maintaining a high level of poise and professionalism in all circumstances. Proven ability to work collaboratively and build cross-organizational partnerships. Ability to work effectively with a variety of unique personalities and individuals. Ability to sit or stand at a desk and work on a computer for prolonged periods. Proficiency with standard office equipment and software, including the Microsoft application suite.  

Preferred: Knowledge of Salesforce or other Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

Strong commitment to the vision and mission of The Association of Former Students, with the ability and desire to advocate for the organization and Texas A&M University. Flexibility to work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends, in support of Association events and to travel for Association business, including occasional overnight stays. Valid Texas driver license and good driving record. 

EDUCATION, TRAINING & EXPERIENCE 

Required: Bachelor’s degree and 7-10 years professional experience, including 5+ years of supervisory experience. Strong leadership, managerial, organizational, and communication experience. Demonstrated ability to lead fundraising professionals and demonstrated history of success and effectiveness in leading high-performing teams. 

Preferred: Bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University. Five years of experience in fundraising, annual giving, alumni relations, or an analogous profession. 

SUPERVISION 

Received: Vice President of Development. 

Given: Manager of Annual Giving, Manager of Fundraising, Manager of Development, Fundraising Analyst, Coordinator of Stewardship, Coordinator of Development, and Coordinator of Gift Processing.