<p>Reports to: Chief Development Officer</p> <p>Department: Advancement</p> <p>Status: Full-time, Exempt</p> <p>Salary: Commensurate with degree and experience</p> <p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>__</strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></p> <p>Summary</p> <p>The Annual Fund Officer plays a key role in generating essential annual support that enables the university to fulfill its mission and serve its students and broader community. This role supports strategies to engage, solicit, and steward donors-particularly alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of the institution.</p> <p>The Annual Fund Officer will build and maintain meaningful relationships with donors and prospects, secure annual gifts, and collaborate across departments to promote a culture of philanthropy. This position also helps coordinate campaigns, events, and communications designed to increase participation and financial support for the annual fund.</p> <p>Essential Duties:</p> <ul> <li>Plan and implement annual giving strategies and multi-channel campaigns (mail, email, phone, digital, social media) </li><li>Build and maintain strong relationships with donors through personalized outreach, cultivation, and stewardship </li><li>Identify opportunities to increase donor retention and upgrade giving levels; segmenting data to support optimal giving strategies </li><li>Collaborate with campus partners (marketing, alumni relations, etc.) to align messaging and maximize impact </li><li>Support signature fundraising events, including Golf Classic and reunion giving efforts </li><li>Track and analyze donor data to inform decisions and report progress toward goals </li><li>Ensure timely acknowledgment of gifts and meaningful donor recognition </li><li>Represent the Advancement Office at events and engage volunteers in annual giving efforts </li><li>Travel to visit top prospects and donors as needed </li><li>Database management experience (Salesforce preferred) </li><li>Any additional responsibilities that advance our mission and uphold our organizational values according to your supervisor. </li></ul> <p>Qualifications:</p> <p>To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.</p> <ul> <li>Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in a related field is a plus. </li><li>A committed Christian in agreement with our statement of faith. </li><li>Minimum of 5 years of experience in major gift fundraising, preferably in a nonprofit organization. </li><li>Demonstrated success in securing major gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations. </li><li>Strong understanding of philanthropic motivations and trends among high-net-worth individuals and institutions. </li><li>Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and inspire a wide range of stakeholders. </li><li>Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling proposals and communicate the organization's mission effectively. </li><li>Proven ability to manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, including donor research, cultivation, and solicitation strategies. </li><li>Experience with moves management and donor database systems. </li><li>Highly organized and detail-oriented, with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. </li><li>Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively within a team environment. </li><li>Genuine passion for the organization's mission and commitment to making a positive impact through philanthropy. </li></ul> <p>Mission Fit -</p> <ul> <li>Acknowledge Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior and demonstrate personal maturity and godliness, growing in conformity to the image of Christ. </li><li>A genuine interest in the ongoing success of Grace Christian University and the support of the mission statement of "Graduating Courageous Ambassadors for Christ who make an eternal impact wherever they go." </li></ul> <p>To apply, please send resume and cover letter to talentmanagement@gracechristian.edu and abwalker@gracechristian.edu.</p>