Associate Director of Donor and Alumni Engagement

The University of St. Thomas invites qualified candidates to apply for an Associate Director position within the School of Divinity.

The University of St. Thomas embraces diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all. We welcome applicants that are

committed to helping us build a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. This commitment is consistent with our mission: Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, work skillfully, and act wisely to advance the common good.

The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity (SPSSOD) is operated under an affiliation agreement between the University of St. Thomas, the Saint Paul Seminary and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The vision, mission and core values of the SPSSOD are as follows:

Vision (Why we exist): We envision Church leaders on fire with the Holy Spirit, equipping the faithful to

transform the world in Jesus Christ.

Mission (What we do): We provide integrated, Catholic formation for those called to serve as priests, deacons,

or lay leaders in their local Church.

Core Values (How we operate):

•  Foster Christ-centered growth

We cultivate growth in Jesus Christ of each member of our community, rooting all we do in His love, example and teachings.

•  Engage in personal accompaniment

We walk alongside and assist each person to become aware of, understand, and respond to God’s grace.

•  Thrive through use of our gifts

We celebrate the natural gifts God has already given to each individual and seek a deeper outpouring of the Holy Spirit and His gifts.

The successful candidate will have enthusiasm for and a commitment to our vision, mission and core values.

The successful candidate will also be an active, practicing Catholic in full communion with the Catholic Church, with

a demonstrated commitment to the mission of the Church and full assent to all magisterial teaching.

Hiring will be contingent upon the successful completion of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis’ “E3” Requirements of Safe Environment Training (see https://safe-environment.archspm.org/essential-3/), including manifesting a commitment to follow the Archdiocesan Code of Conduct for Church Personnel.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

The University of St. Thomas offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program, which includes:

• Up to 100% tuition remission for employees and dependents upon eligibility
• Up to 50% tuition remission for spouses upon eligibility
• A generous Employer retirement contribution of 9.4% of annual salary upon eligibility
• Medical, dental, and vision options
• Employer-paid disability, life, and AD&D benefits

Salary Range: $92,720 to $120,000

The University of St. Thomas has provided a salary range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The specific salary offered will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

JOB SUMMARY

The Associate Director of Donor and Alumni Engagement is a senior gift officer position responsible for the ongoing development and coordination of a comprehensive donor and alumni engagement program to help The Saint Paul Seminary’s Institutional Advancement Team meet its goals. This position works closely with the team’s director and entire team in designing and executing systems of engagement, and interfaces with other directors and members of the seminary community to establish and maintain relationships with benefactors and alumni; successfully soliciting them for major and estate gifts.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Major Gift Program

• Develop systems and processes to increase engagement with and financial support from current major donors and major donor prospects
• Direct activities to identify and prioritize new major donor prospects for research, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship
• Maintain a portfolio of at least 75-100 major donors and or major donor prospects; actively meeting with and staying in relationship with them to foster their engagement and financial support
• Utilize events to invite major donors and major donor prospects to participate in and financially support this mission
• Be familiar with the donor base enough to articulate common characteristics and traits, allowing the team to develop other strategies and appeals that would resonate with donors

Cultivation & Stewardship Programs

• Develop and oversee comprehensive donor cultivation & stewardship programs, including activities and events for major donors and major donor prospects
• Develop and implement a systematic and personalized stewardship & cultivation program for assigned major gift donors and major gift donor prospects
• Coordinate prospect management meetings to create alignment and ensure progress toward the Institutional Advancement Team’s goals
• Write and edit solicitation and acknowledgment letters as well as other donor communication pieces

Alumni Program

• Develop and direct programs to more actively engage alumni of The Saint Paul Seminary, resulting in their increased financial support
• Interface with other directors of the seminary to foster and coordinate institutional engagement with alumni
• Respond to inquiries from, increase engagement with and financial support from alumni

Other duties as assigned by the director and to foster teamwork among the team

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5 years of advancement or related experience, including fund-raising management and major gift solicitations

An equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skill have been acquired may be substituted.  

Special Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

Knowledge of: Must be familiar with and comfortable working with the Catholic philanthropic and ecclesial community. Fundamentals, principles and best practices in identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major donors and major donor prospects. Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation, and evaluation; budget development and administration; rules, regulations, and procedures related to development activities; standard office practices and procedures, including electronic filing and the operation of standard office equipment; record keeping; techniques for dealing with a variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, in person and over the telephone, often where relations may be strained; principles and techniques of preparing effective written materials.

Skills in: Establishing, maintaining, and deepening relationships with key constituents. Going out and securing donor and donor prospect meetings. Maximize phone calling and other communication channels to engage major donors and major donor prospects to attend seminary fundraising events. Making asks. Securing major gifts and grants from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other private funding sources. Planning and implementing long-and short-range development initiatives in conjunction with strategic planning processes. Interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with academic leadership, faculty, prospects, donors, donor prospects and volunteers in a wide range of roles. Program planning and leadership skills. Exercising good judgment. Demonstrating an understanding of ethics related to development activities. Using discretion in interactions with donors, prospects, volunteers, and others. Conducting research, gathering data, analyzing information, and preparing effective, accurate, and timely reports and other documents to support development objectives. Verbal and written communication; presenting effectively to small and large groups. Fostering effective working relationships within a team environment. Managing events and other complex activities in support of development objectives. Community relations and the ability to communicate and work effectively within a diverse community. Raiser’s Edge database use. Budget preparation and fiscal management.

HOW TO APPLY

All interested candidates must apply online at https://www.stthomas.edu/jobs/. Follow the instructions to complete an online application which includes creating or updating an applicant profile, uploading a resume, and completing a job specific application.

In light of its commitment to create and maintain a safe learning and working environment, employment with the University of St. Thomas requires consent and successful completion of a background screening.

Official job posting is available at www.stthomas.edu/jobs.