Associate Director of Annual Giving & Membership

Associate Director of Annual Giving & Membership; Morris Arboretum & Gardens

locationsMorris Arboretumtime typeFull timeposted onPosted Todayjob requisition idJR00123134University OverviewThe University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.Posted Job TitleAssociate Director of Annual Giving & Membership; Morris Arboretum & GardensJob Profile TitleAssociate Director B, Development, FundraisingJob Description SummaryThe Associate Director of Annual Giving & Membership is a senior member of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens Development team responsible for leading the Arboretum’s unrestricted giving strategy through the Annual Fund, Collectors Circle, and Membership programs, which collectively generate approximately $2 million annually. This position provides the strategic vision, leadership, and execution necessary to strengthen donor acquisition, retention, stewardship, and revenue growth across all annual giving programs.Reporting to the Director of Development, the Associate Director develops and implements a comprehensive, data-driven strategy that integrates membership, annual giving, and leadership annual giving into a cohesive fundraising program. The position serves as the primary fundraiser for unrestricted annual giving, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors while creating pathways for members and annual fund supporters to increase their philanthropic engagement.The Associate Director supervises the Manager of Annual Giving & Development Data Systems and provides strategic oversight of development operations supporting annual giving, membership, gift processing, donor communications, and fundraising analytics. Working collaboratively with Development, Marketing, and Visitor Experience leadership, this position ensures a consistent donor experience and strengthens the Arboretum’s culture of philanthropy through coordinated communications, events, and stewardship initiatives.Job DescriptionResponsibilities:Strategic Leadership & Annual GivingDevelop and implement the strategic vision for the Arboretum’s unrestricted giving programs, including the Annual Fund, Collectors Circle, and Membership.Establish annual fundraising goals, performance metrics, and multi-year growth strategies using data-driven analysis and fundraising best practices.Develop messaging and solicitation strategies that strengthen donor acquisition, retention, upgrades, and overall philanthropic participation.Monitor fundraising performance and provide regular progress reports and recommendations to Development leadership.Leadership Annual Giving & Donor EngagementDirect the Collectors Circle, the Arboretum’s leadership annual giving society ($2,500+), serving as the primary relationship manager for many leadership annual fund donors.Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward leadership annual giving prospects and donors.Partner closely with Major Gift Officers to identify, qualify, and transition donors along the giving pipeline while supporting renewal efforts for assigned prospects.Develop strategies to increase leadership annual giving participation and grow unrestricted philanthropic support.Membership Program LeadershipProvide strategic oversight of the Arboretum’s membership program, including acquisition, renewals, upgrades, retention, and lapsed member recovery.Develop annual membership communication and solicitation calendars.Collaborate with the Director of Visitor Experience to strengthen member engagement, recruitment, and retention initiatives.Evaluate and implement new membership and annual giving strategies based on constituent data and industry best practices.Staff Leadership & Development OperationsSupervise the Manager of Annual Giving & Development Data Systems.Provide strategic oversight of development data systems, ensuring data integrity, gift processing accuracy, reporting, and donor stewardship.Ensure development systems effectively support fundraising strategy, donor management, and University reporting requirements.Establish priorities and ensure timely completion of gift acknowledgements, reporting, and constituent communications.Events & MarketingPartner with Development and Marketing colleagues to develop integrated fundraising campaigns across print, digital, social media, and web platforms.Collaborate with the Assistant Director of Donor Engagement and Major Gifts staff to plan and execute membership, Collectors Circle, and annual giving events.Ensure annual giving messaging aligns with the Arboretum’s overall marketing strategy and institutional brand.External RelationsRepresent Morris Arboretum & Gardens within Penn’s Central Annual Giving community and other University development initiatives.Maintain knowledge of emerging trends and best practices in annual giving, membership, and donor engagement to continuously strengthen fundraising performance.Perform additional duties as assigned.Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree and 2-3 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, preferably in annual giving, membership, or leadership annual giving, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and closing leadership annual gifts or unrestricted philanthropic support.Experience developing and executing strategic annual giving and membership programs.Strong understanding of fundraising principles, donor stewardship, and membership development.Demonstrated supervisory and project management experience.Experience using CRM and fundraising database systems (Raiser’s Edge, Blackbaud products, Salesforce, or similar).Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret fundraising data and translate insights into strategy.Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.Experience planning donor cultivation and stewardship events.Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and build relationships with donors, volunteers, and colleagues.Commitment to the mission of Morris Arboretum & Gardens and an appreciation for the role unrestricted philanthropy plays in advancing that mission.About Morris Arboretum & GardensMorris Arboretum & Gardens of the University of Pennsylvania inspires an understanding of the relationship between plants and people through education, research, and horticultural displays. Located in the Northwest section of Philadelphia, Morris Arboretum is home to a collection of more than 13,000 woody plants and serves as a destination for plant enthusiasts, a center for education and research, and a hub for botany, horticulture, and urban forestry.For more information about Morris Arboretum & Gardens, visit: https://www.morrisarboretum.orgAbout the Division of Business ServicesThe Business Services Division (BSD) supports the individual and collective needs of the Penn community by promoting a hospitable, customer-friendly campus environment and providing mission-critical services and essential operations. BSD is dedicated to delivering high-quality service in a fiscally responsible manner.Currently, the Division focuses on three major initiatives:Revenue growth and retention through improved marketing efforts, extended services, and the development of new distribution channels.Driving productivity for the Division and its customers through the better use of technology.Enhancing service offerings through upgrades and expansions of facilities.For more information about the Division of Business Services, visit: https://www.business-services.upenn.eduJob Location - City, StatePhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaDepartment / S