Assistant Director of the Bears Club
Location: Hickory, North Carolina
Reporting to the Deputy AD for External Relations & Director of the Bears Club, this position is responsible for assisting with oversight and execution of the Bears Club annual fund. The position will create, plan and execute innovative annual giving initiatives to drive annual giving growth in members and cash donations. This position is responsible for reaching and exceeding annual targets to achieve the strategic goal of broadening and maximizing the base of alumni and community support through solicitations, renewals and marketing materials. This position will assist with supporting annual Bears Club events. This position may also assist in capital project fundraising and will provide administrative support to the external staff through planning and coordination.
Description of Duties and Tasks
- Responsible for creating, developing and executing a comprehensive and complex strategy to promote and optimize Bears Club General Membership annual fund support through mailings, emails, calls, events and more.
- Responsible for prospecting, cultivating, and soliciting potential annual giving donors.
- Implements innovative giving strategies to grow the base of support from alumni-student athletes, alumni, parents and former parents as well as fans and friends.
- Assist with strategic event planning and execution for all of Lenoir-Rhyne Athletics Bears Club friend-raising and fundraising events, including but not limited to the Hanley Painter Golf Outing, Homecoming Auction, Spring Raffle and Annual Dinner.
- Develop and coordinate the general athletics annual fund plan for renewals and new solicitations.
- Be an active member of the greater Hickory community to cultivate new and existing local partners and membership prospects.
- Oversee the membership experience for the Bears Club during events and oversee the Membership Committee of the Bears Club Council.
- Help develop, analyze and project a budget for all Bears Club operations. Ensures operations function within the budgetary limitations.
- Update and produce monthly membership reports, sport giving reports and budgetary reports to be presented to the Bears Club director, vice president for athletics and Bears Club executive and full councils.
- Utilize Raiser’s Edge (donor database), GiveCampus (giving platform), E-Teams (giving platform), AlmaBase (email), ThankView and Cadence (text) software within the standards and expectations of the Office of Advancement to keep donor data and information up to date and coordinated.
- Be an active member of the external department through regular meetings to coordinate the overall plan and execution of strategy and events.
- Assist with capital project donor prospecting and fundraising planning and solicitations.
- Attend additional regular staff meetings for athletics as well as the Office of Advancement upon invitation.
- Ensures compliance with all university policy, Office of Advancement policy, Athletic Department, Federal and State laws and regulations and NCAA Division II & South Atlantic Conference rules and regulations.
- Perform additional administrative duties as assigned.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- Knowledge of development and fundraising concepts and appropriate solicitation techniques.
- Strong verbal and professional written communication skills.
- Superb interpersonal skills and ability to build productive, beneficial relationships with a broad range of constituencies.
- Demonstrates a superior level of customer service.
- Ability to interact in a professional manner with people and present a positive image of the university.
- Ability to interact with diplomacy and tact amid influential clients and diverse groups.
- Ability to maintain high level of confidentiality.
- Knowledge and understanding of NCAA rules and regulations.
- Proven proficiency in the use of computers and information management tools.
- Ability to work to the demands of the position, which may exceed a 40-hour work week; ability to work nights and weekends.
Reporting
- Reports to Deputy AD/External Relations
- Hourly, non-exempt, full-time position