Associate Director for Annual Giving Campaigns and Donor Experience

The Associate Director for Annual Giving for Campaigns and Donor Experience is responsible for the strategic planning, execution, and evaluation of annual giving campaigns and donor communications. The Associate Director leads the development and implementation of multi-channel solicitation strategies and ensures a cohesive, donor-centered approach to messaging and engagement. The Associate Director oversees the annual appeal calendar, manages the creation of all donor-facing content, and ensures consistency and quality across print, email, and digital communications. The role plays a central part in shaping the donor experience by leading stewardship, retention, and re-engagement strategies designed to increase donor loyalty and lifetime value.

In addition, the position manages key programmatic campaigns, including faculty/staff giving, senior class gift, and parent giving initiatives, and is responsible for promoting matching gift opportunities to maximize donor impact. The incumbent exercises independent judgment in campaign planning, messaging development, and donor engagement strategy, and collaborates closely with digital engagement and data staff to ensure effective targeting, execution, and performance analysis.

• →Develop and implement comprehensive annual giving campaign strategies across direct mail, email, digital, and crowdfunding channels
• →Create, maintain, and manage a detailed annual appeal calendar, coordinating multiple solicitations across audiences and channels to ensure appropriate timing, frequency, and alignment
• →Determine campaign strategies, including audience targeting, segmentation approach, messaging themes, and solicitation timing
• →Integrate Day of Giving and other major campaign initiatives into the overall annual giving strategy, ensuring alignment with broader goals and priorities
• →Coordinate campaign execution across internal stakeholders to ensure consistency and effectiveness
• →Monitor campaign performance metrics and recommend adjustments to improve donor participation, retention, and revenue outcomes
• →Lead development of all donor-facing communications, including solicitations, stewardship messaging, campaign narratives, and digital content
• →Write, edit, and proof content for print, email, crowdfunding, and digital platforms, ensuring clarity, consistency, and effectiveness
• →Develop and execute messaging strategies for major campaigns, including Day of Giving, ensuring cohesive and compelling communications across channels
• →Design and produce digital assets such as email graphics, campaign visuals, and basic marketing materials using appropriate tools
• →Coordinate with Strategic Communications and Marketing to ensure alignment with university branding and messaging standards
• →Manage production timelines and deliverables for print and digital materials, including coordination with external vendors
• →Develop and implement donor stewardship strategies, including acknowledgment communications, recognition efforts, and impact messaging
• →Design and execute retention and re-engagement campaigns targeting key donor segments, including LYBUNT, SYBUNT, and multi-year loyal donors
• →Support development of recurring giving and donor upgrade strategies to increase donor lifetime value
• →Ensure that all campaigns, including Day of Giving, reflect a consistent and donor-centered experience across all touchpoints
• →Monitor donor engagement trends and recommend enhancements to improve satisfaction and long-term engagement

• Working knowledge of, or the ability to develop proficiency in, the appropriate and ethical use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), in higher education and administrative contexts
• Ability to apply emerging technologies to support operational effectiveness, data-informed decision-making, and service delivery to students, faculty, and staff
• Demonstrated ability to support continuous improvement and organizational learning through the responsible application of technology within assigned areas of responsibility
• Ability to evaluate potential applications, promote responsible, ethical, and equitable use, and ensure alignment with institutional policies, regulatory requirements, and strategic priorities
• Comprehensive knowledge of annual giving strategies, including direct marketing, email, and digital fundraising campaigns
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills for donor communications across multiple channels
• Knowledge of donor stewardship, retention, and engagement best practices
• Working knowledge of donor segmentation strategies, including the ability to develop audience targeting approaches based on donor behavior, giving history, and engagement patterns
• Understanding of segmentation frameworks such as first-time donors, LYBUNT, SYBUNT, anniversary giving, and multi-year loyal donors
• Ability to collaborate with data staff to translate campaign strategy into actionable segmentation and targeting plans
• Working knowledge of graphic design principles, including layout, visual hierarchy, and design for digital and print communications
• Demonstrated ability to create and edit visual assets using tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar platforms
• Ability to develop cohesive campaign messaging and translate it into effective written and visual communications
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage timelines, vendors, and multiple concurrent campaigns
• Ability to analyze campaign performance data and apply insights to improve outcomes
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and campus partners
• Familiarity with fundraising platforms and donor CRM systems used to support campaign execution and audience targeting
• Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, marketing, communications, or a related field
• Strong writing and editing experience, including development of donor- or customer-facing communications across multiple channels
• Experience creating visual campaign materials using graphic design tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar platforms
• Experience managing multiple projects, deadlines, and targeted communications in a fast-paced environment

• At least one consecutive year of experience in annual giving or higher education fundraising
• Experience working with fundraising platforms such as GiveCampus and/or donor CRM systems such as Raiser’s Edge NXT (RE/NXT) or comparable databases
• Experience developing or applying audience segmentation strategies for fundraising or marketing campaigns
• Experience managing print and mail vendors

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is also available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.

Campus Security Authority - In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, this position is subject to ongoing review for designation as a Campus Security Authority. Individuals that are designated as Campus Security Authorities are required to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution and complete Clery Act training as determined by the university Clery Director.

People and Culture
jobs@sjsu.edu

The CSU strongly recommends that all individuals who access any in-person program or activity (on- or off-campus) operated or controlled by the University follow COVID-19 vaccine recommendations adopted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) applicable to their age, medical condition, and other relevant indications and comply with other safety measures established by each campus. The system wide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ and questions may be sent to jobs@sjsu.edu.

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will issue a contingent offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was offered the position on a contingent basis.

The standard background check includes: criminal check, employment, and education verification. Depending on the position, a motor vehicle and/or credit check may be required. All background checks are conducted through the university's third-party vendor, Accurate Background. Some positions may also require fingerprinting. SJSU will pay all costs associated with this procedure. Evidence of required degree(s) or certification(s) will be required at time of hire.

SJSU IS NOT A SPONSORING AGENCY FOR STAFF OR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS. (e.g. H1-B VISAS)

All San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Incumbent is also required to promptly report any knowledge of a possible Title IX related incident to the Title IX Office or report any discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation to the Office of Equal Opportunity.

San José State University is an equal opportunity employer. The university prohibits discrimination based on age, ancestry, caste, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military status, nationality, race, religion, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, sex stereotype, and veteran status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff, as well as university programs and activities. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal and state laws, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs and activities operated by the university (both on and off campus). Reasonable accommodation is made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Back to search results Apply now Refer a friend