Summary
The Assistant Director of Development will work with the Director of Development (DoD) on the Duke Catholic Duke Catholic Center’s annual giving program, donor communications, and membership initiatives. This position is primarily responsible for the administrative and operational functions of the development office, including donor database management, gift processing, the annual direct-mail schedule, and production of the Duke Catholic Center’s annual report. The position will also have direct fundraising responsibilities tied to the activation, renewal, and growth of the Guardian Angel Society and will manage a small portfolio of Society members and annual fund benefactors.
Responsibilities
- Manage the Duke Catholic Duke Catholic Center’s donor database and advancement records, maintaining the integrity, accuracy, confidentiality, and timely updating of constituent, gift, pledge, and contact information.
- Process, receipt, and acknowledge gifts and pledges within established standards; maintain appropriate documentation and reconcile development records with the Business Manager on a regular schedule.
- Coordinate the annual giving and direct-mail calendar, including appeal schedules, list segmentation and verification, mail merge, printing, postage, mail-house coordination, production deadlines, and expense tracking.
- Develop and produce the Duke Catholic Center’s annual report from concept through delivery, working with the Director and DoD to establish the theme and narrative, production calendar, budget, and schedule.
- Manage the Guardian Angel Society, the Duke Catholic Center’s recurring and sustained giving society, and increase membership by activating new donors, renewing current members, recovering lapsed members, and cultivating members for increased levels of support.
- Develop and manage a small portfolio of Guardian Angel Society members and annual fund benefactors, creating appropriate cultivation, solicitation, renewal, and stewardship strategies in collaboration with the Director of Development.
- Conduct timely and effective follow-up with assigned donors through phone, email, and correspondence while adhering to the Duke Catholic Center’s moves-management and reporting process by documenting contacts, next steps, and donor progress in the database.
- Provide administrative support for donor cultivation and solicitation led by the DoD, including meeting requests, travel coordination, background materials, correspondence, itineraries, and grant or foundation submission materials.
- Recruit, train, schedule, and supervise development interns and work-study students, assigning and reviewing work related to database maintenance, data entry, mailing preparation, and acknowledgment processing.
- Responsibilities as assigned.
Experience
Generally requires one to three years of administrative, database, project-management, annual giving, or development-support experience. Experience in a nonprofit, campus ministry, higher education, or other mission-driven organization is preferred. Experience with donor communications, direct-mail production, annual publications, or donor portfolio support is a plus.
Education
Bachelor's degree is required.
Job Competencies
Confidentiality and Compliance - Ability to work in a confidential capacity and exercise sound judgment when handling donor, financial, student, and institutional information. The position requires careful adherence to gift-processing, acknowledgment, database, and reporting procedures.
Service Excellence and Communication - Ability to provide responsive and professional service to donors, colleagues, students, volunteers, and vendors. Effective written and verbal communication skills are required, including the ability to edit donor communications, follow through on commitments, resolve questions promptly, and represent the Duke Catholic Center with warmth and professionalism.
Project and Development Management - Ability to plan, implement, and evaluate projects involving multiple deadlines, contributors, and vendors. The successful candidate will establish clear timelines and action steps, monitor progress and expenses, maintain accurate records, and be accountable for annual report, direct-mail, database, and Guardian Angel Society goals.
Skills
General Competencies - Ability to analyze, organize, and prioritize work accurately while meeting multiple deadlines. Ability to handle a fast-paced environment with professional composure, exercise independent judgment, identify and solve problems, and collaborate effectively with people from different communities, class years, and professional backgrounds.
Technical and Development Skills - Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel is required. Experience with a donor database or CRM is required or must be acquired quickly; Raiser’s Edge or Raiser’s Edge NXT experience is preferred. Strong proofreading, editing, list-management, reporting, and data-quality skills are essential. Comfort with direct donor contact and asking for gifts is required.
Mission and Supervision - Experience supervising or mentoring students, interns, or volunteers is preferred. A practicing Roman Catholic with an affinity for the mission of Catholic campus ministry is preferred.
Position Details
- Full-time, 12-month position; 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday, with occasional evening and weekend events.
- Salary range: $45,000-$50,000, commensurate with experience.
- Benefits are provided by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh and include medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance and a 403(b) plan.
Application Process
Applicants should submit a resume, three professional references, and a cover letter explaining their interest in the position and how their background and experience qualify them to serve as Assistant Director of Development.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please send application materials to Andy Rubert, Director of Development at the Duke Catholic Center: andy.rubert@duke.edu.
About the Duke Catholic Center
The Duke Catholic Center serves the 2,600+ Catholic students of Duke University and represents the Catholic Church at one of the world's most influential universities. The Center strives to form the leaders of tomorrow as strong Catholic men and women, knowing that Christ can and will transform the world through their lives and future work.