Associate Director of Donor Communications, Wharton External Affairs
Description
University Overview
The 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 Title
Associate Director of Donor Communications, Wharton External Affairs
Job Profile Title
Associate Director C, Business and Finance, Communications and Marketing
Job Description Summary
Wharton School Overview
Founded in 1881 as the world’s first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With campuses in both Philadelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, a faculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. Wharton is home to a dynamic community of staff, bringing a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.
The Associate Director of Donor Communications is an executive-level writer and strategic collaborator who leads complex, high-impact projects that demonstrate the outcomes of philanthropy and inspire engagement with the Wharton School. This role reports to the Development Communications Director and is a core member of the Donor Relations team, situated as a part of the Development and Principal Gifts function in Wharton External Affairs.
Wharton External Affairs serves as the gateway for alumni, friends, and partners to remain actively engaged with the Wharton community. The department fosters meaningful connections among alumni, faculty, and students, facilitates philanthropic partnerships, and strengthens lifelong ties to the School.
Job Description
Job Responsibilities
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Establish strong working relationships with research programs and centers across the School and the University to create compelling cases for support, proposals, and impact reports. Apply your experience and comfort with interfacing with executive leadership to guide conversations to yield giving outcomes. Lead conversations that inform shaping stories that motivate donors to give and illustrate outcomes and future direction to existing donors.
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Become a trusted thought partner to Development and Principal Gift colleagues, versed in funding opportunities, gift structures, and storytelling strategy in various formats, suiting donors at various stages of gift conversations at six figure and above levels for endowed and term gifts to MBA fellowships, professorships, and programs in analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, and more.
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Serve as the lead Donor Relations writer for impact reports on the School's highest priorities - including existing, evolving, and newly launched research programs, centers, and initiatives. Apply your advanced persuasive writing skills; your experience with learning and incorporating organizational style and leadership voice; and your ability to capture emotion and paint a vivid image of the opportunities made possible by donor support.
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Actively drive the partnership with University-wide communications offices to announce principal gifts, tell donor stories, and promote giving on a variety of platforms. Ensure accuracy in content to reflect donor intent and School and University priorities among principal and major gift level Wharton donors.
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Introduce novel concepts to elevate the development and presentation of donor relations content. Apply that vision to compose bespoke, personalized material for individual donors alongside advising on and executing scaled content production and distribution for large donor audiences.
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Manage competing priorities across multiple high-profile projects while producing exceptional content in a high expectation, large volume, and fast-paced environment.
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Bring your experience with an understanding of different giving types - including principal giving, major giving, corporate and foundation giving, and more - and factor this into the processes you support and advise upon. Enable reaching ambitious year over year fundraising goals through exceptional wording and visual presentation for current and prospective donors.
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Function at a high level autonomously, while engaging as a member of a holistic Donor Relations team. Serve as a subject matter expert on editorial and writing style standards for donor relations content, and a mentor to writers on the Donor Relations team, contributing to a workplace environment of continuous learning and connection.
Qualifications
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Bachelor's degree and three to five years of experience in development and principal giving communications, fundraising writing, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
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Strong interpersonal skills and experience interacting effectively with administrative, faculty, and other organizational leadership and navigating a complex environment of stakeholders.
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Exceptional writing, research, and editing skills along with the ability to adapt style and voice to writing on behalf of and for varied audiences.
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A high level of discretion for maintaining the confidentiality of donor data.
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Outstanding detail orientation, with an ability to personalize content and communicate outcomes in a clear, compelling manner.
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Excellent complex project management, planning, and time management skills, with the ability to meet multiple deadlines and track activities in a fast-paced, high volume environment.
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Effectiveness in both micro-focus on singular donors and programs balanced with a macro strategic view on reaching broad donor audiences.
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Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as effectively as a member of a team. Experience functioning autonomously, shaping robust communications strategy, and collaborating productively with program executives.
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Position will require a limited number of evening and weekend work and travel to staff alumni and donor events.
Applicants must submit a cover letter and 2 writing samples, preferably in a fundraising context.
Job Location - City, State
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / School
Wharton School
Pay Range
$77,330.00 - $80,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organizatio