Senior Development Writer, Marketing, Communications, and Stewardship, Duke (AED)

 

Occupational Summary

 

Please include with your resume and cover letter a link to three writing samples, development writing encouraged.

 

Context:

Duke’s Office of Alumni Engagement and Development (AED) is here to keep more than 200,000 alumni, donors, students, parents and friends connected to the programs, people and places that mean the most at every stage of their lives. When you join the Duke Alumni Engagement and Development team, you join a team of high-achievers who are committed to deepening relationships, enabling connections and helping the community make world-changing impact. 

 

Summary

The senior writer will work with AED and university leaders to manage, compose, and edit a variety of communications and marketing materials designed to advance Duke University and enhance the university’s ability to connect with donors and alumni. This position will be responsible for providing persuasive writing support for a suite of development communications to support frontline fundraisers, including but not limited to proposals, donor one-pagers, gift announcements and other content to support gift conversations in the $100,000 to multi-million-dollar range.

 

This position reports to the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications and is part of AED’s creative team of writers, designers and a videographer who collectively support the creative needs of the organization.

 

Responsibilities:

 

Writing 

• With input from senior development leaders, write proposals, white papers and other content to support gift conversations in the $100,000 to multi-million-dollar range
• Write gift announcements for major and principal gifts reflecting the highest ambitions of the university
• Write, update and maintain strategic fundraiser toolkits, ensuring gift officers have the assets they need to present opportunities to donors
• Create custom gift proposals for key principal donors
• Occasionally support the writing work of the larger Creative team and organization, including writing compelling key messages, elevator pitches, advertising copy, video scripts, alumni/donor stories and other materials to support a variety of complex university initiatives
• Occasionally serve as a contributor to various websites including alumni.duke.edu and giving.duke.edu

 

Relationship Management 

• Work with the university’s academic leaders and fundraising officers to help communicate their vision and priorities to an alumni and donor audience
• Collaborate with development colleagues, schools and units to identify alumni and development stories to promote the benefits and impact of giving to Duke, educate prospective donors about Duke accomplishments and priorities and promote a positive image of the university
• Collaborate with graphic designers, web developers, videographers and other writers on development communications.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with other alumni, development and communications offices at Duke
• Perform other duties as assigned

 

Preferred Requirements

• Brand-centric portfolio that demonstrates strong strategic thinking and the ability to generate and execute creative ideas with a high level of craft and attention to detail. Comfort writing for different audiences and adjusting tone, style and concepts to address audiences most appropriately
• Familiarity with AP Style
• Experience developing fundraising communications including proposals, donor one-pagers, gift announcements and the like
• Experience developing ideas for articles, ads, brochures, commercials and other publications and transforming those concepts into promotional copy
• Experience interpreting creative briefs and incorporating team and client perspectives to develop unique and engaging content
• Ability to set schedules and manage deadlines effectively
• Ability to be flexible and work in a highly collaborative team environment
• Familiarity with design and production
• Experience with development writing required

 

 

 

Minimum Qualifications

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the