Associate Director, School and Unit Marketing (Annual Giving)

Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:
Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Donor Growth (Annual Giving), the Associate Director, School and Unit Marketing (Annual Giving) is a forward-thinking, highly innovative strategic partner who collaborates across teams at Rice University to execute sophisticated, university-wide direct marketing fundraising strategies. This position is crucial in implementing a unified, pan-Rice approach to annual giving by incorporating schools and units into holistic fundraising efforts. This role will be responsible for fostering meaningful relationships with school and unit partners, understanding their individual fundraising priorities and donor bases, and guiding direct marketing fundraising efforts to ensure progress toward institutional goals.

The ideal candidate is a relationship-builder and strategic annual giving leader passionate about leveraging modern fundraising and marketing practices in support of higher education. This person thrives in a collaborative environment and is a hands-on contributor who enjoys developing powerful digital and direct marketing fundraising campaigns.

Workplace Requirements:
This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree
• 2+ years of related experience in development, direct marketing, digital marketing, communications, or a related field
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted

Skills:

• Proven track record of building relationships and developing strategic partnerships
• Ability to develop and initiate new strategies
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal skills, with a focus on strategy and relationship building
• Demonstrated ability to engage with senior academic or administrative leaders with professionalism and confidence
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
• Advanced data analysis skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedules
• Adept at problem-solving, creating contingency plans, and handling issues when necessary
• Excellent client service orientation
• Strong ability to understand customer needs and show good judgment and diplomacy
• Experience creating and implementing complex, multi-channel fundraising marketing campaigns

Preferences:

• Advanced degree preferred
• Three to f