Associate Director, Reunion Giving

Beginning five years after graduation, and continuing every five years thereafter, each Wesleyan class observes a reunion. Wesleyan celebrates Reunion & Commencement Weekend annually in May, bringing together the many constituencies (alumni, students, parents, families, faculty, and staff) that comprise the Wesleyan community. Reunion offers alumni opportunities for re-connection and lifelong learning, and it is also a significant fundraising initiative. Because reunion is so important to Wesleyan’s overall fundraising, the Office of Advancement is in the first year of an exciting restructure that includes directing resources across the division toward expanding reunion fundraising from the 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th and 50th Reunion classes.

Reunion giving is vital to annual fundraising revenue as well as to the success of Wesleyan’s $600M comprehensive campaign, the largest in school history, which is in the second year of its public phase. While raising financial support for key University initiatives, the campaign also aims to broaden Wesleyan’s donor base and build a pipeline of donors for the future. Working with an alumni body of more than 30,000, as well as current and past parents, the Advancement team inspires the Wesleyan community and cultivates support for university initiatives through outreach activities, including development and fundraising, alumni and parent relations, and both on- and off-campus events. Reunion & Commencement Weekend is our largest annual event.

Reporting to the Senior Philanthropic Advisor, the Associate Director, Reunion Giving manages efforts to secure cash and multi-year gift commitments of $100,000 or more from reunion prospects as part of the division-wide reunion giving initiative. This effort will be highly collaborative and the Associate Director, Reunion Giving will partner with other development staff (gift planning, principal gifts, major gifts, alumni & parent relations, and Advancement leadership) and closely engage high-level class volunteers to reach reunion fundraising goals.

This position is responsible for managing reunion fundraising efforts from the 25th through 50th reunions. Over an 18-month period leading up to each reunion, the Associate Director, Reunion Giving, working in close collaboration with colleagues across Advancement, will coordinate and monitor cultivation and soliciting strategies for approximately 30-50 $100,000+ prospects in each reunion class, monitoring progress to goals and adjusting strategies as needed.

Responsibilities

• Manage and communicate regularly with key stakeholders regarding approved multi-year reunion class goals.
  • Manage an internal 18-month long meeting structure for current and upcoming 25th through 50th reunion classes (12 classes) which supports an annual increase in multi-year reunion giving, and lead each of these meetings.
  • Produce and analyze class reports and create and distribute agendas and supporting materials to ensure this meeting structure is productive and efficient.
  • Track and document fundraising progress from individual $100,000+ reunion prospects by class.
  • Track key success metrics throughout the year to both inform strategy and keep key stakeholders, including reunion volunteers, and Advancement leadership informed of progress. 
  • In partnership with the Associate Director, Leadership Annual Giving manages reunion prospect transitions between annual giving, major and leadership gifts, principal gifts, and gift planning teams as appropriate. 

• Partner with members of the Engaged Philanthropy team and key Advancement team members on management of the milestone 50th reunion.
  • Communicate and work with 50th reunion volunteers.
  • Prepare meeting materials and share progress towards goals, collecting data as needed for reunion volunteer meetings.
• Other duties as assigned. 

This is an on-campus position with potential for hybrid in the future.
Hybrid work is only considered for residents of MA, VT, NH, ME, CT, RI, or NY. (Relocation assistance to CT is available for those who qualify).

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and at least five years of project management, relationship management, or related experience including reunion giving, annual giving and/or major gifts.
• Proven track record of project management and development.  
• Effective organization and writing skills, with the ability to synthesize information from a variety of sources, while exercising discretion and maintaining confidentiality.  
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively to achieve common goals; support cooperation, collaboration and the sharing of information; and the ability to communicate effectively. 
• Ability to manage multiple projects simult