Assistant Director, Swarthmore Fund

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

The Swarthmore Office of Advancement manages the College's relationship with its alumni, families, and friends to further Swarthmore's commitment to intellectual rigor and creativity, nurturing of student confidence and curiosity, production of new knowledge, and inclusive excellence, among other goals. Advancement works closely with the President, faculty, and senior colleagues to foster positive and productive relationships that not only accelerate the objectives of the College but also represent meaningful and beneficial engagement for the Swarthmore community.

The Office of Advancement manages and maintains alumni, family, and friend records; engages constituents in the life of the College in a variety of ways, contexts, and over time; provides and supports meaningful volunteering opportunities; and partners with the President and Board of Managers to share information about the College and raise critical philanthropic support for the College's priorities and new initiatives. Advancement ensures that alumni and donors are appropriately recognized and informed about the impact of their service and contributions, and manages all gift acceptance and stewardship.

The opportunity:

The Office of Advancement is seeking two Associate Director(s), Swarthmore Fund, responsible for the identification, engagement, and solicitation of Swarthmore alumni and friends who can make leadership-level annual gifts to The Swarthmore Fund.

The role supports the College’s heightened focus on annual support to meet student needs and is vital in engaging and growing Swarthmore’s 1864 Society ($1,864 -$99,999). The Associate Director manages a portfolio of up to 250 prospects and partners closely with Advancement colleagues to drive annual fundraising success and contribute to the long-term major gift pipeline.

In partnership with and reporting to the Director, Swarthmore Fund Leadership Programs, the Associate Director will anticipate constituent needs, use insights to craft responsive offerings, and shape the organizational capacity and shared expectations necessary to build systems and practices that create consistently meaningful engagement for alumni and donors.

Essential Responsibilities

Portfolio Management

• Manages a portfolio of 225-250 prospects capable of giving $1,864 to $100,000 annually.
• Executes 100-125 personal meetings annually (virtually and in-person) to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors.
• Maintains accurate records of donor interactions, strategies, and outcomes in Slate CRM.

Donor Engagement & Solicitation

• Develops and implements strategies to increase giving and grow membership in the 1864 Society by engaging alumni and friends of the College, focusing on increasing annual leadership-level gifts and deepening long-term donor commitment.
• Writes compelling donor correspondence, proposals, contact reports, and briefing materials to support solicitations.
• Conducts donor conversations that are mission-aligned, authentic, and grounded in institutional priorities.

Strategic Collaboration

• Partners with colleagues across the Advancement Division to strengthen donor engagement and annual giving outcomes.
• Helps structure and secure challenge funds to boost micro-campaigns and donor participation.

Campaign & Institutional Alignment

• Stays informed about institutional priorities and strategic goals to align donor engagement efforts accordingly.
• Represents The Swarthmore Fund at campus events and donor gatherings as needed.

Portfolio Management

• Participates in project-based collaboration with colleagues and internal initiatives.
• Takes part in at least two professional development opportunities annually.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• A minimum of five (5) years working in institutional advancement, higher