APU seeks employees who desire to contribute to our thriving culture by cultivating community through professional interactions, demonstrating a posture of lifelong learning, and modeling Christ-like character. Working together, employees at APU commit to establishing a university atmosphere that is edifying to God and one another.

The Leadership Gift Officer serves on Azusa Pacific University’s Advancement team and is responsible for a portfolio of mid-level donor relationships and meeting fundraising goals and objectives as part of APU’s first comprehensive campaign. This position reports to the Director of Development. The Leadership Gift Officer will work to secure annual leadership gifts ($1,000 to $10,000) from university constituents, including alumni, parents, and friends of the university. 

This role will function as a vital member of the frontline fundraising team working with the Annual Giving team and assist in the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of assigned leadership annual giving prospects and growing the university’s donor pipeline. This work will be facilitated through a multi-channel approach, including phone calls, emails, video, digital solicitations, and personal visits. It is anticipated that this role will manage a portfolio of approximately 200-250 prospects.

The successful candidate will be expected to meet specific goals within the context of University Advancement, devise strategies for the engagement and comprehensive solicitation of prospects, and work with colleagues to maximize fundraising productivity.

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree.

Required Experience

• Minimum of two years of professional fundraising experience and/or equivalent experience in sales, marketing, communications, or higher education development.
• Customer Relationship/Database Management systems experience.

Primary Duties/Essential Functions

• As an external representative of APU, the Leadership Gift Officer must align with and fully support APU’s What We Believe and demonstrate a visible, vibrant, and authentic Christian faith and character.
• Responsible for meeting individual fundraising goals and metrics as assigned.
• Cultivates and builds authentic and strategic relationships with assigned donors and prospects.
• Manages a portfolio of up to 300 mid-level prospects and uses a variety of mediums to connect, build relationships, and solicit, including phone, Zoom calls, text, email, mail, face-to-face visits, and events to current and prospective donors. 
• Focuses on upgrading donors’ annual giving levels and renewing annual commitments
• Identifies potential donors with major gift capacity ($25,000 and above) and moves qualified prospects to Major Gift Officers. 
• Identifies potential estate planning prospects and connects them with the Executive Director of Major and Planned Gifts. 
• Partners with faculty, staff, and deans to prepare proposals for donors. 
• Takes a lead role in securing matching and new gifts for APU’s annual Giving Day. 
• Assists with and attends Advancement and University events (may include evenings and weekends).
• Provides accurate information on all prospect and donor activity in CRM; documentation in the form of contact reports and strategy statements to be housed in the CRM.  
• Meets individual fundraising goals and metrics as assigned.
• Manages assigned donor relationships and upholds APU’s philosophy of philanthropy and stewardship.
• Regular, punctual attendance as required by the supervisor based on department needs.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
• Assists other development operations as needed.
• Uses prospect research data to cultivate prospective donors.
• Serves as an APU ambassador by managing assigned donor relationships with a high level of integrity, authenticity, and confidentiality. Maintain a positive image when dealing with constituents and the university community; demonstrate a lifestyle consistent with the values and ethos of APU.
  

Skills

• Candidates must have excellent written, and verbal communication skills and critical thinking ability; be winsome and relational, possess the ability to work effectively and collaboratively with a wide range of professionals; conceptualize, and attend to detail, work successfully under time pressure constraints to meet metrics and goal assignments, and handle competing priorities; be a strong self-starter and intrinsically motivated.
• The role requires strong and winsome relational and communication skills to cultivate new donors from a universe of assigned discovery contacts (alumni, parents, and friends of the university).

Mental Demands

• The potential of up to 20% travel throughout Southern California, and regionally, flexible work schedule that supports early morning, evening, and weekend work, as needed. Must be available for evening and weekend donor and alumni events.
• Sound judgment, priority setting, and decision-making abilities.
• Service-oriented ability to interface with many people.  
• Highly motivated and able to work independently.
• In agreement with the purpose and goals of Azusa Pacific University in providing a Christian-based higher education for its students.

Physical Demands

• Intermittent sitting, standing, and walking.  
• Repetitive wrist and finger motions relating to the use of the computer.  
• Talking and hearing demands in person and on the telephone.
• Ability to conduct business at other offices on campus.
• Ability to lift, pull, grasp, reach, and bend.
• Ability to lift up to 20 lbs. occasionally.

Visual Demands

• Reading, writing notes, and computer monitor. 

Environment

• Pleasant office, comfortable temperatures.

Technologies

• Proficient in Google Apps, Microsoft Office, Word, and Excel.

Compensation

• Grade 13: $68,640 to $78,897 is the annual salary for this role and reflects what Azusa Pacific University reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on the qualifications, experience, and internal equity. In addition to compensation, APU offers a competitive benefits package. 

Azusa Pacific University is a Christ-centered, multicultural community that values and seeks faculty and staff who are committed to diversity, work effectively with diverse populations, and engage others in ways that honor our rich cultural mosaic and biblical foundation. Please click the links to learn more about 'what we believe', our 'mission statement', and our 'statement of faith'.

You can learn more about APU by watching the stories of faculty, staff, and alumni as they carry out our mission here: http://www.apu.edu/stories/

Azusa Pacific University will conduct a background check on all final candidates.

Review of applications will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until filled unless otherwise stated. Azusa Pacific University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.