Job Details

Assistant Director Of Engagement
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Position Number: 5769890
Location: Ashland, OR
Position Type: Alumni Associations and Services

Assistant Director Of Engagement

Southern Oregon University

POSITION SUMMARY:
Date application must be received for priority consideration by: November 27, 2024
Anticipated Appointment Begin Date: January 2, 2025
Closing Date or if blank, Open Until Filled:
Job Family Group: Administrative and Professional
Division/Department: University Advancement
Compensation Range (commensurate with experience): $47,614 - $54,729 annually @ 1.0 FTE
FLSA Status: Exempt (FLSA status may change January 2025 pending federal regulations)
Appointment Basis: 12-month
Time Type: Full-time
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Renewable/Non-renewable/Grants/Limited Duration: Renewable
This position must possess and maintain a current, valid Driver License: No
This position is designated as a critical, security-sensitive or safety-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Criminal Background Check: Yes
Lead Work/Supervisory Responsibilities: No
Work Location Type: On-campus
Work Hours: M-F (8:00a - 5:00p) Hours are subject to change with notice.
Worker Status: Must be able to legally work in the United States without visa sponsorship

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANT:

Each applicant is required to provide (as attachments to the online application) the following supplemental documents: (1) a letter providing some detail of the applicant's qualifications and interest in the position; and (2) current resume/CV
For inquiries and additional information, please contact Human Resource Services via email at hrs@sou.edu or by phone at (541)552-8553.
To view SOU's very generous benefits and pension programs available to eligible positions, please visit https://inside.sou.edu/assets/hrs/Benefits/Benefit_Flyer/2024_Prospective_Candidate_Benefit_Overview_012024.pdf
Our benefits package is an important complement to the offered salary and our Total Compensation Calculator, https://inside.sou.edu/hrs/comp-calc.html, demonstrates our value and commitment to our employees.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

An integral member of the Southern Oregon University Advancement team, reporting to the Director of Annual Giving, the Assistant Director of Engagement collaborates to facilitate consistent and meaningful engagement with and between alumni, supporters, faculty, staff, students, and the community; to grow and steward the base of donor support of Southern Oregon University; and to cultivate a culture of philanthropy within and around the university.

The Assistant Director is involved in the development and implementation of a range of constituent outreach, engagement, communication, networking, gift solicitation, and stewardship strategies in order to facilitate alumni engagement, community connections, and philanthropic participation; and to help position SOU for the public phase of its inaugural comprehensive campaign.

Minimum Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business, community engagement, marketing, philanthropy, communication, or related field.
Demonstrated success contributing to the development and execution of external-facing initiatives involving marketing, communications, fundraising, or sales.
Proven record of working independently and as part of a team, demonstrating flexibility and the ability to achieve goals in tandem with project partners.
Availability to work on-site on the SOU campus during M-F standard business hours.

Preferred Requirements

Two or more years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, alumni relations, community engagement, marketing, communications, or related field.
Experience working in a higher education setting.
Experience with donor database CRM software (The Raiser's Edge NXT or comparable system).
Experience with audience segmentation.
Experience with data analysis and reporting.
Experience with Adobe creative design software (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, etc.) as well as experience with marketing collateral design and production processes.
Experience with web content management (WordPress or comparable system).

Essential Functions

Duties - The following examples are typical work activities that are meant to illustrate the general range of work functions and are not meant to be all-inclusive or restrictive:

(50%) Annual Giving Program Support

Assists the Director of Annual Giving in the planning and implementation of a strategic and innovative Annual Giving Program with the purpose of increasing annual support from donors, building a robust pipeline of philanthropic partners, bolstering a culture of philanthropy at SOU, and engaging with SOU donors, alumni, faculty, staff, and the regional community.
Assists with implementing strategic annual giving appeals as well as specialized appeals for university constituent groups (e.g. athletic teams, academic units, youth programs); and coordinates priorities and messaging for alumni, parent, friend, and business outreach towards reaching defined goals for each constituent group.
Assists with implementing a variety of complementary communications tactics to increase fundraising and engagement success through email, website, social media, direct mail, phone, SMS, as well as supporting fundraising events like galas, auctions, and raffles.
Works with internal constituent groups to train and implement best practices in fundraising and donor stewardship with a focus on meaningful engagement, new donor acquisition, increasing retention and gift size, and propagating a culture of philanthropy in and around SOU.
Coordinates with Director of Special Gifts to help steward SOU's President's Circle ($1,000+ annual giving) toward major and planned gift discussions, solidifying a robust pipeline for future support.
Helps develop and implement campus-facing annual giving initiatives with the objective of increasing participation from faculty and staff members.
Collaborates on compelling on-brand content for appeals, collateral, direct mail, invitations, videos, e-newsletters, website, social media, etc., and coordinates projects with print and mail vendors to produce engagement collateral.
Works in partnership with Advancement Services to ensure that gift and appeal records are coded correctly and donors are appropriately acknowledged and stewarded towards ongoing engagement.

(40%) Alumni Relations Program Support

Assists the Director of Alumni Relations in meaningful engagement with alumni by helping to coordinate outreach and communications efforts, moderating and facilitating engagement on the Raider Network social mentoring platform, as well as supporting Alumni events and other engagement activities.
Provides support on Alumni Relations strategy and planning toward growing and deepening alumni engagement.
Oversees activity on the Raider Network online social platform, providing moderation and user support to alumni and students, helping to facilitate meaningful mentoring and networking connections as well as establishing special online engagement opportunities through the platform.
Supports regular meaningful engagement with alumni through communications, sharing of SOU news and information, activities, and events that enhance long-term engagement and cultivate philanthropic involvement.
Assists with social media content generation and posting as well as administration and updates of the SOU Alumni Relations website.
Attends and participates in events and activities that further the goals of the Alumni Relations Program and university, including Homecoming and Raider Rendezvous events. Some travel may be required.
Collaborates with SOU Student Services to streamline and innovate the support structure and resources to engage and steward recent SOU graduates toward maintaining meaningful connections with the university for years to come.

(10%) Other duties assigned

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

Excellent communication skills; demonstrated ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner, both verbally and in writing.
Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism to effectively handle a broad range of sensitive interpersonal situations.
Demonstrated ability to interpret and consistently apply a wide variety of complex policies and procedures where specific guidelines may not always exist.
Expressed ability to work with frequent changes in policies and procedures, under pressure of deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated ability to proactively assess work operations and anticipate potential problems; ability to develop and implement strategies for preventing/resolving problems.
Great ability to effectively perform work of a highly sensitive and confidential nature that requires access to information. Must be able to exercise sound judgment and discretion, tact, and diplomacy.
Takes initiative in independently planning, organizing, and performing work assignments within broadly defined parameters
Demonstrated ability to work with a high level of productivity and accuracy/attention to detail.
Excellent organizational and time management skills with the demonstrated ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in and outside the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
Willingness to and work effectively in a heavily bureaucratic environment which requires regular interaction with a number of levels within the organization and multiple outside agencies.
Working knowledge or ability to quickly learn, university infrastructure, policies, and procedures.
Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment utilizing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.
Confident communication skills with ability to engage internal and external constituents through articulate, compelling, and well-reasoned communications.
Understanding of or willingness to learn tools and practices of data, reporting, and business analysis.
Ability to work on deadline and manage multiple assignments simultaneously.
Energetic and resourceful with ability to find creative solutions to complex challenges.
Ability to contribute to supporting a positive, inclusive, and caring work atmosphere.

Physical Demands

Normal office activities such as sitting/standing at a desk, using a computer, answering phones, and communicating in person both in writing and via phone with others.
Must be able to navigate stairs in certain facilities that may not have accessible alternatives.

Special Conditions

Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
Must be able to work additional hours and adjust working hours to meet special jobs. May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.
Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment background check.
This position classification has been defined as exempt and is not subject to the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). (FLSA exemption may be updated January 2025 pending federal regulations)
The person holding this position is considered a mandatory reporter under the Oregon Revised Statutes and is required to comply with the requirements set forth by the Oregon Department of Human Services.

_________________________

SOU is an equal access AA/EOE committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workforce

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Southern Oregon University will provide, if requested, reasonable accommodation to applicants in need of accommodation in order to provide access to the application, interviewing, and selection process. You are not required to note the presence of a disability on this application. If, however, you require a reasonable accommodation in the application and/or interview process due to disability, requests must be made in a timely manner to Human Resources.

Diversity Statement:
Southern Oregon University is a welcoming community committed to inclusive excellence and the celebration of diversity. Without diversity, our educational process is diminished. Working together in support of our commitment to diversity, we strengthen and enrich our role as learners, educators and members of a tightly connected global community. We encourage those who share in our commitment to diversity, to join our community and we expect all our employees to demonstrate an ability and desire to create an inclusive campus community.

SOU Land Acknowledgement
We want to take this moment to acknowledge that Southern Oregon University is located within the ancestral homelands of the Shasta, Takelma, and Latgawa peoples who lived here since time immemorial. These Tribes were displaced during rapid Euro-American colonization, the Gold Rush, and armed conflict between 1851 and 1856. In the 1850s, discovery of gold and settlement brought thousands of Euro-Americans to their lands, leading to warfare, epidemics, starvation, and villages being burned. In 1853 the first of several treaties were signed, confederating these Tribes and others together - who would then be referred to as the Rogue River Tribe. These treaties ceded most of their homelands to the United States, and in return they were guaranteed a permanent homeland reserved for them. At the end of the Rogue River Wars in 1856, these Tribes and many other Tribes from western Oregon were removed to the Siletz Reservation and the Grand Ronde Reservation. Today, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (https://www.grandronde.org) and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (https://www.ctsi.nsn.us/) are living descendants of the Takelma, Shasta, and Latgawa peoples of this area. We [you may say I or the name of a program/department] encourage YOU to learn about the land you reside on, and to join us in advocating for the inherent sovereignty of Indigenous people.

Notice to Prospective Employees
Section 485 of the Higher Education Act, and The Federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (now referred to as the "Clery Act"), require that prospective employees be notified of the availability of SOU's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. The report provides the annual statistics and campus policies for the reporting of and responding to campus crimes and fires; access to campus facilities; conduct code and campus policies on the use, possession, and sale of drugs/alcohol; and educational/information programs to inform the campus community about campus security procedures and crime prevention.

An electronic copy of the Annual Security Report (ASR)can be accessed at the following link:
https://inside.sou.edu/security/statistics.html. A physical copy of the ASR is available at no charge upon request. To request a copy please visit the Campus Public Safety Office at 382 Wightman Street, Ashland OR 97520. For more information call 541-552-6258, or email clerycoordinator@sou.edu.

To apply, please visit: https://sou.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Southern_Oregon_University/job/Southern-OregonAshland-Campus/Assistant-Director-of-Engagement_R0000565