Director of Development, Annenberg School for Communication

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Director of Development, Annenberg School for Communication

Job Profile Title

Director, School/Center Development

Job Description Summary

Reporting jointly to the Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication (ASC) and the Associate Vice-President, University Development, the Director of Development will oversee a coordinated program of Development and Alumni Relations for the School that is aligned with the University’s fundraising strategies. Working closely with the Dean, the Director is responsible for conceptualizing, planning, and executing a coordinated program of institutional advancement, prioritizing individual major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, and a strong alumni relations program within the framework of the School’s top priorities.

The University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication is a global leader in research and teaching aimed at analyzing the form, substance, and influence of existing and emergent media. The School was established with the belief that the most cutting-edge work in communication studies will have real world impact in social discourse, public policy, and global culture. Annenberg’s founding mission and mandate has proven to be increasingly more relevant and necessary over time, creating a need for an experienced Director of Development with a focus on fundraising and development.

As a research institution, the school brings the world’s top scholars together to help make sense of an ever-changing media landscape, and the many ways in which that landscape influences us as individuals and groups. The school’s development and alumni relations plans will help articulate the work of the faculty and students to various audiences in the region, across the country, and around the world, and will establish a structure to support engaged relationships with individuals, institutions, corporations, and alumni with a potential philanthropic interest in the Annenberg School’s work and priorities.

The Director will also serve as a member of the Dean’s leadership team by incubating and fostering the Dean’s strategic initiatives. As they relate to fundraising, s/he will develop appropriate communications, engagement, and fundraising strategies to support the priorities that emerge from this process. The Director will also work closely with the Director of Communications to ensure that alumni, donors, and institutional funders are included in communications strategies.

The Director will work with the Dean in mobilizing the Dean’s Advisory Board and other volunteers to advance the School’s mission and quest for external visibility and philanthropic support, including but not limited to major gifts. The Director will manage recruiting, retaining, and rotating volunteer leaders and fully engaging them in the culture, work, and community of the School with an eye to maximizing their involvement, support and giving.

The Director serves as an important bridge between the School and University Development activities. Dual reporting into the University Development program, the Director will also work closely with the University’s central Office of Development and Alumni Relations, engaging in joint strategic planning, drawing on its support services, and integrating the Annenberg School’s initiatives within the University’s overall strategic and fundraising design.

Finally, the Director will supervise the Assistant Director of Alumni relations who will lead events, data, and communications strategies for the School’s suite of alumni relations programs.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

1. Lead a coordinated and comprehensive program of alumni engagement and private source funding including:

• developing and executing multi-year strategic plans involving alumni relations and development initiatives;

• incubating key strategic initiatives with development potential in partnership with the Dean and other key faculty and staff;

  
  

• managing staff and budgets;

• maintaining and analyzing data in support of strategic planning;

  
  

• developing effective cases for support for school priorities;

• building meaningful volunteer and alumni engagement opportunities;

  
  

• organizing events and visibility opportunities in support of strategic initiatives;

• planning and executing campaigns as needed.

  
  

1. Cultivate, solicit and steward the School’s top prospects and manage a pipeline of these top prospects. Engage the Dean, faculty, staff, and volunteers in executing the required cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activities to advance the School’s quest for gift and grant support as well as media and public awareness.

2. Expand and strengthen the school’s fundraising pool and pipeline of potential new donors through sophisticated methods of entrepreneurial prospecting, including data analysis, internal prospect research, collaboration with the Central DAR frontline, sourcing leads through other volunteers, etc. Organize practical strategies to secure funding from such sources.

   
   
   

3. With the Dean and in collaboration with both Central DAR and the Office of the University Secretary, establish a plan to manage, engage and expand the Dean’s Advisory Council, maximizing its impact on the School’s fundraising and visibility goals.

4. Collaborate with Central DAR colleagues as well as colleagues from other development and alumni relations teams across the university to build working partnerships and to coordinate development and engagement activities in areas where work or constituencies overlaps, with specific attention to the School of Arts and Sciences which oversees the University’s undergraduate communications degree program.

   
   

5. Serve as a member of the Dean’s senior administrative leadership team and participate in key School-wide initiatives where Institutional Advancement is a meaningful partner. Work closely with School faculty, Centers, and Programs to promote development activities for these critically important school initiatives.

Please provide a resume and cover letter in order to be considered for this role. Please upload all documents in the “Resume/CV” section of the application prior to submitting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science and 5 to 7 years of successful development and fundraising experience, including a proven record of success in fostering major strategic initiatives, preferably at a major research university comparable to Penn or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. This includes demonstrated success at securing major gifts. Master’s preferred.

  
  
  

• Solid managerial and leadership skills and demonstrated ability to build and administer teams and programs and engage in long-term strategic planning.

• Understanding of core communications principles and the use of promotional tools and techniques (publications, special events, etc.) to build allegiance and support among key constituencies.

  
  
  

• Ability to engage, recruit, train and move alumni, volunteers, and donors to a desired action.

• A thorough appreciation of the need for academic planning and its essential relationship to the effective application of basic fundraising principles. An accompanying ability to think and work strategically across the landscape of an academic institution and effectively serve as a member of an academic leadership team.

  
  
  

• Creativity and an inquiring mind. These are best represented in the ability to recognize and foster opportunities for visibility and momentum-building; analyze funding sources and relate their potential to the strategic plans of the Annenberg School; more particularly, to organize practical strategies for matching Annenberg strategic goals to successful engagement and giving opportunities.

• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills are required.. Ideal candidates will be outgoing and comfortable engaging with leadership, board members, alumni, and potential volunteers and partners.

  
  
  

• Strong facility with development-related databases and a commitment to supporting and sustaining the data-driven elements of fund raising and alumni relations management.

• High motivation and a capacity for hard work within the context of a goal-oriented environment.

  
  

• A deeply held commitment to collegiality and collaborative work within a unit and across multiple units and constituencies as part of a complex institution.

• Ability to function independently, yet relate comfortably to a centralized framework for fundraising, participating in and contributing to a team effort.

  
  

• Valid driver’s license and passport is required. Position will also require work during evening hours; on weekends and overnight travel.

Job Location – City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Annenberg School for Communication

Pay Range

$109,000.00 – $160,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics) , citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law .

Special Requirements Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition : Take advantage of Penn’s exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

  
  
  

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family-whatever your personal needs may be.

  
  
  

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

  
  
  

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

  
  
  

• Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you’ll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

  
  
  

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

  
  

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The University of Pennsylvania’s special character is reflected in the wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community and help create an educational and working environment that best supports the University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship. The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.