Job  Board

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Institutional Advancement, the Individual Giving Associate will be an essential member of the Arboretum Advancement team, managing and supporting a full range of donor and member services. This position plans and executes the identification, engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of members and donors in the Arnold Arboretum’s membership levels and individual giving recognition circles. This position will play a particular role during the Sesquicentennial Campaign in moving members and donors up the ladder of support and helping to identify those who might be inspired to make campaign donations of greater impact.

 

The Individual Giving Associate will have a passion for working directly with donors, employ excellent customer service skills, and utilize data to make informed decisions toward increased philanthropic engagement. This is a critical time at the Arnold Arboretum as we launch our Sesquicentennial Campaign while building a program to identify, cultivate, and solicit major donors. This position will be at the center of this marketing and moves management process and will manage the structure, design, and fulfillment of all member benefits and member events from the Community Member level to Sargent-Olmsted Society up to $10,000.

 

Another core responsibility will be to solicit increased participation in the Arboretum’s James Arnold Society which recognizes planned giving. They will do this by identifying prospects and formalizing bequest intentions in concert with the Harvard University Planned Giving office, mapping out more assertive planned giving marketing and communications, and including planned giving in member/donor interactions. Please note: this is an on-site role.

 

Position Description

Core duties/Responsibilities

 

 

• In concert with the Director of Institutional Advancement, the Individual Giving Associate will set and meet annual target goals for each level of membership from $65 Community Member up through $10,000 Maple Circle Member, both individual revenue goals and moves management goals. • Set and fulfill goals for membership in the James Arnold Society and create a communications plan to encourage planned giving among loyal donors. • Qualify and cultivate newly identified prospects and evaluate major gift potential and next steps. • Develop appropriate cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategy to enhance retention, grow revenue, and improve donor advancement with current members and donors. • Work closely with Development Database and Operations Manager to create metrics to inform donor strategy and goal setting. • Analyze data to identify prospects for higher levels of giving. • Coordinate briefings and follow-up correspondence; prepare contact reports and enter them in the development database.

 

• Serve as primary liaison for members, providing customer service and support. • Plan and implement all member benefits, programs, and events, such as Arbor Day Seedling distribution, Members’ Tour Day, Sargent-Olmsted Society events, Lilac Sunday membership promotion, fall calendar, and notecards. Coordinate ongoing improvements. • Oversee the marketing strategies for the membership program and coordinate implementation in concert with communications colleagues. In particular, develop materials and coordinate membership renewals, acquisitions, and upgrades. • Create customized and personalized donor communications materials and touchpoints to help nurture and strengthen mid-level donors’ relationships with the Arnold Arboretum.

 

 

• Work with team to assist with research needs for assigned portfolio by completing research and leveraging for internal prospect review discussions. • Take on critical project work as needed; this might include working on planning efforts, event meetings or events, drafting reports and presentations, or writing proposals. • Perform other responsibilities upon request, as needed, with or without accommodation. 

 

The above covers the most significant responsibilities of this position. It does not, however, exclude other duties, the inclusion of which would be in conformity with the level of the position.

 

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree. • Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience. • Demonstrated experience and effectiveness in individual donor fundraising and/or membership programs.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Demonstrated experience and effectiveness in individual donor fundraising and/or membership programs. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of both philanthropy and membership, a proactive, entrepreneurial approach to fundraising, and a genuine interest in The Arnold Arboretum’s mission. • Proven interpersonal skills including listening and collaboration, with the ability to build and strengthen diverse relationships; earn trust; motivate, engage and work with members, donors and colleagues, Arboretum and University leaders, and staff colleagues. Must have demonstrated experience engaging donors/clients in thoughtful, personal conversations with tact and diplomacy. This requires maintaining confidential information and using sound judgment. • Superb written and verbal communication skills. • Strong results orientation and proven track record in setting and achieving ambitious goals, especially in an increasingly data-driven philanthropic environment. • Ability to thrive in an environment that requires strategic and creative thinking along with the tenacity and self-motivation to meet the goals of the organization. Must be flexible and open to new ideas and able to navigate and succeed through positive change. • Ability to take the initiative, create, and manage projects autonomously. • Ability to operate in a team, understanding individual success as part of a larger team’s success, with high levels of professionalism, collegiality, organization, and follow-through. • Willingness and ability to spend roughly 30% of the time on frontline member and donor relations—through phone, in-person meetings, local travel, and via Zoom. • Computer literacy required, especially experience with Windows, and experience with Advance database, preferred. • Enthusiasm for public, open space, or horticulture is encouraged.

Physical Requirements

Some tasks may require being on campus or in other off-site locations for a period of time. Sitting or standing for periods of time. Some repetitive motion. Ability to lift 25 lbs.

Working Conditions

Primary work takes place in an office environment, on-site at The Arboretum. Some tasks may require being on campus or in other off-site locations for a period of time.

Additional Information

What makes the Arboretum special? The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is the oldest public arboretum in North America and one of the world's leading centers for the study of plants. In 2022 the Arboretum is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Founded in 1872 and designed by America's first landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, and the Arboretum's first director, Charles Sprague Sargent, the 281-acre Arboretum is a historic landmark and one of the best-preserved of Olmsted's landscapes. A unique blend of beloved public landscape and respected research institution, the Arboretum provides and supports world-class research, horticulture, and education programs that foster the understanding, appreciation, and preservation of woody plants. Along with a horticultural library and herbarium encompassing some 1.5 million dried plant specimens, the Arboretum comprises one of the largest and best-documented woody plant collections in the world, with over 16,000 accessioned plants. To learn more about the Arnold Arboretum, please visit: www.arboretum.harvard.edu

Diversity Statement

The Arnold Arboretum views diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a culture where everyone can thrive. Our community is made of individuals who draw from a dynamic range of backgrounds to contribute to the pursuit of our common goals. The work and well-being of the Arnold Arboretum are strengthened by the diversity of our network and our differences in background, culture, experience, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, ethnicity, age, ability, political views, veteran status, and more. We actively seek and welcome people of color, women, persons with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQIA, and those who are at the intersections of these identities, from across the spectrum of disciplines and methods to join us. Together, we strive to create an environment that values diversity, promotes an inclusive culture, and establishes a profound sense of belonging for each member of our community.

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