Annual Fund Gift Officer

Position Title: Annual Fund Gift Officer

Department: Advancement

Reports To: Executive Director of Donor Engagement

Appointment: Full-time, 40 hours per week (12-month position), On Campus

Status: Exempt

Position Summary

The Annual Fund Gift Officer is a front-facing fundraiser responsible for building meaningful relationships with alumni, parents, friends, and Peoria-area community members whose annual giving is generally under $10,000. The officer will qualify, cultivate, solicit, renew, upgrade, and steward a portfolio of donors and prospective donors, with particular emphasis on expanding the Lydia Moss Bradley Society and increasing unrestricted support through the Bradley Fund.

This role advances Bradley University’s goals to grow the number of donors, increase alumni participation, strengthen retention and renewal rates, encourage higher levels of annual support, and develop a well-qualified pipeline for major gift portfolios. The officer will engage donors directly through phone and email outreach, virtual and in-person meetings, campus and regional events, and other personalized strategies.

The Annual Fund Gift Officer reports to the Executive Director of Donor Engagement and works collaboratively with the Senior Director of the Bradley Fund, the Assistant Director of Annual Giving, and the Assistant Director of Donor Relations. The manager also partners closely with the Vice President for Advancement, Major Gift Officers, Alumni Relations, Advancement Services, and campus colleagues to provide a coordinated, donor-centered experience.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Fundraising and Donor Engagement

• Build and manage a portfolio of annual giving donors and prospective donors, primarily at the $1,000 to $9,999 level, while cultivating selected donors below $1,000 who demonstrate strong affinity or potential for increased support.
• Develop and execute individualized strategies to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, renew, upgrade, and steward donors through phone calls, emails, virtual conversations, in-person meetings, events, and other personal outreach.
• Conduct meaningful donor contacts and visits and make direct gift solicitations in support of the Bradley Fund and other University priorities.
• Build relationships with Bradley alumni nationwide and Peoria-area community members, connecting their interests with opportunities to support students and the University.
• Secure annual commitments, recurring gifts, multi-year pledges when appropriate, and renewed or increased support in alignment with established goals.

Lydia Moss Bradley Society Growth

• Make growth of the Lydia Moss Bradley Society a central focus by identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors for fully unrestricted annual gifts of $1,000 or more to the Bradley Fund.
• Develop strategies to retain current Society members, renew lapsed members, upgrade donors into higher recognition levels, and welcome new members through personalized outreach and stewardship.
• Partner with the Senior Director of the Bradley Fund, Donor Relations, the Society’s volunteer leadership, and university leaders on membership communications, recognition, events, and other engagement opportunities.

Annual Giving Initiatives and Collaboration

• Support the planning and execution of the Bradley Fund’s annual fundraising program, including Day of Giving, targeted appeals, digital campaigns, special initiatives, giving-society efforts, and fiscal year-end outreach.
• Coordinate closely with the Assistant Director of Annual Giving so that direct donor outreach complements broad-based mail, email, digital, text, and phone strategies.
• Collaborate with the Associate Director of Donor Relations to ensure assigned donors receive timely, accurate, and meaningful acknowledgment, recognition, impact reporting, and stewardship.
• Attend and support alumni, donor, campus, and community events, using these opportunities to deepen relationships, identify prospective donors, and advance follow-up strategies.
• Work with Alumni Relations and campus partners to convert engagement into philanthropy and connect annual giving with the broader Bradley experience.

Pipeline Development and Advancement Partnership

• Identify annual donors with the interest, engagement, and potential to become major gift prospects, and collaborate with the Vice President for Advancement and Major Gift Officers on qualification and transition strategies.
• Participate in regular portfolio and pipeline reviews, sharing donor intelligence, progress, next steps, and recommended assignments or handoffs.
• Coordinate outreach with colleagues to avoid duplication, honor existing relationships, and deliver one consistent Bradley donor experience.
• Prepare donor briefings, contact summaries, solicitation plans, proposals, and follow-up materials as needed.

Data Management and Performance

• Record substantive donor contacts, visits, solicitations, proposals, commitments, interests, and next steps promptly and accurately in Bradley’s CRM, Raiser’s Edge.
• Maintain accurate portfolio, pipeline, forecast, and pledge information and use data to prioritize outreach and evaluate results.
• Track and report progress toward annual goals for donor contacts, visits, solicitations, dollars raised, Lydia Moss Bradley Society membership, donor acquisition, retention, renewal, upgrades, and qualified major gift referrals.
• Use donor data, giving history, engagement information, and available prospect research to develop segmented and personalized outreach strategies.

Performance Expectations

• Meet or exceed annual fundraising, activity, retention, upgrade, membership, and pipeline goals established with the Executive Director of Donor Engagement.
• Demonstrate disciplined portfolio management, consistent personal outreach, timely follow-through, and a strong commitment to donor service.
• Contribute to growth in total donors and alumni donors, Bradley Fund revenue, Lydia Moss Bradley Society membership, donor renewal rates, and the number of qualified prospects referred to Major Gift Officers.
• Maintain the highest standards of confidentiality, integrity, professionalism, collaboration, and donor-centered conduct.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least two years of successful fundraising, annual giving, relationship management, sales, business development, alumni engagement, customer development, or closely related experience.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships, communicate persuasively, ask for financial commitments, and move donors or clients toward decisions.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, organizational, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to manage a portfolio and multiple priorities independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative team.
• Comfort using data, goals, and performance measures to guide work and assess progress.
• Proficiency with Google Suite, Microsoft Office and willingness to use a constituent relationship management system consistently and accurately.
• Ability and willingness to travel regionally and occasionally beyond the region and attend evening and weekend meetings and events.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education advancement, annual giving, nonprofit development, membership development, or a similar relationship-driven environment.
• Experience managing a donor or client portfolio and successfully renewing or increasing financial commitments.
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge, GiveCampus, Almabase, or comparable fundraising and engagement platforms.
• Knowledge of Bradley University, its alumni community, or the Peoria region.

Work Environment

This position is based at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. The role requires regular interaction with donors and prospective donors and includes local, regional and national travel, campus and community events, and occasional evening and weekend responsibilities. Other duties may be assigned in support of Bradley University’s Advancement goals.

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and complete contact information for a minimum of three professional references with telephone numbers. 

Please submit all materials at the time of initial application. 

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Employment with Bradley University is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Bradley University offers a competitive benefits package including health, dental, vision, life and disability coverages, FSA, HSA, and retirement plan options. Bradley also offers significant higher education cost savings for employees and dependents through the Tuition Remission program. Information regarding our benefits can be found here: https://www.bradley.edu/offices/business/human-resources/benefits/

Bradley University is a top-ranked, private university in Peoria, Illinois, offering nearly 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students’ opportunities, choices, and resources to build their futures. Innovation, action, and collaboration drive Bradley students to generate ideas and create solutions that remake the world around them. Our comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate academic programs includes business, communications, education, engineering, fine arts, health sciences, liberal arts and sciences, and technology.

Bradley University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The administration, faculty and staff are committed to attracting qualified candidates from underrepresented groups.