Washington University in St. Louis

Associate Director, Direct Marketing & Participation - University Advancement

166 Red St, Clayton, MO 63105

Full-time · $58k–$66k (as posted)

First seen by offpeak October 21, 2026

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Location

SAINT LOUIS, MO 63105

Scheduled Hours

37.5

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Direct Marketing & Participation will manage the development and execution of a sophisticated, omni-channel campaign schedule aimed to drive alumni donor participation, build lifetime loyalty, and raise maximum spendable dollars for WashU’s top Annual Fund priorities. In addition to coordinating the day-to-day aspects of our direct marketing appeals, this role will partner closely with Philanthropic Strategy partners to drive results for schools and programs and oversee faculty and staff giving.

The Associate Director reports to the Senior Director of Annual Giving Programs and will work in close collaboration and partnership with Advancement Communications, Philanthropic Strategy and other internal partners and external vendors. This Associate Director will also manage the Assistant Director who’s duties include premiums, corporate matching gift program, license plate program and Loyalty Society data hygiene.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Direct Marketing Campaigns and Appeals:

In close collaboration with our Advancement Communications team, plan and coordinate the daily management of a large variety and volume of direct marketing projects.

Ensure the Direct Marketing schedule and all details are up to date in project management tool (Click Up). Track tasks, timelines, and other standard operating procedures within Click Up.
Coordinate direct marketing projects to ensure they are successfully completed on time and within budget; manage vendor relationships and communication, as appropriate.
Facilitate the proofing, editing, review, approval, and production processes for each appeal, as appropriate.
Develop segmentation strategy and other data variables needed for each campaign. Identify, document, and track all testing factors. Build campaign ‘workbooks’ to organize projects based upon appeal versions and audience segmentations. Support data set finalization, merge proofing and testing, and assist in resolving any data-related issues.
Build campaigns and source codes to ensure all appeals are able to be tracked and analyzed.
Work closely with data analyst on data segmentation, variables, and ask strings for appeals.
Work with other direct marketing colleagues to ensure all form links and QR codes have been requested, created and working appropriately.

Secure final approval for all Annual Giving appeals; manage the ‘send’ process for all mass-email communications. I partnership with Advancement Communications.

Loyalty Society:

Develop and implement the strategy of the Loyalty Society program to ensure strong donor retention at all giving levels. Work closely with the Assistant Director and Data Analyst to ensure Loyalty Society data is clean.

School/Program Liaison:

In collaboration with Annual Giving leadership, Advancement Communications, and our school and unit partners, support the execution of unit-specific Annual Fund appeal and project requests in accordance to standard operating procedures.

Faculty and Staff Giving:

Oversee strategy development and manage the day-to-day activities of our faculty and staff giving program.
Develop strategic communications plan to engage and solicit WashU staff and faculty.
Coordinate payroll deduction retention, renewal, and acquisition efforts; ensure stewardship touches are planned and appropriate benefits/communications are being issued.

Other duties as assigned – work closely with Executive Director and Senior Director to provide any additional support needed to ensure donor participation goals are met.

Working Conditions:
Job Location/Working Conditions:

Normal office environment.
Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends as necessary as well as travel to on- and off-campus locations.

Physical Effort:

Typically sitting at a desk or table.

Equipment:

Office equipment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

Relevant Experience (3 Years)

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

Preferred Qualifications:

Comfortable interacting with a variety of diverse audiences. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships. Skilled at expressing empathy and providing premium customer service.
A desire to work collaboratively with colleagues. Comfortable facilitating the work of teams and individuals, including peers, students, and volunteers. Excellent verbal and written communication skills to relay detailed instructions and provide or solicit feedback.
Committed to professional growth and remaining informed of annual giving, higher education, and other industry trends and best practices.
Familiarity with and appreciation for the mission of University Advancement programs and the activities of the department. A desire to play a meaningful role in the university’s community and to share in the community’s commitment to education and research.
Experience in nonprofit advancement/development/fundraising, program/project management, or a field requiring the application of similar skills including marketing, advertising, communications, donor relations, etc.
Significant experience planning and managing complex programs, projects, or marketing campaigns: setting timelines and priorities, analyzing data, working with complex reporting and data sets, coordinating work among multiple teams, maintaining vendor relationships, developing, and managing organized systems of processes and protocols, etc.
Knowledge of university environment; experience working in educational/nonprofit organization setting is a plus.
Experience using database, website/online form solutions, and other software platforms. Familiarity with ClickUp a plus.

This position is located in St. Louis, MO and the targeted hiring range for this position is $58,400 - $66,000.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:

Alumni Relations, Analytical Thinking, Annual Giving, Business Interactions, Communication, Complex Systems, Confidentiality, Conflict Resolution, Data Metrics, Deadline Management, Detail-Oriented, Digital Direct Marketing, Direct Marketing, Effective Delegation, Management of Employees, Metrics Reporting, Microsoft Office, Nonprofit Organizations, Professional Integrity, Project Management, Receptive to Feedback, Relationship Management, Salesforce (Software), Vendor Management, Workday Software

Grade

G12

Salary Range

$58,400.00 - $99,700.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.
WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity or shared ancestry, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information. As a federal contractor, the university maintains affirmative action programs to implement its equal employment opportunity policy for individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, in accordance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA), as amended.

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