Description
Deep Springs College, a unique educational institution in Eastern California's high desert, is seeking an experienced development professional to be our next Director of Annual Giving & Donor Engagement. The Director is primarily responsible for individual giving (gifts below $20k), alumni relations and event management as an integral member of the development team. This position is ideal for mid-level advancement and/or communication & marketing professionals, with experience in annual giving, donor engagement and event management.
This is a remote position requiring regular travel. Preference will be given to candidates based in California, Nevada, or the greater San Francisco and Denver metro areas (both with direct flights to Bishop, CA). In addition to visiting Deep Springs College 3–4 times per year, this role involves national travel to donor events, primarily across major U.S. cities; proximity to a well-connected airport is essential.
The Director of Annual Giving & Donor Engagement is a dynamic role reporting to the VP of Development, responsible for leading the strategy and day-to-day execution of the college's annual giving, alumni relations, and constituent events. This position is responsible for cultivating, maintaining, and strengthening lifelong relationships between Deep Springs College and its alumni, donors, and key stakeholders. The Director leads the strategic execution of annual giving campaigns, comprehensive event logistics, and Class Chair program. Blending high-level strategy with hands-on execution, this role ensures robust constituent stewardship, drives annual fundraising goals, and actively collaborates across the department to support major gifts, grants, and institutional communications.
About Deep Springs College
Deep Springs College is a private, nonsectarian, fully accredited, two-year college program for academically-gifted young people, located on a small cattle-and- alfalfa ranch in a beautiful, remote area of the White Mountains on the California-Nevada border. Twenty-four to thirty students attend. Watch the 2022 60 Minutes profile about Deep Springs College. The program, founded in 1917, combines rigorous academic coursework with a minimum of 20 hours of physical labor each week. Students milk cows, wash dishes, assist in the office, cook, clean, make hay, and tend to cattle, horses and gardens.
Deep Springs is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, national origin, religion, age, or disability. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
The college is located in California's Eastern Sierra region on Highway 168, 26 miles east of Big Pine, CA, 11 miles from the Nevada state line. Death Valley National Park and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest are directly adjacent to the College, and Yosemite National Park, Mono Lake, the Buttermilks, and Mammoth and are all within a few hours’ drive. Los Angeles is a 5-hour drive away, Las Vegas is 3.5 hours; and the San Francisco Bay Area is 7-8 hours depending on the season.
Requirements
Annual Giving & Solicitation Strategy
- Annual Giving Strategy: Plan, manage, and execute at least four annual giving solicitations per year tailored to various donor constituencies. Post-campaign analysis is crucial for future solicitation strategies. Key constituents include: alumni, parents (current and past), faculty and staff (current and past) as well as friends of the college.
- Omnichannel Solicitation: Utilize direct mail, online giving, email, crowdfunding, personal phone outreach, class chairs, and events for fundraising and donor stewardship.
- Foundations & Grants: Manage and solicit a small portfolio of foundations and organizations that offer grants that can be used for annual operation budgets
- Special Projects: Partner with the VP of Development on one-time fundraising campaigns, crowdfunding initiatives, and annual reporting to constituents.
Alumni & Constituent Engagement
- Relationship Management: Serve as the primary point of contact for Alumni and Constituent Relations at the College and act as both the functional and strategic lead for Deep Springs Connect, our online engagement platform.
- Volunteer Management: Direct the Class Leader strategy, including managing communication and outreach with Class Leaders and providing resources and training for volunteers around expectations and direct solicitation of their peers.
Event Logistics & Planning
- Event Management Management: In coordination with the VP of Development, execute the strategy and logistics for alumni gatherings and donor cultivation events across the United States, as well as the biennial reunion and occasional affinity reunions at Deep Springs College.
- Virtual Engagement: Oversee the strategy and logistics for virtual engagement events throughout the year, utilizing Deep Springs Connect and video conferencing software.
Reporting & Collaboration
- Reporting & Forecasting: Independently utilize Blackbaud RE NXT to pull, analyze, and build reports, donor lists and dashboards; leverage fundraising metrics and historic data to evaluate solicitation performance, identify donor trends, and make data-driven decisions for future development strategies.
- Trustee Engagement: Attend on-campus Trustee meetings twice per year to deliver comprehensive reporting and forecasting on annual giving and donor engagement.
- Communication Liaison: Serve on the student-led Communications Committee (ComCom) to help oversee the following projects: Newsletter (printed twice per year) and Community News (monthly/bi-montly e-newsletter).
- Campus Presence: Visit campus 3-4 times per year (including two Trustee meetings) to actively engage with staff, faculty and students in an effort to better understand and convey campus culture and to collaborate on development activities.
Required Qualifications
Demonstrated experience in annual giving execution, including managing multi-channel campaigns (digital, direct mail, phone, events).
Strong written communication skills with a proven ability to craft compelling, persuasive fundraising copy, donor stewardship reports, and engaging constituent newsletter copy across both print and digital mediums.
Direct experience leveraging Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT or another CRM to perform donor segmentation, track campaign performance, analyze annual giving results, and build data-driven reports that inform overall fundraising strategy.
Proven track record of planning, managing logistics, and executing small-to-medium scale events for donor or alumni constituencies.
Proven experience recruiting, motivating, and managing volunteer networks or alumni committees to successfully execute peer-to-peer outreach or fundraising campaigns.
Strong organizational and project management skills, with demonstrated ability to balance multiple competing deadlines.
Ability to work closely with College leadership (President, Vice President, Dean, Trustees) and the Development team on shared strategy and goals, especially as a remote employee.
Ability and willingness to travel to campus 3-4 times per year and around the country at least 4-6 times per year for alumni gatherings and donor cultivation events. This includes events that may occur during evenings and weekends.
Preferred Qualifications
Direct experience working within higher education institutional advancement, small colleges or boarding high schools, and/or a deep familiarity with unique educational models.
Experience assisting leadership with pipeline development, including identifying new major donor and foundation prospects, or assisting with planned gifts.
Experience collaborating on institutional grant applications and reporting for foundations and corporate donors.
Familiarity with managing a dedicated alumni/donor platform (such as Graduway) alongside modern digital marketing tools to optimize constituent networking, drive online engagement, and streamline email communications.
Deep Springs values diversity and encourages individuals with various experiences and backgrounds to apply.
Working at Deep Springs College offers rewarding experiences beyond the scope of individual roles. Staff members not only manage their respective responsibilities but also interact closely with students, providing guidance in their studies, work, and communal decision-making. Staff also set high behavioral and communicative standards, participate in campus events, and collaborate on problem-solving and improvements across the college. This unique, intimate setting is often considered a rare privilege and enriching aspect of a Deep Springs professional life.
