Leadership Annual Giving Officer chez Oklahoma State University Foundation

VISION: Transform the university through the power of generosity. 

MISSION: Unite donor passions with university priorities to elevate the impact of Oklahoma State University. 

DEPARTMENT PURPOSE: Pipeline Growth & Readiness (PGR) exists to create a wide and deep pool of highly engaged donors to programs and units across OSU, helping donors discover their philanthropic passions and implementing strategic tactics and partnerships to aid donors in realizing their full philanthropic potential.

PRIMARY PURPOSE: Under the direction of the Assistant Vice President of Pipeline and Growth Readiness, the Leadership Annual Giving Officer will use in-person channels and digital channels (video, texting, phone, social media, and virtual visits) to build relationships and solicit gifts. The Leadership Annual Giving Officer will focus on engaging donors in the agricultural sector, stewarding gifts of livestock and grain, and identifying new philanthropic leads. This role blends traditional Agriculture-based fundraising with modern digital outreach​.

KEY AREAS OF FOCUS-  

• ​​Primary Responsibility #1 - Donor Cultivation and Fundraising 60%​  
  • ​​Manage a portfolio of prospects, including farmers, ranchers, and ag alumni. 
  • Responsible for independently performing identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of prospects with an emphasis on prospects willing to set aside a portion of the sale of their herd and or crop through both in-home and contact at sales and other Ag related events including community functions.
  • ​Weekly travel throughout Oklahoma to conduct personal visits with prospects and donors  
  • ​Conduct a minimum of 250 substantial contacts focused on giving via personal visits, virtual visits, and phone calls with prospects and donors​
    
    
• ​​Primary Responsibility #2 - Donor Stewardship 20%​  
  • ​​Develop personalized stewardship plans that include virtual farm tours, donor spotlights, and thank-you videos.  
  • ​Facilitate relationships between potential and current donors to build a strong base of support for the gift of both livestock and or grain at the time of sale to support both Ferguson College of Agriculture and the OSU Alumni Association.
  • ​Develop a broad stewardship plan to provide annual recognition to club members.
    
    
• Primary Responsibility #3 - Program Development and Strategic Integration 20%​  
  • Build a network of non-alumni sale owners and customers to spread awareness and interest in the OSU Cattle and Grain Club.
  • Coordinate to develop Cattle and Grain Club marketing materials.
  • ​​Align Leadership Annual Giving Officer outreach with OSUAA and Ferguson College campaigns.  
  • ​Collaborate with development officers to hand off major and planned gift leads.  
  • ​Customize donor experiences based on philanthropic interests and ag affiliations.​  

Other duties as assigned.

JOB COMPETENCIES AND EXPERIENCE-

• Education & Certifications: 
• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Business, Marketing or related field.
   
• Experience:  
• 1-3 years of experience in the Agricultural industry  
• Experience in gift/sales solicitation preferred 
• Familiarity with livestock and crop sales 
• Experience in digital marketing and donor/customer engagement preferred
  
  
• Organizational Competencies: 
• Effective Communication: Listens well and highly persuasive in communications; presents ideas in a manner which actively engages others; takes action to reduce communication barriers, diffuses conflict before it starts and works proactively to create and maintain effective communication across and within the organization; successfully carries out crucial conversations and encourages and coaches others to have crucial conversations to resolve conflict. 
• Execution & Initiative: Holds self-accountable for achieving standards of excellence and results for the organization; seeks out understanding of both donor needs and internal processes; continuously pursues improvement of the organization’s performance by enhancing business processes, systems, teams, facilities or equipment; takes charge in a crisis and effectively maneuvers through complex situations and makes tough decisions in a timely manner.  
• Teamwork/Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates commitment to employee engagement and leverages programs and tools to build business plans and monitor progress; utilizes employee recognition and reward programs to celebrate individual and team success; looks for opportunities to create cross-functional teams that leverage employee strengths; proactively takes steps to retain colleagues as employees by building trust and developing their skills; builds relationships internally and externally and uses relationships to build consensus and create results; coaches others and is able to message appropriately, maintaining confidentiality; excels in maneuvering in a complex and political environment.  
• Problem Solving/Judgment: Understands and reinforces teams’ use of approved policies and procedures to ensure compliance; looks more broadly across multiple lines of business to identify opportunities and pro-actively solve problems and implement solutions; challenges assumptions, bases decisions on the right mixture of data analysis as well as wisdom and experience.  
• Adaptability/Flexibility:  Partners with other colleagues to explore implications of shifting dynamics; communicates in an effort to engage team members and partners in change efforts, explaining the rationale, impacts and benefits of change both vertically and horizontally; involves others in planning and implementing change, keeping them informed of progress; leads with confidence during times of change; drives the implementation and acceptance of change in the workplace, including innovative solutions and alternative approaches for changing circumstances.  
• Courage & Conviction: Takes responsibility for team outcomes regardless of success and learns from all results; creates an environment where failure is seen as an opportunity for learning; practices ethical decision making and encourages the same in others; has the courage to hold others accountable for their actions and decisions.
• Donor Centered: Ensures team understands the importance of donor-centered service in accordance with OSUF standards; explains difficult information while focused on the donor’s perspective and level of knowledge.  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Must use a computer terminal and view a computer screen for extended periods of time.  Must talk in person or by phone (frequently and sometimes for extended periods) to people on campus and across the country.  Must be able to navigate within the OSU Foundation. Typical office working conditions as well as comfort on location at farms, ranches, and sales. Ability to regularly travel regionally and nationally.