Assistant Director of Development Communications - Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations

At Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), we are UNlike any other. With more than 300,000 students, faculty and staff, we are a mix of attitudes, styles and stories. Inclusion is our heartbeat and it drives us to tackle difficult challenges others can’t. Or won’t. Focused on impact, we pursue a future that is built by us rather than preserving a past that’s been left to us. We are home to creativity, teaching, discovery and healing, and we prove everyday that different works. VCU offers employees work flexibility, a generous leave package, career paths for advancement, competitive pay, and an opportunity to do mission-driven work. To explore our benefits further, please visit https://hr.vcu.edu/current-employees/benefits/university-and-academic-professional-benefits/. So if you’re interested in blazing trails, then you too can be UNstoppable here.

VCU's Office of Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations (MPAR) brings together proficient, skilled and passionate fundraising professionals who drive mission-critical fundraising for medical-based units at VCU and VCU Health. As a fundraising unit within the VCU Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), the MPAR team maximizes philanthropic support by engaging stakeholders for VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, VCU Health and the VCU School of Medicine. This is an exciting opportunity to join the growing Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations team as we prepare for VCU’s next comprehensive campaign.

Job Overview

MPAR is seeking an organized and collaborative Assistant Director of Development Communications to lead fundraising communications efforts. Reporting to the senior director of development communications, this position supports a variety of activities affiliated with multiple strategic engagement teams (communications, annual giving, major giving, board and hospital relations, stewardship and events.) In particular, the position enhances VCU’s fundraising capacity by developing, conceiving, crafting and executing messaging and designs for direct response fundraising and donor relations channels including mail, email, social media and other digital opportunities. These projects support institutional priorities for alumni, grateful patients, and community stakeholder engagement and fundraising.

In this role you will:

• Work with the Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations team and VCU Development and Alumni Relations to create compelling materials for alumni, prospects and donors.
• Develop a thorough understanding of the different donor audiences that comprise Medical Philanthropy and create persuasive communications and solicitations designed to meet their specific interests and expectations.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of news of interest to different constituent populations and use this information to create compelling materials.
• Demonstrate mastery of best practices in annual giving copy creation and oversee graphic design to produce mail and email solicitations and donor relations stewardship communications in strategic partnership with the Primary Giving team to support fundraising priority areas and segments, including alumni and grateful patients.
• Serve as primary copy editor and proofreader for annual giving content created by vendors and other third parties.
• Create organic and paid social media content, including writing and design, to increase reach and impact of direct response campaigns.
• Create other digital marketing assets, including display ads, to acquire and retain donors.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and cross-campus staff to solicit content ideas and facilitate content approvals.
• Collaborate with MCV Foundation, DAR’s Strategic Marketing and Engagement and VCU Enterprise Marketing and Communications to complete communication projects and expand the reach of MPAR content to broader audiences.
• Attend and provide coverage of after-hours and weekend special events, as necessary.
• Collaborate with teammates to develop new communications ideas and strategies.