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Washington University in St. Louis

Senior Director of Direct Marketing and Participation - University Advancement

Salary$96k – $169k
LocationWashington University (West Campus), Clayton, Missouri
Work modeon-site
Typefull-time
SeniorityDirector
Experience6+ yrs
Company size10,000+ people
PostedAug 24, 2026 · 1mo ago
Verified live9h ago
At a glanceSummarised by Seekless from the posting.
Must have2
Bachelor's degree
Relevant Experience (6 Years)
Nice to have8
Ability and flexibility to work outside of the normal workday/office hours including evenings and weekends
Experience within a complex university setting or national nonprofit organization
Annual giving experience at an institution of higher education
Experience working with high-level volunteer leadership
Experience creating and implementing complex, multi-channel fundraising marketing campaigns
Knowledge of VanillaSoft
Knowledge of ClickUp
Master's degree
Eligibility1
Criminal background check and other background checks, drug screen, employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks
Skills
VanillaSoft
ClickUp
Salesforce Marketing Cloud
Benefits
Health insurance
Retirement plan
Tuition reimbursement
Paid time off
Parental leave
Commuter benefits
Location
SAINT LOUIS, MO 63105
Scheduled Hours
37.5
Position Summary
Reporting to the Executive Director Annual Giving Programs, the Senior Director of Direct Marketing and Participation is a forward-thinking, highly innovative partner who leads a team of professionals to develop and execute sophisticated multi-channel, university-wide, direct marketing fundraising strategies. This role creates, oversees, and drives the strategy to increase and diversify the number of donors and philanthropic dollars to WashU, with an emphasis on support of the annual fund.
The ideal candidate is a data-driven, strategic thinker with a passion for leveraging modern fundraising and annual giving marketing practices in support of higher education. This person is a collaborative team player and will have experience in direct marketing, emerging fundraising technologies, and staff management.
Job Description
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
•
Develop a strategic plan to segment and solicit alumni, parents, and friends to increase donors to the Annual Fund and the university. This includes strategic analysis of past performance of appeals and solicitation methods, acquisition rates, retention rates, and industry trends. Closely monitor return on investment and make data-based decisions to guide future fundraising strategies. Report on overall results to internal and external constituencies, as needed.
•
Develop key strategies for retention, acquisition, and stewardship of donors to the Annual Fund based on affiliation, class year, and interest. Serve as the final approver on all direct marketing materials and confirm that recommended messages and graphics align with the strategies for each appeal. Verify that all WashU audiences are appropriately included in the direct marketing schedule.
•
Collaborate closely with key departments in University Advancement including by not limited to Advancement Communications, Analytics, Data and Reporting, Advancement Systems, and Donor Relations, on fundraising projects and campaigns including but not limited to WashU Giving Day, Loyalty Society, Engagement Center, License Plate Program, Matching Gift Program and emerging technologies.
•
Work closely with other colleagues in University Advancement to align program goals with the overall philanthropic goals of the university.
•
Oversee the technology used to support direct marketing efforts for all university constituents including engagement center system/vendor, and the data analytics system/vendor. Assist with the development of websites, including online gift forms.
•
Manage data as it relates to direct marketing, including responsibility for data hygiene, segmentation, and other issues related to ensuring accurate and useful data for direct marketing including editing and proofreading publication content.
•
Manage a team of six responsible for the WashU Giving Day, Loyalty Society, Engagement Center, premium fulfillment, License Plate Program, and Matching Gift Program.
•
Stay up to date on the latest fundraising trends, technologies, and strategies and implement them as appropriate.
•
Additional duties as assigned and in support of the Annual Giving Programs (AGP) team.
Working Conditions:
Job Location/Working Conditions
•
Normal office environment
•
Typically sitting at desk or table
•
Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement
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 (6 Years)
Skills:
Not Applicable
Driver’s License:
A driver’s license is not required for this position.
More About This Job
Preferred Qualifications
•
Ability and flexibility to work outside of the normal workday/office hours including evenings and weekends.
•
Experience within a complex university setting or national nonprofit organization.
•
Annual giving experience at an institution of higher education.
•
Experience working with high-level volunteer leadership.
•
Experience creating and implementing complex, multi-channel fundraising marketing campaigns.
•
Knowledge of VanillaSoft.
•
Knowledge of ClickUp.
•
Understanding of the high-level relationship-building and strategies involved in securing complex gifts.
•
Ability to set priorities and successfully manage multiple projects and competing deadlines.
This position is located in St. Louis, MO and the targeted hiring range for this position is $96,000 - $130,000.
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
Master’s degree
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:
Analytical Acumen, Analyze Information, Communication, Confidentiality, Contract Development, Creativity, Deadline Management, Decision Making, Detail-Oriented, Diplomatic Approach, Donor Communications, Donor Engagement, Interpersonal Communication, Multitasking, Proactive Thinking, Professional Integrity, Program Implementation, Project Management, Project Management Software (PMS), Relationship Building, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Social Influence, Sound Judgment, Supervisory Management, Workload Prioritization
Grade
G16
Salary Range
$96,000.00 - $169,300.00 / AnnuallyThe 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 [email protected] 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, 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.
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