Position Purpose

Reporting to the Senior Director of Development (SDOD), the Engagement Officer is responsible for executing high-volume outreach with current and prospective alumni donors for discovery, cultivation, engagement, and direct solicitation. Using creative tactics and taking an entrepreneurial approach, this role identifies opportunities to strengthen relationships between alumni and the University to encourage/enhance/secure philanthropic support. This work is critically important to developing Ionas giving pipeline and providing unrestricted support for the University.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage a large portfolio of current and prospective donors for the purposes of discovery, engagement, and solicitation through personalized outreach via phone, email, social media, virtual and in-person meetings.

• Create and implement strategies to gain strong participation in annual giving from portfolio, and build strategies for moving donors to higher fund levels while identifying and qualifying prospects for the major gift prospect pool.
• Through outreach, identify and recruit volunteers to provide support for programs such as Maroon and Gold Council, Alumni Association Board, Gaels Go Further Mentoring Program, career services, school specific programs and reunion committees.
• Attain or exceed agreed upon level of activity each month, i.e., number visits, meaningful contacts and correspondence, etc.
• At the discretion of the SDOD or AVP, the Engagement Officer may also take on special projects designed to increase short- and long-term donor acquisition or other priority giving initiatives.

Qualifications (Skills and Abilities Required)

• Bachelors Degree
• Higher education and/or prior fundraising experience a plus
• Outgoing personality with strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Proficiency in the use of computers and databases
• Successful project management experience with proven ability to work independently
• Ability to attend/work evening and weekend events
• Become proficient with all aspects of Raisers Edge NXT and donor research tools

About Iona University/EEO language

Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of over 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science, and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is accredited by AACSB International, a prestigious recognition awarded to just five percent of business schools worldwide. The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2021.” Iona University also recently launched a new, fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona University and NewYork-Presbyterian announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, to be principally located on the University’s new campus in Bronxville, N.Y. Supported by a $20 million gift from NewYork-Presbyterian, the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences offers a new vision for collaborative health care education, modern workforce development, and community care. On July 1, 2022, Iona officially changed its status from College to University, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.

Iona University values and celebrates diversity and is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our employees including staff & administrative employees, faculty and student workers. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, partnership status, disability, military or veteran status, alienage, citizenship, status as a victim of domestic violence/stalking/sex offenses, unemployment status, or other legally prohibited basis under federal and state law, or local ordinance. As an equal opportunity employer, Iona University encourages applications from qualified candidates who reflect the wider world in which we live, in particular historically underrepresented groups.