Assistant Director of Leadership & Family Giving
Position Description:
Merrimack College seeks a highly motivated, relationship-oriented
advancement professional to serve as Assistant Director of Leadership & Family
Giving. Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President for Principal Gifts &
Family Philanthropy, the Assistant Director will help build Merrimack's
pipeline of future major and principal gift donors, with particular focus on
current and former families, leadership annual donors and other high-potential
individuals.
The Assistant Director will manage a portfolio of leadership and emerging
major gift prospects, developing relationships and creating pathways that move
donors toward greater engagement and philanthropic support. The position will
also provide programmatic and administrative support for Merrimack's family
philanthropy initiatives, including the Parents Leadership Council, and the
College's Boards of Advisors (BOA).
Working closely with the Senior Associate Vice President, Prospect Research,
Annual Giving, Major Gifts and colleagues across the College, the successful
candidate will combine fundraising and relationship-building skills with
strong organization and follow-through to help grow Merrimack's philanthropic
pipeline.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Family Giving
Manage a portfolio of current and former families, leadership annual
donors and other emerging major gift prospects, developing individualized
strategies to increase engagement and philanthropic support.
Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward donors with the
potential to increase their giving and develop into major gift prospects.
Conduct discovery and qualification meetings to understand prospective
donors' interests, capacity and connection to Merrimack.
Partner with Annual Giving and Prospect Research to identify donors
demonstrating increased engagement, giving and philanthropic potential.
Develop and execute strategies to move qualified prospects from annual and
leadership giving toward major gift relationships.
Coordinate with Major Gifts and the Senior Associate Vice President to
ensure appropriate assignment and transition of prospects as relationships
develop.
Maintain an active pace of donor engagement, solicitations and closed
gifts consistent with established annual goals.
Track prospect activity, moves management and pipeline development
consistently within the College's advancement systems.
Family Philanthropy & Parents Leadership Council
Support the continued development and growth of Merrimack's family
philanthropy program.
Partner with the Senior Associate Vice President to engage and develop
current and former families with leadership, major and principal gift
potential.
Support the growth and operation of the Parents Leadership Council,
including prospective member identification, recruitment, engagement,
communications, meetings and events, annual commitments and stewardship.
Build and manage a pipeline of prospective Parents Leadership Council
members with the interest, capacity and engagement to assume greater
philanthropic leadership.
Develop relationships with Council members and other families, identifying
opportunities for increased giving, volunteer involvement, referrals and
introductions.
Coordinate follow-up from family events, meetings and engagement
opportunities to advance relationships and philanthropic opportunities.
Work with colleagues across the College to create meaningful opportunities
for families to connect with Merrimack's students, faculty, leadership and
institutional priorities.
Boards of Advisors & Strategic Engagement
Provide programmatic and administrative support for Merrimack's Boards of
Advisors in partnership with the Senior Associate Vice President and
academic leadership.
Support BOA meeting planning and execution, including scheduling,
communications, materials, member coordination, preparation, follow-up and
tracking.
Maintain accurate information on BOA membership, participation,
engagement, philanthropic activity, prospective members, referrals and
other key measures.
Partner with Prospect Research and academic leadership to identify
prospective BOA members who bring philanthropic potential, strategic
expertise, influence and networks aligned with Merrimack's priorities.
Coordinate follow-up on introductions and referrals generated through BOA
members, partnering with Prospect Research and gift officers to assess
philanthropic potential and determine appropriate next steps.
Help create opportunities for BOA members to deepen their engagement with
Merrimack and serve as philanthropic ambassadors and connectors for the
College.
Support stewardship and engagement activities that connect BOA members
with institutional, academic and campaign priorities.
Collaboration & Program Support
Collaborate with Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Prospect Research, Alumni
Relations and Advancement Communications to ensure coordinated donor
engagement and solicitation strategies.
Develop strong partnerships with deans, faculty, Athletics, Student
Affairs and other areas of the College to support donor, family and
volunteer engagement.
Assist with donor and volunteer communications, briefings, events and
other materials and activities supporting family philanthropy and BOA
engagement.
Maintain a high level of accuracy, responsiveness, discretion and
professionalism in working with donors, prospects and volunteer leaders.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree required.
Three to five years of experience in advancement, development, alumni
relations, donor relations, higher education or a related field;
candidates with relevant relationship-management, sales or nonprofit
experience may also be considered.
Demonstrated ability to build relationships and engage individuals around
an organization's mission and priorities.
Fundraising experience, including donor qualification, cultivation and
solicitation, strongly preferred.
Interest in and aptitude for developing donors from annual and leadership
giving toward major gift relationships.
Excellent organizational and project-management skills with the ability to
manage multiple priorities and ensure effective follow-through.
Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to work effectively with donors, families, volunteer leaders,
senior administrators and colleagues across a complex organization.
Demonstrated initiative, curiosity and ability to identify opportunities
within relationships and networks.
Experience with volunteer leadership groups, advisory boards,
parent/family programs or similar constituencies is desirable.
Familiarity with advancement databases, moves management and prospect
management practices preferred.
Strong judgment, discretion and professionalism in handling confidential
donor and prospect information.
Ability and willingness to travel periodically and evening and weekend
work required for events and College activities.
Application Materials Should Include:
Resume
Cover letter stating motivation and interest in the position, citing
experience relevant to the qualifications and including experience with,
and commitment to, our Catholic Augustinian mission and our values.
This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background
check.
Statement on Our Mission
Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian institution of higher education
committed to building an accepting and respectful community. Our mission is to
enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives and is inspired by our
Catholic faith and the Augustinian tradition of seeking truth through inquiry
and dialogue.
Merrimack College seeks candidates who understand, respect, and can contribute
to Merrimack's Catholic and Augustinian mission. All candidates should
describe in their application how they will foster a culture that supports our
mission.
About Merrimack College
The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New
England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational
institution with more than 4,100 undergraduate, 2,500 graduate students and 50
doctoral students from 48 states and 63 countries. The College features more
than 160 career-focused undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, all
taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and
student success. The College has six schools: arts and sciences, engineering
and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social
policy, the Girard school of business and the graduate school of counseling
and social work. The College's suburban 220-acre campus is just north of
Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master's Colleges and
Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification
of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest growing
educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed up in the
U.S. News & World Report's ranking of Best Colleges, ranking 38th in the
Regional Universities North category in 2026. Merrimack is a NCAA Division I
athletic institution.
Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
