Associate Director, Next Generation Philanthropy

External Relations at the University of Virginia (UVA) is seeking a highly qualified candidate to fill the role of Associate Director, Next Generation Philanthropy . The University of Virginia has a strong and reputable advancement community, boasting effective, results-oriented, and resourceful professionals. Our community comprises a robust central advancement organization, 12 University schools, and more than 25 University-related programs. We offer a wide variety of career opportunities, as well as an outstanding environment for professional growth and development.

Position Summary

The Associate Director, Next Generation Philanthropy provides strategic leadership for University Annual Giving and Stewardship’s (UAG&S) student and recent undergraduate philanthropy efforts, with particular emphasis on the alumni journey from matriculation through the fifth‑year reunion.

Reporting to the Director, Virtual Philanthropy, this role is responsible for developing and executing a cohesive, multi‑channel engagement strategy that integrates marketing, cross-Grounds partnerships, events, 1:1 outreach, solicitation, and stewardship for students and young alumni.

The Associate Director supervises the Assistant Director, Next Generation Philanthropy, and student interns, translating high‑level strategy into clear priorities, governance, and execution. This role serves as the strategic lead of the NextGen program and its execution, ensuring alignment between student engagement, young alumni fundraising, and long‑term donor pipeline development.

Responsibilities

Strategy & Program Execution

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Develop a comprehensive NextGen and young alumni engagement strategy, with a focus on the transition from student philanthropy to sustained engagement through the fifth‑year reunion.

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Implement the created strategy with the Assistant Director, Next Generation Philanthropy.

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Establish annual goals, KPIs, and success measures for student and young alumni philanthropy, including participation, retention, and stewardship outcomes.

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Collaborate with colleagues in the Office of Engagement, including Lifetime Learning and the UVA Clubs Global Network, to create and expand engagement offerings for the NextGen audience.

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Serve as the primary strategic partner to schools, units, and cross‑Grounds stakeholders engaging students and young alumni, aligning efforts with central Annual Giving priorities.

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Design strategic frameworks for major NextGen initiatives and campaigns, clarifying objectives, target audiences, positioning, and criteria for success.

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Use performance data and constituent insights to refine strategy, adjust priorities, and inform future program direction.

Management & Team Leadership

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Supervise the Assistant Director, Next Generation Philanthropy, providing strategic oversight, feedback, and approval for campaigns, messaging, timelines, and project summaries.

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Supervise student interns, including roles supporting social media, peer education, and student outreach.

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Create clear decision‑making frameworks and workflows that empower execution while maintaining alignment with strategic priorities and quality standards.

NextGen Direct Marketing Solicitations

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Lead the strategy, planning, and execution of direct marketing solicitation efforts for students and young alumni, including email, text, paid and organic social media, and digital giving platforms.

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Personally oversee and, when appropriate, execute high‑impact solicitations within direct marketing channels, particularly for complex or high‑visibility initiatives.

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Review and approve messaging, creative concepts, and deployment plans developed in collaboration with the Assistant Director and UAG&S Direct Marketing partners.

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Monitor solicitation performance and donor response, using results to optimize future outreach and improve retention.

Campaign and NextGen Donor Experience Oversight

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Coordinate major NextGen initiatives and events by working with marketing, event experience, stewardship, and on-Grounds partners. Especially for:

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Hoos Grateful: A university-wide day of stewardship where students write thank-you notes and record videos for donors while learning about the philanthropic resources available to them.

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GradFest: A week-long celebration for graduating students that provides essential resources ahead of Final Exercises, including regalia distribution, educational programming, and opportunities to make their Fourth-Year Gift.

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Manage the project execution of complex digital fundraising campaigns including timeline coordination, role assignment, risk management, and issue resolution. Including:

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Fourth-Year Giving: Our year-long campaign engaging undergraduate students in philanthropy by encouraging participation in the Fourth-Year Gift, supporting the areas of UVA they are most passionate about.

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CIO Challenge: A cross-Grounds Fall challenge where student groups and club sports teams compete for prizes to see who can raise the most money and obtain the most donors and engagement.

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Partner with Donor Experience Officers, Donor Relations, and Advancement colleagues to design stewardship and frontline fundraising experiences that reinforce NextGen donor impact, gratitude, and continuity of giving.

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Evaluate campaign, stewardship, and frontline outcomes, documenting lessons learned and recommending adjustments for future initiatives.

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Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

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Bachelor's degree.

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Live within a reasonable driving distance of Charlottesville.

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Two years of experience in fundraising, alumni engagement, marketing, student affairs, or a related field.

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Excellent interpersonal / communication skills and the ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders.

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Demonstrated ability to develop strategy, manage people, and guide complex projects to completion.

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Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

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Ability to balance high‑level planning with selective, hands‑on execution when needed.

Preferred Qualifications

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Five years of progressive experience in higher education fundraising, alumni engagement, marketing, student affairs, and young alumni or student philanthropy programs.

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Demonstrated success in 1:1 donor outreach, stewardship, or solicitation strategy.

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Familiarity with advancement CRM systems and digital engagement tools (e.g., Salesforce, GiveCampus, EverTrue).

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Experience supervising professional staff and student employees.

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Salary Range

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The anticipated hiring range is $71K - $77K / year , commensurate with education and experience.

Position Type & Work Location

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This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits .

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This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability.

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UVA External Relations offers a flexible and hybrid workplace. All team members must have access to and maintain a secure home office environment with high-speed internet service and be able to work collaboratively with others using a variety of technologies and tools. This hybrid position can be worked remotely, although frequent in-person work in our office building, on UVA Grounds, or at event venues is required. The ideal candidate will live within a reasonable driving distance of Charlottesville, Virginia.

About UVA and the Community

To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA .

Application Timeline

Application review will begin after June 22, 2026 .

Additional Requirements

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Background checks will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.

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This position will not consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future.

How to Apply

Please apply online , by searching for requisition number R0084408 .

Internal applicants may search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website .

Complete an application with the following documents

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Resume

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Cover Letter

Upload all materials into the resume submission field. You can submit multiple documents into this one field or combine them into one PDF. Applications without all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Reference Check Process

Reference checks will be completed by UVA’s third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will be requested, with at least three responses required.

Contact

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For additional information about the position, please contact Sandi Hall, Senior Associate Director for Staff Success, at eym5wh@virginia.edu .

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For questions about the application process, please contact Jon Freeman, HR Recruitment Specialist, at jf2sw@virginia.edu .

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment .