Development Research Assistant

Overview

The Caine College of the Arts (CCA) Development Research Assistant works with the Senior Director of Advancement and the Dean to plan and implement the CCA development strategies, communications, and fundraising/donor relations/alumni engagement activities. This is a full-time position reporting to the Dean's Assistant.

The successful candidate may request up to two days each week of remote work following a successful probationary period.

Responsibilities

50% Development support activities

• Provide support to the Senior Director of Advancement, Dean, and others as requested, including: researching prospect data; gathering information; preparing communications and reports; doing research to provide appropriate background information; and preparing drafts of impact reports, proposals, gift agreements, correspondence, and other development-related materials. Draft/create materials regarding alumni and donor highlights for social media, newsletter, and website, working with CCA Marketing as necessary. Assist the Dean and Assistant to the Dean with CCA Advancement Council activities. In all efforts be watchful for any information that may be pertinent to potential future gifts or cultivation opportunities for the college.

25% Stewardship activities

• Attend monthly Stewie Meetings with USU Advancement.

• Assist and research unawarded scholarships by following up with the Dean's Office and/or department heads depending on where the scholarship is housed. Review and approve student thank you letters in Scholarship Universe prior to sending on to the donors.

• Maintain database to track stewarding activities, including thank you notes and donor acknowledgements. Prepare weekly gift reports. Prepare gift acknowledgements. Assure stewarding and reporting deadlines are met. Work with CCA Business Services and USU Advancement Services offices to ensure gifts are deposited and receipted correctly, researching as necessary to resolve any discrepancies. Prepare stewardship reports for foundations and donors as required.

• Build a rapport with donors making sure that they have that personal touch when attending events.

• Assist the Assistant to the Dean with the annual Awards Celebration and Donor Recognition event.

• Occasional after-hours and off-site work are required components of this position.

15% Annual Giving/Donor Communication

• Draft and send annual giving fundraising letters, emails, social media posts, and other forms of communication to potential and existing donors. Write compelling messages, proofread, and ensure timely delivery, while coordinating efforts with the college and University Advancement. Conduct research to identify potential donors, including alumni, parents, and community members, who have a connection with or interest in supporting the arts. Assist in the cultivation and stewardship of annual donors, including individuals, corporations, and foundations.

10% Other duties as assigned

• Assist with Dean's Office support as necessary, including back-up receptionist duties, greeting guests to the college, and other duties as needed.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Four years of related work experience; or an associate degree/technical training plus two years of related work experience is required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or four years of related experience

• USU/CCA experience

• Familiarity with USU Advancement processes and databases

• Experience with organizing student groups and working with students

• Experience in and understanding and appreciation of the arts

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Skilled with computers and program, including word-processing, spreadsheets, and databases and capacity to learn new programs and processes

• Critical thinking and problem solving skills

• Proficient grammar, writing, and editing skills

• Knowledge of fundraising, donor relations, and public relations concepts, principles, procedures, and techniques

• Ability to be discrete with sensitive and confidential information

• Ability to foster positive interpersonal relationships

• Ability to exercise independent initiative

• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy

• Ability to work donors, faculty, staff and students and as a selfless member of a team

• Ability to organize student groups

• Ability to organize events

• Ability to take initiative and work under pressure in a fast-paced office environment

• Knowledge of University, State, and Federal policies and procedures

• Ability to conceptualize and develop proactive prospecting methodologies to support organizational goals, including data mining, sophisticated database queries, etc.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

Resume/CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under "Resume/CV" Name and contact information for 3 professional references to be entered into Candidate Profile Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

Document size may not exceed 10 MB.

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits

ADA

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

College/Department Highlights

The Caine College of the Arts (CCA) seeks to make the arts more visible, more innovative, and more fully integrated into the intellectual life of Utah State University and the communities it serves. The CCA is a collaborative community, representing the collective strengths and voices of the arts and it acts as a conduit for connecting people and programs. The CCA offers a visiting artist program that brings important artists, designers, and scholars to campus, is home to award-winning faculty, features a world-class performance hall, offers internships with prominent artists and designers, and operates several international study opportunities. The College houses the Departments of Art + Design, Music, and Theatre Arts, and is closely affiliated with the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art on the USU campus.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah's premier land-grant, public service university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion, empowering people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. Utah State provides high-quality education to 27,500-plus students locations throughout the state, including at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah's counties. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge through research and scholarly activities, providing a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price.

Utah State is committed to cultivating a community of inclusive excellence where all perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU.

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university's ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu.

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU's main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute's 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation.

• updated 04/2024

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU's non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

• updated 09/2023