Position Summary
The Associate Director, Advancement Content & Project Management plays a critical role in advancing the fundraising, engagement, and stewardship priorities of Bryant University by developing high-impact, donor-centered content and managing complex advancement projects from concept through delivery. Reporting to the Senior Director of Advancement Communications and Stewardship, this position partners closely with frontline fundraisers, University Advancement leadership, and campus stakeholders to produce compelling proposals, cases for support, fundraising presentations, and multi-channel communications that advance annual giving and capital campaign goals. The Associate Director serves as a writer and strategic content advisor to development officers, ensuring that messaging is clear, persuasive, and aligned with institutional priorities, donor intent, and campaign strategy. This role blends advanced writing and editing expertise, professional presentation development, disciplined project management, and applied intelligence to deliver measurable fundraising outcomes. Bryant is recognized as a top 1 percent national leader in student education outcomes and ROI and regularly receives high rankings from U.S. News and World Report, QS Stars, Money, Bloomberg Businessweek, Wall Street Journal, and College Factual. Bryant's strategic plan, Vision 2030, redefines higher education through a commitment to providing students with a transformational learning experience. Vision 2030 accelerates advancements in academic innovation, experiential learning, vibrant student life, Division I athletics, and a connected community that fosters belonging and success.Principal Accountabilities
40% Fundraising Content, Proposals & Partnership - Lead the development of high-quality fundraising proposals, cases for support, and donor-facing materials in support of annual giving priorities, leadership annual giving, and the University's capital campaign.
- Partner with frontline fundraisers and Advancement leadership to translate institutional priorities into compelling, donor-centered narratives that support solicitations at the annual, leadership, major, and principal gift levels.
- Manage a robust proposal and case-development pipeline, ensuring timely delivery, accuracy, and strategic alignment.
- Maintain, update and regularly communicate available proposal and content assets to the division, specifically gift officers by initiatives and events.
- Establish and track key performance metrics related to content production, including: proposals and cases produced, value of proposals supported, delivery statistics, alignment with funded outcomes and stewardship follow-through.
- Maintain a deep understanding of Bryant's campaign priorities, funding opportunities, and philanthropic goals to proactively shape persuasive content.
- Partner with University Marketing and Communication to align advancement and university messages, print collateral needs and identify and act on opportunities for collaboration and efficiency.
45% Professional Presentations, Multimedia, AI & Project Management - Develop and manage fundraising slide decks and executive-level presentations for donors, trustees, volunteers, and senior leadership in support of annual giving, leadership giving, and capital campaign efforts.
- Write and shape content for multimedia projects, including videos, digital storytelling, web content, donor spotlights, and interactive campaign assets.
- Serve as project manager for complex Advancement communications, coordinating timelines, inputs, approvals, and final delivery across multiple stakeholders.
- Partner with Advancement Communications, Donor Relations, and University partners to ensure consistency in messaging, tone, and visual identity across print, digital, presentation, and multimedia platforms.
- Apply rigorous editorial and quality-control standards, including fact-checking, proofreading, and adherence to University brand and style guidelines.
- Leverage Applied Intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, NotebookLM, and other emerging platforms to support research, drafting, summarization, versioning, content optimization, and presentation development.
- Apply AI responsibly and strategically to improve turnaround time, consistency, insight generation, and scalability while maintaining high editorial, ethical, and brand standards.
- Stay informed on emerging trends in fundraising communications, presentation design, multimedia storytelling, and AI-enabled content development.
- Develop and maintain templates, toolkits, workflows, and AI-informed best practices to improve efficiency across Advancement content production.
15% Stewardship Content, Reporting & Institutional Knowledge - Create and deliver high-quality stewardship communications, impact reports, and donor updates that reinforce gratitude, transparency, and long-term philanthropic relationships.
- Create, maintain, and continuously improve tracking systems, workflows, and tools to ensure the timely development, approval, and distribution of stewardship reports and donor communications.
- Collaborate closely with Annual Giving and Donor Relations to confirm accurate recognition, naming, and gift impact messaging across all stewardship materials.
- Use reporting tools, dashboards, and internal scorecards to monitor stewardship deliverables, deadlines, and outcomes, identifying opportunities to improve consistency, timeliness, and donor experience.
- Build and maintain deep institutional knowledge to proactively identify stories, milestones, and outcomes that demonstrate impact and support fundraising and engagement priorities.
10% Team Management - Manage and mentor the Advancement Content Developer-Writer, and Assistant Director of Communications and Special Projects ensuring the effective coordination, consistency and execution of all Advancement content, stewardship, and editorial projects.
- Foster a collaborative, motivated, and high-performing team environment that values accountability, innovation, and professional growth.
- Set clear expectations, assess performance regularly, and provide constructive feedback to support individual development and team success.
- Encourage ongoing professional development and knowledge-sharing to strengthen team capacity and impact.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: - Participate in regular meetings with internal stakeholders to share progress, trends, and opportunities related to Advancement content, proposals, stewardship, and campaign communications.
- Represent Advancement Communications and Stewardship in cross-departmental meetings, campaign planning sessions, and Advancement initiatives as requested.
- Attend professional development opportunities to remain current on best practices in fundraising communications, presentation design, multimedia storytelling, and applied intelligence.
- Perform other duties as assigned in support of University Advancement goals and Vision 2030 priorities.
Qualifications
A bachelor's degree and 6-8 years of experience in annual giving, fundraising, alumni engagement, marketing, or a related field are required, with higher education experience preferred. The successful candidate will demonstrate experience managing complex projects, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and using data and systems to guide strategy and execution. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, experience working with CRM systems and data, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment are essential. This role requires flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends and a demonstrated commitment to Bryant University's mission. Experience with technology platforms such as relational databases, online giving platforms, crowdfunding tools, artificial intelligence tools and web or design software are preferred. Working Environment
At Bryant University, we believe that our strength lies in the richness of our campus community and the unique perspectives that shape it. By connecting academic and social experiences, we create an environment where individuals feel valued, respected, and supported. Our commitment to fostering belonging and well-being ensures that everyone has the opportunity to thrive and contribute meaningfully. We encourage applications from those who appreciate the wide range of experiences and backgrounds that make our community exceptional. Discover more about how we cultivate a welcoming and collaborative campus culture that drives excellence.Posting Number: STA02769
Open Until Filled: Yes
