Job Description

PCN 2092

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.