Make lives meaningful through making.
Who We Are
Penland School of Craft is an international center for craft education offering residential workshops, residencies, community education programs, and exhibitions. Located on 420 acres in the NC Mountains, Penland has 16 teaching studios and 60 historic and contemporary buildings. We are an equal-opportunity employer with a staff of 70+. Penland operates with a $70 million endowment and an annual operating budget of $10 million. We are located about an hour northeast of Asheville, NC.
Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
At Penland School of Craft, we believe that fostering a climate of equity, inclusion, diversity, and antiracism are essential to our work. We are committed to creating a campus community free of discrimination, and we welcome everyone who supports this commitment.
Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, and other people who identify as people of color or BIPOC individuals are encouraged to apply, as are people holding other marginalized identities related to gender, sexual orientation, ability, and class background.
Position Summary
The Annual Giving Manager is a key member of the development team responsible for leading the strategy, execution, and growth of a comprehensive annual giving program. This position leads annual fundraising campaigns and creates meaningful ways to stay connected with donors through thoughtful communication and stewardship. This position plays a leading role in achieving annual fund revenue goals of approximately $600,000–$1,000,000 through integrated annual giving strategies, donor stewardship, and collaborative fundraising efforts, and manages a portfolio of 75-150 donors.
Additionally, they manage relationships with annual fund supporters, using data and donor insights to improve outreach and results, while working closely with teams across the organization to ensure a consistent and engaging donor experience. From coordinating campaigns and tracking progress to supporting scholarship donors and recognition efforts, this role helps strengthen relationships, increase giving, and sustain the organization's mission over time.
This position reports to the CAO and serves on the development team, which includes 7 staff members. This is a full-time, year-round, exempt, benefits-eligible position. We are looking for an individual willing to work at our Penland campus due to on-campus and team expectations. Penland is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an hour from Asheville, NC. It is a vibrant, artistic rural community.
Primary Responsibilities
- Lead the planning and execution of integrated, multi-channel annual giving campaigns—including direct mail, email, digital fundraising, and giving day initiatives—to drive donor acquisition, retention, and revenue growth in support of annual fund goals.
- Spearhead the fundraising team's effort to design and implement a comprehensive, year-round donor stewardship strategy that deepens engagement, strengthens donor loyalty, and increases lifetime value. Drive project management in this area and coordinate with other departments and external partners on printing and mailing deadlines.
- Own renewal and upgrade strategies for annual donors and annual donor giving circles, leveraging segmentation, donor insights, and face-to-face, in-person visits to personalize outreach to increase giving levels over time. Lead
- Manage a portfolio of 75 - 100 annual fund donors, providing direct stewardship and solicitation through personalized outreach, and serving as a key point of contact to enhance donor relationships and satisfaction. Lead all donor gifts up to $25,000.
- Actively participate in the donor acknowledgment program, ensuring timely, accurate, and meaningful recognition across all giving levels in collaboration with development operations.
- Work with the Data & Development Administrator on data entry, campaign tracking, segmentation, list generation, and data integrity to support effective decision-making and execution.
- Collaborate with the Communications team to develop compelling, donor-centric messaging and content across channels, aligning annual giving strategies with broader institutional branding and storytelling.
- Lead the strategy and execution of Penland's Giving campaign in partnership with the Digital Media Editor, including campaign planning, audience targeting, content development, and post-campaign analysis.
- Partner cross-functionally with program and events teams to integrate annual giving into key initiatives—including the Annual Benefit Auction—ensuring a cohesive donor experience and maximizing philanthropic outcomes.
- Drive donor pipeline development by identifying, qualifying, and cultivating prospects for increased giving, and collaborating with major gifts colleagues to support effective portfolio transitions.
- Conduct and synthesize donor research and performance data to inform strategy, optimize campaigns, and identify opportunities for growth.
- Establish, monitor, and analyze key performance metrics (e.g., donor retention, acquisition, upgrades, and revenue), and translate insights into actionable recommendations to improve results.
- Prepare and present regular reports on annual giving performance, trends, and strategic opportunities for internal stakeholders and leadership.
- Contribute to budget planning and management for annual giving initiatives, tracking expenses, and evaluating return on investment.
- Engage and support volunteers, board members, and ambassadors in annual giving efforts, equipping them with tools and strategies to effectively participate in fundraising.
- Support annual scholarship donor engagement and recognition, including stewardship communications, student-donor connections, and acknowledgment processes, ensuring a meaningful and mission-centered donor experience.
- Contribute to the production of the annual scholarship report in coordination with the Special Events Manager.
- Actively participate in advancement planning and strategy discussions, contributing insights and ideas to strengthen overall fundraising performance.
- Take on additional responsibilities and special projects as assigned by the Chief Advancement Officer.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, nonprofit development, membership, or sales/marketing or a related field (annual giving, direct response, or donor relations experience preferred).
- Demonstrated experience managing or supporting fundraising campaigns, including email, direct mail, or digital giving initiatives.
- Strong relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to engage and steward donors effectively.
- Experience working with donor databases/CRMs (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, or similar), including list generation, segmentation, and data management.
- Ability to analyze data and use insights to inform strategy, track performance, and improve results.
- Excellent project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- Strong writing and editing skills, particularly for donor-facing communications.
- Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively across teams.
- High level of attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy, especially in donor records and acknowledgments.
- Familiarity with fundraising best practices, donor stewardship, and moves management is a plus.
- Passion for the organization's mission and an understanding of the role philanthropy plays in supporting it.
Physical Demands
This position is primarily office-based and requires extended periods of sitting and working at a computer, including typing and viewing digital screens. The role also involves occasional standing, walking, and use of office equipment. The Coordinator may be required to lift and move materials weighing up to 20–25 pounds. Occasional bending, reaching, and carrying may be necessary.
Participation in events may require extended periods of standing, light setup and breakdown, and occasional evening or weekend work.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
Benefits
We are committed to supporting our staff through a comprehensive benefits package. For health and wellness, we offer multiple medical plan options, as well as vision, dental, long-term disability, and life insurance coverage. Employees also have access to a retirement plan and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Our leave benefits include generous vacation time, sick leave, extended sick leave, and floating holidays to support work-life balance.
In addition, staff enjoy unique organizational perks such as access to studios, free classes, meals during program periods, and various employee discounts. We also offer additional benefits and opportunities, which we are happy to discuss in more detail during the interview process.
Compensation
This is an exempt, full-time, year-round, benefits-eligible position. Compensation discussions are part of the interviewing process, but the starting salary range for this position is $52,000 - $70,000 annually and is negotiable within this range based on the skills and experience an applicant brings to the position.
