Development Writer Jobs

Job Summary

The Development Writer, Marketing and Communications, is a key member of the central Office of Institutional Advancement (IA) staff, who develops content that cultivates strong private support for Drexel University. This position will focus on conceptualizing, researching, writing, editing and helping project-manage a wide range of digital and print communications in support of fundraising and stewardship efforts at the major gifts and leadership annual giving levels.

The Development Writer must be a skilled and versatile writer and project manager who can make compelling cases for Drexel’s fundraising priorities; creatively and consistently utilize institutional messaging, effective strategies, and appropriate themes, and partner closely with frontline fundraisers, IA leadership, and academic partners. They will be a collaborative, strategic, creative, and deadline-oriented team member who thrives in a workplace that strongly values integrity, adaptability, innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Essential Functions

• Meet with internal stakeholders (e.g., frontline fundraisers, deans, faculty) to understand their communications goals, keep stakeholders updated, and ensure delivery to stakeholder satisfaction.
• Conduct research and gather background information as needed to develop effective fundraising, cultivation, and stewardship communications.
• Work with team members to establish project timelines and workflows. Assist with keeping progress consistent with prescribed timelines.
• Stay abreast of institutional priorities, as well as news about faculty/students/alumni/programs, and use this information in developing persuasive messages and cases for support.
• Research, write, edit, and project-manage a broad range of digital and print communications, including fundraising collateral; planned giving material; gift proposals, case statements, and concept papers; stories about philanthropic impact; donor profiles; remarks for IA leadership and University President; and other stewardship communications.
• Communicate the impact of gifts to the University and create compelling stories of support by interviewing donors, faculty, and staff.
• Ensure that content is reviewed and approved by identified colleagues, including IA staff and leadership, deans of schools/colleges and donors, and individuals quoted in produced content, which may include alumni and/or students.
• Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications visual and digital teams on proposals and other materials that require design, production, and/or deployment through digital channels.
• Serve as back-up to other Marketing and Communications content writers as needed (e.g., producing and/or editing alumni relations content).
• Edit and proofread content written by IA colleagues (e.g., frontline fundraisers) and freelance writers.

Required Qualifications

• Ability to synthesize large quantities of information, organize ideas and turn institutional objectives and messages into compelling cases for philanthropic support.
• Experience in managing multi-step communications projects and in meeting multiple overlapping deadlines.
• Excellent research and project management skills.
• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in English, Journalism, Communications, or related and 5 years of professional experience or Equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated ability as a versatile, creative persuasive writer with excellent grammar, spelling and proofreading skills, including high standards regarding accuracy.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of the university fundraising profession and of contemporary issues and methods of higher education institutional advancement and fundraising.
• Experience to deal in confidence with information about donors and prospects and to exercise good judgment.
• Familiarity with academic, scientific, and/or technical subjects and a demonstrated ability to translate these to a lay audience.

Location

Hybrid: Remote/University City, Philadelphia PA

Additional Information

This position is classified as Exempt with a salary grade of K. For more information regarding Drexel’s Professional Staff salary structure, https://drexel.edu/hr/career/ducomp/salstructure/

Please review the Benefits Brochure for some information on our benefits offerings.

Special Instructions to the Applicant

In addition to your CV/resume and cover letter, please submit three writing samples with your application, with suggested formats including: (1) a gift proposal, (2) set of event remarks, and (3) an impact/news stories, newsletter, gift announcement, or stewardship publication/report.

Review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.