Director of Donor Relations & Stewardship

Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship Job Description

Classification:
Full-Time, Exempt

Reporting:
Executive Director of Advancement Services

Reporting to the Executive Director of Advancement Services, the Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship will conceptualize and execute a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship program in support of the Advancement Office at Ursinus College. They will manage targeted, research-based and content-driven outreach that serves to advance the donor relationship with the college. Specific elements of the donor relations and stewardship program include annually scheduled impact reporting, lifetime stewardship reporting, endowment reporting, principal gifts stewardship, an acknowledgment letter process, donor recognition societies and signage, donor stewardship events and visits, and soft-touch stewardship outreach.

They will focus much of their time on building a principal gifts stewardship program, supporting Presidential and Advancement leadership efforts, and increasing donor retention. This position provides direct supervision to the Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship.

• Develops and manages a collaborative, thoughtful approach to the announcement, acknowledgment, and recognition of principal level gifts in collaboration with Advancement leadership and campus partners.
• Prepares highly-personalized written correspondence from the President of the College and other senior leaders, as requested, which may include meeting follow-up notes, letters of congratulations, and general outreach/issues management that serves to advance an individual’s relationship with the college.
• Work closely with the Vice President for Advancement and External Relations and Associate Vice President for Advancement to lead principal gift stewardship program. This may include creating comprehensive program-specific reports with financial accounting, developing broader lifetime impact reports, and coordinating individual donor visits and donor experiences.
• Works collaboratively with colleagues across the college to advise and implement individualized stewardship plans, programs, and other deliverables, both virtual and in-person, during the next campaign.
• Manages a small portfolio of donors in permanent stewardship, ensuring strategic touches annually as appropriate.

• Works closely with the Ursinus Fund team to focuses on donor retention and implementing practices that support that priority. In collaboration with the Executive Director of the Ursinus Fund and Director of Operations, Systems, and Technology, monitor retention trends and develop strategies that improve repeat giving and the recapture of lapsed donors through effective stewardship.
• Serve as lead for donor recognition societies, working with key Advancement partners to manage associated events, programs, and honor rolls. These groups currently include the 1869 Society (leadership annual), Sycamore Club (loyalty), and Tower Society (gift planning), and may expand to include an Athletics-based club and others. Develops, schedules, and manages society-specific engagement, with the ultimate goal of generating annual support.
• In collaboration with the Executive Director of the Ursinus Fund, support stewardship of various annual funding priorities such as the Bears Club, Friends of Myrin Library, Friends of Berman, Friends of Theater & Dance, Friends of Music, recurring gifts, first-time donors, and more.

• Oversee the administration a comprehensive acknowledgment letter program, which includes correspondence on behalf of the President of the college, Vice President for Advancement and External Relations, Associate Vice President for Advancement, and other senior-level directors.
• Conceptualize, develop, plan, and oversee a program for stewardship reporting (narrative and financial) for current-use and endowed funds including: developing, documenting, and adhering to an annual schedule to ensure timely delivery; researching, writing and editing reports and cover letters; and…