Director, Regenerative Communities

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The Director of Regenerative Communities leads Webster University’s strategy to grow and sustain the broad base of philanthropic supporters whose recurring annual gifts generate renewable, flexible funding for the institution. At Webster, regenerative communities include alumni, parents and families, faculty and staff, neighbors, and friends whose ongoing engagement and annual gifts strengthen the University over time.

This role is responsible for designing and executing scalable acquisition, retention, and engagement programs that expand donor participation and strengthen Webster’s philanthropic pipeline.

Through the strategic use of donor segmentation, analytics, and multi-channel communications—including direct mail, digital engagement, crowdfunding, telefunding, and emerging platforms—the Director builds sustainable donor engagement systems that increase long-term philanthropic participation.

• Lead Webster University’s annual giving and regenerative donor engagement strategy, with a focus on increasing donor acquisition, retention, participation, and recurring support.
• Design and implement scalable, multi-channel fundraising and engagement programs, including direct mail, email, digital campaigns, crowdfunding, telefunding, giving days, and peer-to-peer outreach.
• Develop annual solicitation and engagement plans aligned with institutional priorities and donor lifecycle stages.
• Ensure regenerative giving programs generate sustainable, unrestricted support for Webster’s mission and strategic initiatives.

• Lead the planning, execution, and evaluation of direct response and participation-driven fundraising campaigns.
• Utilize donor data, segmentation, and analytics to develop targeted engagement strategies and improve campaign performance.
• Monitor and evaluate campaign results, adjusting strategies to improve donor participation, retention, and overall effectiveness.
• Partner with departmental colleagues to ensure effective donor communications, accurate data management, and performance reporting.
• Identify donors demonstrating increased engagement and support their progression into leadership, major, or planned gift pipelines.

• Partner with academic and administrative leaders to translate institutional priorities into compelling donor engagement opportunities.
• Collaborate with Community Resource Development colleagues to support coordinated donor engagement and lifecycle management.
• Develop and implement stewardship strategies that reinforce donor impact and encourage continued engagement.
• Ensure timely and meaningful donor communications and acknowledgments.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support Webster University’s philanthropic goals.

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of 5 yrs experience in annual giving, donor engagement, or fundraising
• Demonstrated success in growing donor participation, acquisition, or retention
• Experience managing direct response fundraising campaigns, including direct mail and digital engagement
• Experience with participation-driven fundraising models such as crowdfunding, giving days, telefunding, or peer-to-peer fundraising
• Experience using donor data and segmentation to inform engagement strategies
• Strong project management, organizational, and analytical skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and stakeholders
• Demonstrated commitment to ethical fundraising practices

• Master’s degree
• Experience in higher education philanthropy / development teams
• Experience managing multi-channel donor engagement campaigns
• Experience increasing donor participation across broad constituent populations
• Familiarity with donor databases or philanthropy CRM systems