Senior Writer, Advancement Communications

Senior Writer, Advancement Communications

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Job Summary Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) seeks a Senior Writer, Advancement Communications to join Institutional Advancement. The Senior Writer plays a key role in crafting compelling content that supports philanthropic goals and engagement efforts ted in RISD’s creative culture, this role calls for an exceptional writer who can blend strategic thinking with imaginative storytelling to effectively communicate the impact of art and design education.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Advancement Communications within Institutional Advancement (IA), the Senior Writer collaborates with colleagues across fundraising, donor relations, and alumni and family relations to develop a wide range of high-quality materials. These include major gift opportunities, cases for support, stewardship reporting, annual giving materials, fundraising collateral and more. The Senior Writer will also contribute to key IA publications, including the RISD Alumni + Friends Magazine.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, collaborative, and deadline-driven. The Senior Writer brings strong writing and editorial skills, a clear and adaptable voice and an understanding of how to tailor messages to diverse audiences. The successful candidate will thrive in a campus environment that is committed to advancing the principles of social equity and inclusion, environmental climate justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities.

• Develop a strong understanding of RISD’s strategic priorities across the college, museum, and institution-wide initiatives, and translate them into clear, audience-specific content for a variety of communication channels.
• Work with fundraisers and senior leadership to develop materials that effectively convey the need for philanthropic support and demonstrate the impact of giving.
• Write and produce cohesive, high-quality content that supports IA’s goals. This includes stewardship reports, donor acknowledgements, solicitations, fundraising collateral, gift announcements, and talking points.
• Edit and proofread a wide range of IA communications and materials prepared for external audiences to ensure clarity, consistency and accuracy.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues across IA to strategize, develop, and implement content that supports fundraising and engagement goals. Identify opportunities to tell meaningful stories that highlight donor impact and build compelling cases for support.

• Bachelor’s degree with at least 5-7 years of relevant experience in donor relations or philanthropy communications.
• Must be a superb writer, editor, proofreader and researcher: fast, creative, curious, detail-oriented and versatile.
• Experience in creative writing at all gift levels in a nonprofit setting, higher ed preferred.
• Ability to gather and synthesize large quantities of information, organize ideas and turn institutional objectives and messages into compelling cases for philanthropic support and engagement.
• Flexibility and ability to receive edits and adjust work, incorporating feedback.
• Ability to produce high-quality work in a timely manner, adhering to deadlines while managing and prioritizing multiple projects.
• Demonstrated ability to engage as a positive team member who establishes productive relationships, demonstrates respect and facilitates understanding by considering and integrating diverse viewpoints; ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Occasional travel or event attendance, sometimes outside of regular business hours to learn about fundraising priorities.

• Relevant experience and knowledge of higher education fundraising and methods of institutional advancement and fundraising.
• Knowledge of current and evolving advancement communications concepts, as well as shifting donor relations practices.
• Experience with annual giving and direct response marketing.

• Resume (Required)
• Cover Letter (Required)
• Please submit two writing samples as either…