Director of Donor Relations

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School (HIES) is seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Donor Relations to lead a comprehensive donor stewardship program that strengthens relationships, demonstrates philanthropic impact, and inspires continued investment in the School.

The Director of Donor Relations will develop and implement thoughtful, personalized stewardship strategies for HIES’s philanthropic community, which includes more than 2,100 donors, approximately 30 named endowment funds, and numerous major and planned gifts. This role will ensure that donors understand the lasting impact of their generosity and experience meaningful, consistent, and exceptional engagement with the School.

The ideal candidate will be an excellent writer, relationship builder, project manager, and strategic thinker who understands that exceptional donor relations are at the heart of long‑term philanthropic success.

The successful Director of Donor Relations will build a culture of exceptional stewardship at HIES—one in which donors feel known, appreciated, informed, and connected to the impact of their generosity. This individual will bring creativity and strategic thinking to donor engagement while ensuring that the School’s stewardship practices are organized, consistent, accurate, and aligned with donor intent.

Lead a Comprehensive Donor Stewardship Program

• Develop and implement a comprehensive stewardship strategy for annual, major, planned, and endowment donors.
• Create meaningful opportunities to communicate the impact of philanthropy and deepen donor engagement with HIES.
• Develop and execute personalized stewardship plans for major and planned donors in collaboration with portfolio managers.
• Design and coordinate major donor events, small-group gatherings, individual donor meetings, lunches, and other engagement opportunities.
• Develop annual donor communications and impact reports that demonstrate how philanthropic support advances the School’s mission and priorities.
• Partner with the Director of Annual Giving to develop stewardship strategies for leadership annual giving donors.
• Partner with the Advancement Events Manager to plan and execute stewardship events throughout the year.

• Manage stewardship of approximately 30 named endowment funds, ensuring that donor intent is honored and appropriately communicated.
• Draft, maintain, and monitor endowment agreements and related documentation.
• Lead the annual financial and impact reporting process for endowments.
• Track endowment expenditures across campus to ensure that earnings are used in accordance with donor intent.
• Gather information from academic and administrative departments regarding the use and impact of endowed funds to support meaningful donor reporting.
• Ensure that named endowment procedures are consistently followed in accordance with HIES’s Donor Relations policies and established best practices.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the visibility and impact of endowed gifts through thoughtful donor communications and engagement.

• Develop and manage a comprehensive donor recognition strategy, including naming opportunities, recognition signage, awards, and other forms of donor acknowledgment.
• Oversee the design, production, and installation of donor recognition materials in collaboration with outside vendors.
• Ensure donor recognition is timely, accurate, thoughtful, and consistent with School policies and donor agreements.
• Collaborate with internal partners to identify creative and meaningful ways to recognize philanthropic leadership.

• Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of donor stewardship activities, communications, agreements,…