Director of Stewardship

The Director of Stewardship is responsible for the design, implementation and management of a comprehensive and donor-centered stewardship program that appropriately and consistently promotes interaction with and recognition of donors at all levels. The stewardship program is expected to foster positive and mutually rewarding relations between the University and its donors, which will increase donor retention and encourage donors to upgrade to higher giving levels. In partnership with External Relation's executive management, the Director will provide leadership in establishing fundraising policies related to stewardship initiatives, creating a library of stewardship tools, determining effective donor stewardship strategies, and developing a system for tracking and reporting stewardship activities. The Director will also advance the University's efforts to maintain and strengthen high-quality relationships with donors by ensuring they receive a consistent level of care across all departments and giving levels, and by facilitating the cross-departmental communication and collaboration necessary to effectively ensure those levels of care.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Develops and implements a strategic donor engagement plan to recognize and retain donors at all giving levels. This includes personalized stewardship for major, endowed, and planned giving donors, ensuring alignment with fundraising priorities and institutional goals.
2. Oversees impact reporting and donor communications by managing the creation of compelling reports, acknowledgments, and other materials that highlight the impact of philanthropy. Collaborates with university staff and faculty to report on gift usage, ensure compliance with donor intent, track fund utilization, and coordinate with departments to demonstrate impact through reports and personalized outreach. Maintains consistency in messaging and branding while creating meaningful touchpoints that strengthen donor relationships.
3. Partners with leadership and members of the Philanthropy and Strategic Partnerships team to integrate stewardship into fundraising strategies. Establishes and manages tracking, metrics and reporting processes for stewardship initiatives to assess program  effectiveness.
4. Responds to donor and other external constituent inquiries. Supports university donor related events and activities, which may include nights and weekends.