Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Development, the Director of Stewardship is responsible for creating, implementing, and managing a comprehensive, university-wide program that ensures appropriate recognition of time, talent, and financial resources. This role provides leadership, vision, and strategic planning for donor stewardship efforts with the goal of strengthening existing donor relationships and cultivating new ones. The Director contributes towards the development of a premier donor recognition program that enhances the university’s visibility, impact, and fundraising outcomes.
Essential Duties:

• Design, launch, and manage comprehensive stewardship and recognition programs for donors and volunteers at all giving levels.
• Collaborate with the President, senior leadership, faculty, staff, volunteers, and donors to achieve strategic objectives and deliver appropriate messages for all stewardship efforts.
• Revise and manage a stewardship communications program, including donor- and volunteer-focused publications that communicate the university’s stewardship programs.
• Work with the Vice President of University Relations and Associate Vice Presidents to support the Director of University Events in developing donor recognition initiatives, including focused stewardship events, endowed funding opportunities, other funds requiring donor reports, naming opportunities, etc.
• Establish and maintain policies, quality standards, and best practices for volunteer and donor recognition and stewardship.
• Research, benchmark, and adopt industry best practices to strengthen the university’s donor relations programs.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive tracking system for tracking donor relations activities involving development officers, administrators, faculty, and staff across the University.
• Manage the production and distribution of annual stewardship reports to individual donors for ongoing donations, endowed funds such as scholarships and professorships, and major capital gifts to ensure consistency and quality, including the production of an annual roll of donors.
• Build and nurture professional and effective working relationships with colleagues in Alumni and Parent Relations, Major and Annual Giving, Foundation Relations, Advancement Services and Operations, Marketing, and across campus.
• Work closely with the Director of Advancement Services on gift acknowledgments and correspondence, and the Director of University Events on programs and events.
• Oversee the stewardship budget; manage vendor relationships with custom-design-item suppliers.

Additional Duties:

• Support and participate in regular development office staff meetings and University special events.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience managing stewardship programs in a complex fundraising environment or related experience in project management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage complex projects independently, including setting priorities, meeting deadlines, and adapting to shifting demands.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with experience supervising staff and volunteers, managing budgets, and working collaboratively across departments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft strategic, donor-focused content and engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Strategic and creative thinker with a solid understanding of university advancement operations and donor engagement best practices.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion; committed to confidentiality and ethical standards.
• Resilient, adaptable, and mission-driven, with a strong work ethic and the ability to perform under pressure while maintaining a positive, team-oriented approach.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree
• More than five (5) years of progressively responsible experience managing stewardship programs in a complex fundraising environment or related experience in project management.
• Ability to understand, synthesize, and explain academic information to a wide audience in a clear and concise manner

Starting annual salary: $61,254. The final offer for the successful candidate will be commensurate with experience and may exceed the starting salary.