POSITION INFORMATION

Title: Director of Donor Relations

Division: Development

FLSA Status: Full-time, Exempt

Starting Annual Salary: $90,000.00 commensurate with experience

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Donor Relations will provide leadership, vision and strategic planning for donor stewardship initiatives by building a premier, comprehensive donor recognition program to strengthen existing donor commitment to the University of Hawai‘i (UH) and forge new relationships to build visibility, impact and financial resources. This position will plan and execute stewardship and cultivation strategic initiatives, donor outreach and communications, donor recognition, acknowledgements, and stewardship plan reports.

The Director will serve as the liaison with senior leadership regarding donor gifts and developing stewardship plans for top donors. This individual will collaborate closely with all UH Foundation (UHF) divisional teams and UH partners, to maintain donor relations standards and donor-centric programming across all areas of the University system.

In November 2023, UH Foundation launched the public phase of their comprehensive campaign, For UH For Hawai‘i, with a goal of $1 billion. The Director will play a critical role in the success of the campaign by partnering with development staff to reinforce with donors, UHF’s appreciation for philanthropic support. The Director will help sustain positive relationships with donors and build a competitive edge for the University in its fundraising efforts through donor engagement and recognition communications.

Key responsibilities include assuring that donors are thanked in appropriate, distinctive, visible, and memorable ways; informed about how their gifts are being used; involved in the life of the university and the Foundation; and motivated to continue their support. The ideal candidate will be innovative and strategic, with a deep understanding of the hallmarks of excellent donor stewardship: showing appreciation for their gifts, building continuous relationships, learning about the unique interests of each donor, and creating opportunities to keep them engaged with the Foundation and University.

REPORTS TO

Associate Vice President, Gift Planning & Donor Development

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develop, implement, and lead a successful and integrated donor relations program that strategically targets all levels of giving.
• Represent the interests of the Foundation’s major donors to all ten campuses of the University of Hawai‘i.
• Enhance customer service initiatives by identifying process issues as it relates to donor management and provide strategic input for process improvements through cross-team collaboration.
• Manage relationships with donors and ensure the integrity of the donor and their wishes and to help inspire future giving.
• Serve as primary liaison and specialist to advancement personnel to provide cultivation and stewardship oversight to individual donors and prospects.
• Work closely with donor research and gift processor, to ensure donor records and data are available for reporting. Provide and presents statistical analysis to board and senior management in relation to donor information.
• Provide direction and oversight in the planning and implementation of donor recognition events in close conjunction with the Director of Special Events.
• Provide oversight and management of external endowment reporting to donors.
• Create innovative programs and projects to thank and steward donors.
• Implement best practices in donor acknowledgement letters on behalf of University and Foundation President. Responsible for the review and control of all gift acknowledgments, including receipts, thank you letters and pledge statements.
• Tracks donor relations and stewardship activities within established database to enhance relationships and increase the likelihood of continued contributions.
• Works closely with Development staff to report on the use of gifts, communicate gift impact and celebrate contributions.
• Manage giving societies and develop programming aimed at building stronger, deeper, relationships with our donors, and increase donor awareness and levels of membership status.
• Serve as an ombudsperson at times when donors’ wishes are misinterpreted.
• Oversee donor recognition and stewardship activity focused on principal and major gift level donors, planned giving, and endowment giving, including but not limited to annual reporting and custom donor recognition programs.
• Develop a more strategic, focused approach to the highest level of lifetime giving.
• Lead a donor recognition strategy for naming opportunities, including permanent donor recognition.
• Lead centralized efforts for a forward-thinking approach to donor acknowledgments, honor rolls/donor lists, holiday stewardship programs, and other stewardship communication.
• Create a culture of knowledge of donor relations across the Foundation.
• Work closely with the Vice President of Development and Offices of Annual Giving, Alumni Relations, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Estate and Gift Planning, and Scholarship Administration on stewardship efforts towards various donor giving societies and annual donor recognition.
• Work closely with the Associate Vice President of Communications and External Relations on donor stories to communicate the university’s accomplishments and develop high-profile communications translating the vision of executive leadership in print and digital publications including the Annual Report, Kupono magazine, etc.
• Develop stewardship standards for the Foundation to be used by all units/campuses, including Permanent Stewardship
• Oversee partnership with Advancement Services and units/campuses to ensure donor intent is being met on the endowment spending.
• Establish metrics-driven donor relations activity utilizing existing fundraising software.
• Perform other related work duties as requested.

EVALUATION

The Director will meet annually with their supervisor to put a strategic plan in place for the year. At the end of each year, the Director and their supervisor will review progress toward the annual goals.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Minimum of 5 years of professional work experience, including 3 years managing a team in donor relations and/or fundraising/development.

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• A minimum of seven years’ experience, preferably in higher education (or a comparably complex organization), in development, stewardship, advancement services or related field. Previous experience interacting with donors is required.
• Broad-based knowledge and skills related to advancement and fundraising in higher education, a plus.
• Excellent organizational, time and project management, interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong knowledge of fundraising database management is required.
• The ability to create, execute and/or support, and oversee a comprehensive campus-wide donor acknowledgement and recognition plan, including advising on cultivation events and programs for the University’s major donors.
• Proven skills and ability to manage multi-phase projects from inception to completion, including the ability to build consensus among team members and balance multiple concurrent priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals and constituencies in a diverse community.
• Must be able to generate creative solutions for stewarding donors to advance the University’s efforts to maintain and strengthen high-quality individual relationships with donors.
• Strong writing, copy editing, and analytical abilities with the ability to prepare reports and make effective and persuasive presentations to internal and external constituents.
• Strong organizational skills and a laser-focused attention to detail.
• Able to work independently and take the initiative to accomplish tasks and objectives with a positive attitude, taking pride in approaching the work with intention and a growth mindset.
• Professional, self-starter, and team player.
• Highly organized, able to multi-task and work independently without need for day-to-day supervision of the responsibilities of the position.
• Ability to respond to high pressure situations.
• Sensitivity to confidential information.
• Must reflect and represent the Foundation’s values which are Teamwork, Accountability, Service, Trust, Integrity, and Excellence

WORKING CONDITIONS

Based at the Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center at 1810 University Avenue, Suite 300, Honolulu, HI, 96822, the Director of Donor Relations will work primarily in an office environment and will need to sit or stand for extended periods while either working at a computer, attending a meeting, or performing desk work. Employee must have a valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record or have an acceptable mode of transportation. The employee will need to work some weekends and evenings and be able to work to the demands of the position, which may exceed a 40-hour work week.