What are the responsibilities and job description for the director/stewardship & donor relations position at Central Michigan University?
Director/Stewardship & Donor Relations
This position reports to the Deputy Chief of Advancement & Campaign Strategies and is responsible for the planning, development, implementation, and accountability of a comprehensive stewardship and donor relations plan for philanthropic donors to Central Michigan University.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Facilitates a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship strategy and initiatives that proactively engage donors at all levels, ensuring that transparent, accurate, and personalized communications and recognition accompany an excellent donor experience with CMU.
- Creates or enhances systems, processes, and procedures for producing and distributing accurate and informative endowment reports for donors that encourage their continued support to CMU.
- Manages a portfolio of donors designated as long-term stewardship status, ensuring that meaningful communication and engagement continues.
- Maintains effective donor acknowledgement procedures and activities (calls, letters, emails, texts, etc.) for the university president and vice president, and various colleges, units, and departments.
- Manages acknowledgement and recognition activities for all donors.
- Oversees the collection and disbursement of scholarship thank you letters, maintaining efficient processes and timelines.
- Manages an annual operating budget.
- Develops processes and procedures in conjunction with the President's Office and advancement colleagues for the identification and invitation of major gift prospects and other VIP guests to attend the President's Football Suite and other key university events that may serve as a stewardship or cultivation tool.
- Creates procedures to administer the major donor acknowledgement process that achieves maximum donor engagement and recognition.
- Implements individual stewardship plans for major prospects in collaboration with advancement, college, unit, and department colleagues.
- Supervises the production of publications that demonstrate donor impact, stewardship, and fiscal accountability.
- Attends stewardship and donor relations events with university leaders as needed/directed, interacting with members of the board of trustees, advancement, alumni board members, and other VIP's.
- Develops and executes campus-wide donor recognition events, including the annual Scholarship and Endowment Celebration, and/or other celebratory/recognition or stewardship-related events to ensure exceptional donor experience. This may include target recognition of certain donors and/or VIP's at major university events in collaboration with advancement colleagues and university leaders.
