Director of Donor Relations

Summary

As a senior member of the Advancement & Alumni Relations team, the director of donor relations is responsible for developing and overseeing a comprehensive donor relations program to promote interaction with donors at all levels to enhance overall fundraising by strengthening and sustaining relationships with donors through illustration of impact, gratitude and recognition.

Diversity & Inclusion

Embracing diversity for a richly inclusive community is a Guiding Principle at JWU. Our students, faculty and staff have varied backgrounds, experiences and perspectives that unite us as one community and contribute to our success. We are committed to enhancing the diversity of our workforce teams and we encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply.

Johnson & Wales University is an equal opportunity employer. The university does not illegally discriminate on the basis of any protected class. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, familial status, gender or gender identity, genetic information, military service, national origin, pregnancy and related conditions, race, religion, sex, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Essential Job Functions

• Designs, manages and executes a comprehensive donor relations strategy to strengthen past and current donor relationships with the university
• Manages the process for gift acknowledgments, designs endowment reports, and partners with the Development team in creating donor strategies for engagement and stewardship
• Partners with key stakeholders to develop gift agreements that meet donor intent and further the mission of the university
• Identifies and leads donor cultivation and recognition events to enhance the donor experience; designs and implements donor recognition for the giving societies programs
• Partners with the campus community to identify and leverage opportunities to enhance a prospect or donor experience
• Supports the Chancellor and executive leadership team to support their donor cultivation and recognition activities
• Identifies donor interests and strategizes to translate interests into a meaningful donor stewardship experience
• Serves as primary liaison to external agencies, foundations and funders to maintain accurate and timely responses and reporting
• Researches and stays abreast of industry trends in stewardship and identifies new innovative methods that can be implemented at the university
• Partners with university colleagues to ensure that deliverables on donor-funded initiatives are met and in alignment with the terms of the gift
• Prepares and monitors departmental budget
• Supervises and develops the department staff, facilitating professional opportunities to improve individual capability and managing performance against job accountabilities, department goals and established university, campus and department policies and procedures
• Supervises and manages student employees, as necessary, to enhance their academic and professional development
• Performs other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree
• Moderate amount of experience working in donor relations and stewardship program development, impact report and gift acknowledgment writing, project management or related experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge

Please Note:

Qualified candidates must live or relocate within a daily commuting distance of the Providence Campus location upon hire.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis until job posting is closed.