Assistant Director, Donor Acknowledgement and Recognition Programs

Position Number: 40078015

Payroll Title: PROJECT POLICY ANL 3 (007398)

Job Code: 007398

Job Open Date: 1/31/25

Application Review Begins: 2/18/25

Department Code (Name): DEVL (DEVELOPMENT)

Percentage of Time: 100

Union Code (Name): 99

Employee Class (Appointment Type): Staff: Career

FLSA Status: Exempt

Classified Indicator Description (Personnel Program): PSS

Salary Grade: Grade 21

Pay Rate/Range: The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $70,000 to $80,000 / year. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University. The full salary range for this position is $69,500 to $123,500 / year.

Work Location: 1116 Phelps Hall

Working Days and Hours: Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm

Benefits Eligibility: (e.g., Full Benefits, Mid-Level Benefits, Core Benefits)

Type of Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement, if applicable: Hybrid (Both UC & Non-UC locations)

Special Instructions:

For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application.

Department Marketing Statement:

The UC Santa Barbara Office of Development blends the strengths of both a centralized and a decentralized operation. Although all development officers report to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Development or his/her designee, some are dedicated to specific schools and units, working hand-in-hand with Deans, Directors and faculty to secure private support. Additional development officers focus on specific regions of the country and/or are dedicated to increasing involvement by alumni, parents and friends. A strong central core initiates programs, or provides guidance and expertise, in foundation relations, planned giving, capital projects, donor stewardship, The UCSB Foundation and other areas of specialization. An integrated tracking and coordination system ensures a collaborative and smooth working environment, all aimed at enhancing UC Santa Barbara's attractiveness to, and involvement with, the private sector.

Benefits of Belonging

Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC and Why UC

Brief Summary of Job Duties:

Reporting in to the Senior Director of Development for Donor Relations & Stewardship, the Assistant Director of Donor Acknowledgement and Recognition Programs ("Assistant Director") oversees gift acknowledgements and recognition, and manages donor recognition societies and donor retention programs. The Assistant Director provides expert writing, analytical, strategic planning, project management and proactive department support for DRS. The Assistant Director will work closely with the Senior Director, implementing strategic approaches to donor relations, including the development of donor retention programs that appreciates donor giving behavior and trends. Additionally, the Assistant Director will exercise strong and effective leadership and will be responsible for the development of new tools, protocols, criteria and best practices around donor acknowledgements and recognition, including for building naming and signage. This position must be staffed by an individual who demonstrates extraordinary professional writing skills, strong analytic and project management skills, as well as excellent interpersonal skills. The Assistant Director must communicate exceptionally well through verbal and written mediums, and must pay close attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in reporting as well as management of key processes. The Assistant Director must also possess the ability to work under pressure with tight timelines and handle frequent re-prioritization of projects as necessary. This position calls for strong leadership traits, as the Assistant Director will train and oversee student assistants as needed, delegating projects appropriately and with ease. The Assistant Director must sustain positive and mutually-rewarding relations within the department, between the university and its donors and with campus stakeholders. The Assistant Director may be called upon to work occasional evenings and weekends at various Development Office, Institutional Advancement or campus-wide events. The Assistant Director will be privy to sensitive materials, information and planning, and therefore the position requires utmost confidentiality.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
• 1-3 years of experience demonstrating strong analytical and project management skills, as well as excellent interpersonal skills
• 1-3 years of experience analyzing large amounts of data and making strategic decisions based on that data in order to implement acknowledgement and recognition processes and programs
• 1-3 years of experience communicating exceptionally well through verbal and written mediums, paying close attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in reporting as well as management of key processes
• 1-3 years of demonstrated expertise in professional writing and editing, including excellent grammar, composition and proof-reading skills
• Ability to use discretion and maintain all confidentiality.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 1-3 years of demonstrated expertise in analysis, problem solving, working with detail while understanding broader contexts as they affect a diverse customer base: faculty, staff, students and donors.
• Knowledge of common organization- or research-specific computer applications

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to work occasional evenings and weekends in order to meet deadlines.
• Satisfactory criminal history background check
• UCSB is a Tobacco-Free environment

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegation or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

“Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

• 40% Complex Analysis & Reporting - REPORTING: - Manages central development weekly gift reporting processes and programmatic cycles by proactive research and collaboration, seeing processes through to their completion. - Oversees the gift acknowledgements process by researching gift terms, as well as donor and fund history, in order to create highly customized donor thank-you letters. - Ensures donor data integrity through the accuracy and timeliness of coding in the donor database, developing proactive monitoring solutions. - Manages and proactively tracks donor recognition milestones and processes, creating a plan to acknowledge and recognize donors. - Develops and enforces an annual donor relations communications calendar that captures recurring and seasonal donor retention and donor recognition touchpoints, including donor events. - Provides expert internal consultation for development staff related to donor acknowledgement and recognition programs. - Promotes and supports data-driven decision making within the development community. DATA ANALYTICS: - Develops & analyzes key donor metrics and provides insight and recommendations to inform donor recognition and donor retention program development. - Reviews data for the purposes of developing strategic donor acknowledgement and recognition, evaluating a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. - Generates and analyzes broad data sets, searches for explanations and underlying causes, draws conclusions and develops actionable recommendations. - Collaborates with the Senior Director to develop protocols, schedules, criteria and best practices around donor acknowledgement, recognition and retention. - Partners with the Offices of Prospect Management and Research (PMATS), Gifts Administration and Advancement Services to promote data integrity and reporting.
• 40% Program & Project Management & Strategic Development - PROGRAM MANAGEMENT: - Oversees the University-wide donor acknowledgement program and processes, creating customized thank-you letters on behalf of the Chancellor. - Refreshes thank you letter templates and blurbs annually, in consultation with the Senior Director of Donor Relations & Stewardship and the Senior Writer at the Chancellor’s Office. - Manages the central donor recognition programs including supporting giving society donor reception, overseeing communications and related program benefits. - Produces donor honor rolls for the Annual Report of Private Giving on an annual basis. - Manages the Annual Report production and distribution by partnering with the Senior Director of Donor Relations & Stewardship and the Development Communications team. - Manages donor retention programs and associated communication plans. - Works with development staff and others as an internal consultant for donor acknowledgement and communications. - Serves as the central point of contact for the University's donors, ensuring highly tailored interactions and service on behalf of Donor Relations. STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: - Develops tools, best practices and policies around donor acknowledgment and recognition protocols. Maintains an inventory of special gifts in alignment with internal policy. - Supports the design and execution of initiatives and programs in an effort to communicate appreciation to annual giving donors and unrestricted donors. - Performs regular analyses to assess the effectiveness of overall strategies. - Stays abreast of current and emerging trends in donor relations, philanthropy, fundraising, and higher education, recommending and implementing new and enhanced donor acknowledgement and recognition programs. - Creates and maintains a network of contacts across the university and the industry. - Takes on new projects under the direction of the Senior Director (as needed).
• 20% Supervisory Responsibility & Operations Support - - Trains and supervises support staff and/or student assistants, as and when needed, to support major DRS processes around donor acknowledgment, recognition and retention best practices. - Serves as the central point of contact for giving society benefits, working collaboratively with campus partners to resolve donor relations issues. - Frequently serves as liaison between DRS and key administrators, faculty and staff with regard to donor acknowledgement and recognition.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs.

As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals* must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to-Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt-Out Program no later than the Compliance Date (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.). Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

For more information:

UC Santa Barbara COVID-19 Information

University of California Policy on Vaccinations

• Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel or Students under this Policy who physically access a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or education/training. A person accessing a Healthcare Location as a patient, or an art, athletics, entertainment, or other publicly accessible venue at a Location as a member of the public, is not a Covered Individual.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement
UC Santa Barbara is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.

For more information:

University of California's Affirmative Action Policy

University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy

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