Associate Director of Stewardship

Job Details

Description

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF STEWARDSHIP

VSC UP PAT BARGAINING UNIT

EXEMPT

GRADE #13

BASIC FUNCTION

The Associate Director of Stewardship enhances donor relationships and foster a culture of philanthropy through print and email communications and events as well as some individualized stewardship activity to express appreciation and demonstrate impact to donors. This full-time exempt role designs and executes scalable processes for the creation and distribution of stewardship reports, manages a small portfolio of events, provides personalized engagement with donors, and leads the development of the Annual Report in partnership with Communications colleagues—all in support of the organization’s mission and fundraising priorities.

The Associate Director must demonstrate leadership in developing innovative solutions for stewardship activities, possess a high level of comfort with technology, databases and data manipulation, and proactively explore new technologies to optimize efficiency and engagement. A key responsibility includes collaborating with the Financial Aid Office to ensure accurate and timely scholarship reporting.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Donor Recognition & Reporting: Leverage technology solutions in order to recognize donors and produce routine stewardship reports at a large scale, highlighting philanthropic impact.
• Annual Reporting: Lead the compilation, design, publication, and distribution of VTSU’s Annual Report of Advancement activity and outcomes. Process Optimization: Lead the creation of streamlined processes for efficient reporting, enabling a focus on personalized donor engagement.
• Scholarship Tracking: Build strong relationships and maintain effective communication with the Financial Aid Office to ensure timely, accurate, and impactful reporting on scholarships, including recipient updates and fund utilization.
• Personalized Stewardship: Craft stewardship plans for major donors and oversee a portfolio of annual stewardship events, ensuring meaningful donor experiences.
• Data Management: Use advanced Excel (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUP, macros) and CRM systems to analyze and manage data, ensuring accuracy in reports and donor
  
  

records.

• Technology Adoption: Lead efforts to identify, adopt, and implement new technology solutions to enhance stewardship operations and donor engagement.
• Collaboration: Partner with Advancement, Alumni Relations, and Communications teams, leveraging academic leadership and faculty to align stewardship efforts with
  
  

institutional goals.

• Program Management: Manage donor recognition societies, ensuring accurate records, consistent messaging, and high-quality materials.
• Event Planning: Oversee the planning and execution of donor recognition events, including ceremonies, receptions, and campus tours, to celebrate donor contributions
  
  

and deepen engagement.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Reports to the Director of Institutional Advancement.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 3–5 years of experience in advancement, stewardship, or related fields.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and strong writing skills
• Familiarity with databases, data manipulation, and ability to independently embrace new technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education or nonprofit organizations.
• Proficiency in CRM platforms (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce) and event planning
  
  

expertise

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Passion for public education, the transformative power of higher education, and Vermont’s future.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to design efficient, scalable processes for stewardship reporting and donor recognition.
• Strong analytical skills with comfort in databases and data-driven decision-making.
• Proven ability to collaborate across departments, including maintaining strong working relationships with the Financial Aid Office to facilitate accurate scholarship
  
  

reporting.

• Creativity, accountability, and the ability to balance routine tasks with strategic initiatives.
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration, emotional intelligence, and inclusivity.
  
  

Associate Director of Stewardship: 1.2025 pg.3

• Innovative thinker with a proactive approach to adopting technology and improving processes.
  
  

Location: This is a remote-first role based in Vermont.

Travel Requirements: The Associate Director of Stewardship will travel as needed to VTSU campuses and sites across Vermont, including Castleton, Lyndon, Johnson, Montpelier, Randolph, and Williston, for events, meetings, or other activities.

This general outline illustrates the type of work which characterizes the job classification. It is not an all-encompassing statement of the specific duties, responsibilities and qualifications of individual positions assigned to the classification.