Director, Donor Relations & Stewardship
Job Summary
The Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship leads the strategic
development and implementation of a comprehensive donor relations
program that fosters meaningful engagement, ensures accountability,
and strengthens long-term philanthropic support for the university.
This role is responsible for overseeing donor recognition,
stewardship reporting, endowment compliance, and impact
communications to demonstrate the value and outcomes of donor
investments. The Director partners closely with advancement
leadership, development officers, academic units, and the
university foundation to enhance donor experiences and ensure
alignment with institutional priorities.
FGCU is building a culture of curiosity, commitment and
collaboration. We value employees who successfully work with others
and drive positive change through critical thinking and decisive
action. If you thrive in an environment of innovation,
accountability and mutual respect, you will find a good home
here.
Job Description
Typical duties may include but are not limited to:
- Leads the development and implementation of a comprehensive
donor relations, stewardship, and cultivation strategy aligned with
institutional fundraising goals and advancement best
practices.
Oversees donor engagement strategy and portfolio activity
across all assigned prospects in coordination with the major gift
and planned giving team, with the ability to directly engage donors
and prospects in cultivation as needed.
Develops donor relations and stewardship strategies, goals, and
department priorities in partnership with advancement leadership,
including individual prospect strategy, pipeline development, and
opportunity alignment.
Serves as a key advisor to advancement leadership on donor
engagement, naming opportunities and recognition strategies.
Supports cultivation and solicitation efforts through
preparation and review of donor-facing materials including
proposals, solicitation letters, gift agreements, and customized
engagement content.
Oversees coordination of donor cultivation and engagement
strategies for university fundraising campaigns in collaboration
with advancement leadership and campus partners.
Support all fundraising events and recognition events in
development in coordination with university events and advancement
leadership.
Directs stewardship strategy and execution for gifts at all
levels, annual, leadership, major, principal, and endowed gifts,
including stewardship planning, donor reporting, and implementation
of the Stewardship Matrix.
Oversees development of high-quality donor impact reports,
annual reports, and storytelling content demonstrating
philanthropic outcomes and institutional impact.
Ensures compliance and accountability for endowed and
restricted funds, including donor intent adherence, audit
readiness, and accurate fund tracking in collaboration with
foundation finance and advancement services. .
Develops and maintains donor engagement and stewardship
policies, procedures, and recognition standards across advancement,
ensuring a consistency and alignment across colleges and
administrative units.
Directs donor recognition programs, including naming
opportunities, recognition societies, and campus recognition
displays, and evaluates effectiveness against best practices.
Leads stewardship communications strategy in partnership with
marketing and communications, ensuring alignment with institutional
branding and philanthropic storytelling.
Utilizes CRM systems and analytics to track donor engagement,
stewardship activities, and reporting requirements; develops
dashboards to assess effectiveness, compliance, and donor retention
outcomes.
Oversees and supervises donor relations staff, providing
leadership and professional development.
Provides training and guidance to advancement and campus
partners to ensure consistent stewardship and fundraising support
practices.
Other Duties:
- Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
- Participates as a team member in support of special events and
programs for donors and prospects.
Additional Job Description
Required Qualifications:
- This position requires either ten years of directly related
full-time experience or, as an alternative, a Bachelor's degree
from an accredited institution in an appropriate area of
specialization and six years of full-time experience directly
related to the job functions.
- Experience in higher education, university foundation, or
similar organizations.
- Experience managing or supervising staff.
- Experience and proficiency with Raiser's Edge or similar
fundraising applications.
- Experience operating a personal computer and proficient with
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher and
Outlook).
- Any appropriate combination of relevant education, experience,
and/or certifications may be considered.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master's Degree from an accredited university.
- Experience in campaign environments, including planning and
executing comprehensive fundraising campaigns.
- Experience with donor analytics, segmentation, and stewardship
metrics.
- Experience in writing, communications or storytelling, tailored
for donor audience
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Knowledge of state and foundation compliance requirements,
including audit and reporting standards.
- Proven ability to think strategically, engaging donors and
aligning stewardship strategies with institutional priorities.
- Knowledge of the principles, best practices, trends, and legal
constraints of fundraising and gift solicitation within higher
education.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication
skills.
- Skilled in public speaking and storytelling that convey donor
impact and inspire philanthropic support.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the
ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines,
and ensure high quality results.
- Ability to be a self-starter with documented results in
building new programs and initiatives.
- Ability to think critically and creatively, have a high
standard of integrity, and be motivated to incorporate best
practices into the organizational structure.
- Ability to collect, organize, analyze, and present donor
analytics, stewardship metrics, and endowment reports, presenting
information in a meaningful manner.
- Demonstrated ability to establish and build positive and
strategic relationships with colleagues, donors, and
volunteers.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion at all
times.
- Ability to travel locally and throughout the state and work
evenings, nights, and weekends as necessary.
- Proven ability to think strategically and approach challenges
with creativity.
- Demonstrated track record of reliability, meeting goals, and
holding oneself accountable.
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience working effectively
across teams.
Institutional Values & Behavioral Expectation
In this role, the successful candidate will be expected to:
- Seek out new approaches to improve outcomes; remain open for
feedback and new ideas.
- Lead with integrity; consistently produce high-quality work;
persevere to overcome obstacles to meet deadlines and achieve
deliverables.
- Share information and insights thoughtfully; build partnerships
across departments; communicate respectfully; support colleagues to
achieve common goals.
Pay Grade 20
FGCU is a State University System of Florida member and an Equal
Opportunity and Equal Access employer. All qualified applicants
will receive consideration for employment without regard to race,
color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or
protected veteran status.
To apply, visit https://apptrkr.com/7290646"">https://fgcu.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/eaglejobs/job/Main-Campus/Director--Donor-Relations---Stewardship_R0007490?workerSubType=7606cd1535ba016f9151c43d68012214&workerSubType=7606cd1535ba01e56580c43d68012414&workerSubType=7606cd1535ba014f6fabc43d68012614
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