Director of Donor Relations

Job Description

Amherst Campus
Full Time
JR6811

Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff.

Amherst College invites applications for the Director of Donor Relations position. The Director of Donor Relations is a full-time, year-round position. The expected salary range for this job opportunity is: $115,000 to $120,000 per year.

The salary offered will vary based on a number of factors, including but not limited to relevant education, training, and experience, tenure status, and other nondiscriminatory business considerations. Amherst College is pleased to provide a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and faculty and their families. Click here for Benefits Information.

The Director of Donor Relations provides strategic leadership and direction for a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship program for the College. Leading the Donor Relations team, this role oversees gift and donor stewardship activities in support of the College's fundraising and engagement goals. A strategic partner to the fundraising, engagement, operations, and data analysis teams, the Director brings a mindset of "stewardship as cultivation" and draws on data, knowledge of best practices, and cross-functional expertise to advance divisional and institutional priorities.

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Advancement Operations and Stewardship, the Director supervises a team responsible for programs and activities that invite, document, thank, celebrate, recognize, and steward gifts and commitments to the College. Areas of work include, but are not limited to, developing and tracking giving opportunities; drafting and managing gift and fund agreements; coordinating leadership and presidential acknowledgments and other gift recognition programs; overseeing events and physical recognition; and managing restricted fund stewardship and reporting. The Director also leads initiatives to refine, systematize, and expand stewardship practices across these and other areas, with a focus on deepening meaningful philanthropic relationships that advance the College's mission. In this work, the Director collaborates closely with colleagues across Advancement and the College, including regular communication with division leaders and senior staff.

The Director of Donor Relations is a strategic leader who approaches stewardship as a comprehensive, institutionally integrated program that advances both fundraising and engagement. They bring experience and knowledge of the field, strong judgment, creativity, and a data- and systems-oriented perspective to their work, balancing multiple priorities while responding thoughtfully to emerging needs. A trusted partner across campus, the Director builds productive relationships with faculty, administrators, and Advancement colleagues, communicates priorities clearly, and navigates confidential and sensitive matters with discretion. They lead with care and precision, foster a positive and solutions-oriented work environment, and are deeply committed to collaboration, inclusion, and the College's mission.

Advancement staff are expected to promote a positive, solutions-focused workplace culture through professional and constructive engagement in meetings, collaborations, and daily interactions. Advancement work also includes "all-hands-on-deck" events that require occasional evening and weekend participation to support key College events, including-but not limited to-Reunion and Homecoming.

Summary of Responsibilities:

Program Management: Donor Relations and Stewardship

• Manage a comprehensive stewardship program for principal and leadership donors, working closely with Advancement leadership, providing proactive guidance and support in stewarding the College's relationships with Amherst's most generous donors.
• Create gift and fund agreements in collaboration with gift officers, the Controller's Office, and Advancement Operations.
• Oversee the leadership and presidential gift acknowledgment process, in consultation with gift officers and the President's office.
• Execute annual endowed fund reports with financial and impact information, and monitor compliance with donor restriction criteria in collaboration with campus partners, ensuring fiscal responsibility and donor intent.
• Manage stewardship for capital and building projects.
• Maintain an inventory of all named spaces and manage the process of identifying and offering new named giving opportunities.
• Plan and execute, with the Donor Relations team, special events, reports, gifts, and other stewardship touches for top donors.
• Educate colleagues in the division and across campus on effective stewardship, engagement, and recognition strategies and systems, to help instill a lasting culture of philanthropy.
• Integrate new technologies, trends, strategies, and services and incorporate and adapt best practices to further improve donor relations and stewardship at the College.

Leadership and Strategy: Planning, Initiatives, and Supervision

• Establish and maintain a comprehensive strategic plan for the team, and manage annual goals, priorities, and budget.
• Work with Advancement and other campus leadership to identify, frame out, and clearly communicate and operationalize key fundraising priorities and giving opportunities.
• Assess, explore, and implement programmatic additions and enhancements to the existing stewardship program and its slate of activities, tools, and resources; areas of focus might include giving societies, annual fund and unrestricted gift stewardship, individualized stewardship plans for top donors, facilitating student participation and partnerships, etc.

Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor's Degree.
• A minimum of five to seven years of relevant professional experience in advancement, stewardship, donor relations, communications, or a related field.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively and professionally with diverse constituencies.
• Strategic, creative, and systems-oriented mindset, with the ability to approach stewardship as a comprehensive program integral to both fundraising and constituent engagement.
• Demonstrated ability to manage, prioritize, and delegate multiple tasks and projects efficiently and effectively, responding flexibly to emerging needs and clearly communicating priorities and expectations to team members.
• Proven ability to collaborate and build strong relationships across campus, including with faculty, administrators, and Advancement colleagues.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters with discretion, sound judgment, and professionalism.
• Strong attention to detail and data management skills, with a commitment to accuracy, consistency, and effective use of information.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering a positive, respectful, and solutions-oriented work environment, contributing constructively to daily interactions.
• Commitment to a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and diversity, aligned with the College's mission and values.
• Successful completion of required reference and background checks
• An acceptable criminal offender records information (CORI) check

Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume and cover letter online. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Amherst College is committed to an inclusive hiring process and will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates throughout the application and interview process upon request.