Job Details

Director of Stewardship

The Director of Stewardship serves as the senior leader for the stewardship function within Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) and acts as the primary strategic partner to the Senior Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship. This role provides vision, leadership, and execution for all stewardship and recognition efforts, ensuring donors at every level experience meaningful, personalized, and high-quality stewardship that reflects the impact of their philanthropy.

With broad autonomy and minimal oversight, the Director of Stewardship is responsible for leading and advancing a comprehensive stewardship program that supports the University’s fundraising priorities, strengthens donor trust, and deepens long-term relationships. This position supervises a team, manages complex initiatives, and collaborates extensively across campus to ensure stewardship efforts are timely, accurate, innovative, and aligned with institutional goals and priorities.

Special Instructions to Applicants

This position is structured as a permanent position within the Division of Development & Alumni Relations. We are unable to sponsor a work visa for this position.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent plus 10 years of professional experience to include 3 years of supervisory experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree preferred or bachelor’s degree and 10 years of related higher education experience; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience related to sales, marketing, development, business administration, higher education, project management, or relationship management.
• Experience in higher education donor relations preferred.
• Ability to establish the trust of colleagues and build strong relationships with key faculty/staff.
• Ability to respond to donors’ needs and concerns in a kind and professional way.
• Ability to generate creative ideas and solutions for donor stewardship, recognition, and acknowledgements, as well as to maintain positive relationships with donors.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

• Self-starter and highly motivated.
• Personnel management skills.
• Collaborative style combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment.
• Excellent writing skills with extreme attention to detail and confident, strong verbal communication.
• Problem solver who can take initiative and set priorities while being flexible.
• Team-oriented strategist able to effectively manage complex situations.
• Highly organized and able to handle multiple projects.
• Analytical, with adherence to self-guided goals and deadlines.
• Adept at navigating complex environments with evolving priorities.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to university business and confidential donor and prospect information.
• Skilled in using Microsoft Office products such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Creative thinker with the ability to receive constructive feedback on ideas.

Additional Division Expectations

• Through open, honest, and respectful communication, all staff, supervisors, and colleagues of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations are expected to interact with fairness, compassion, and decency. All employees will be held accountable for meeting the expectation of promoting a stable, productive, and healthy work environment.
• Adherence to CASE standards and commonly accepted industry standards relating to fundraising reporting is expected of all fundraisers. All fundraisers will be held accountable for meeting this expectation.

Physical Demands

• Work in a standard office environment
• Work evenings and weekends as necessary
• Travel in and out of state as necessary
• Sit and work at a computer workstation for extended periods of time
• Work using electronic mail, telephone, face-to-face discussions, paper form correspondence
• Communicate effectively in writing, speaking, and listening
• Organize and establish priorities; Remember detail; multitask
• Lift and/or move up to 30 pounds
• Walk, stand, stoop, lift, kneel, climb

Duties/Responsibilities

(60%) Leadership Management

• Serve as the senior leader for all stewardship initiatives, providing strategic direction and operational oversight with limited day-to-day supervision.
• Act as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the Senior Director, helping shape overall donor engagement strategy and priorities.
• Supervise, mentor, and develop stewardship staff, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration, and innovation.
• Oversee stewardship workflows, timelines, and quality control to ensure consistent execution across multiple programs and audiences.
• Identify opportunities to modernize, streamline, and elevate stewardship practices using data, technology, and best practices.
• Oversee stewardship efforts, including, but not limited to:
  • Presidents Club Stewardship
  • Presidential Acknowledgements
  • Tribute Notifications
  • Impact Reporting
    • Financial endowment reports
    • Endowed faculty impact reports
    • Scholarship gratitude and impact reports
    • Cumulative impact books and special recognition
  • Annual Giving and Alumni Stewardship
  • Scholarship Stewardship

(15%) Team Stewardship and Collaboration

• Provide leadership for Team Stewardship, convening and engaging stewardship professionals across campus.
  • In conjunction with the Stewardship Coordinator, execute quarterly Team Stewardship meetings
• Facilitate collaboration, idea sharing, and alignment of stewardship practices university-wide.
• Strengthen cross-campus partnerships to ensure consistent messaging, shared standards, and collective success.

(15%) Cumulative Giving Societies Leadership (CGS)

• Serve as the primary leader for all Cumulative Giving Societies programs and recognition.
• Enhance and expand CGS stewardship by:
• Broadening recognition strategies
• Elevating donor experiences
• Identifying new engagement and appreciation opportunities
• Ensure CGS recognition reflects donors’ lifetime commitment and reinforces long-term loyalty.
• Partner with DAR colleagues to align CGS stewardship with fundraising and engagement goals.

(10%) Support and Administration

• Foster a collaborative fundraising culture campus-wide by coordinating logistics for quarterly meetings.
• Represent the Senior Director in their absence with supervisory responsibility and with providing direction and response from the Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship.
• Provide additional support to donor relations and stewardship opportunities where needed.

About the University of Georgia

Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university https://www.uga.edu/. The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

About the Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship

The Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship turns donors into loyal supporters through an effective stewardship and engagement. We foster deeper relationships by demonstrating appreciation for the impact our donors are making in the lives of our students, faculty, and broader community. Our stewardship plan is critical to fundraising by enriching the experience our donors have with the university and instilling trust. Donors can count on timely acknowledgements, accurate reporting, appropriate recognition, and meaningful events and experiences to remind them that they are an essential part of the UGA family. Our collaborative, university-wide efforts connect donors to our organization proactively and intentionally, securing ongoing support and lifelong engagement.

EEO Policy Statement

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).