Senior Director of Donor Relations / Development Officer III/S

Working/Functional Title

Senior Director of Donor Relations

Position Summary

BASIC FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY

University Advancement seeks an experienced and creative leader for the position of Senior Director of Donor Relations. As an integral part of University Advancement, the Senior Director of Donor Relations works to foster lasting relationships between the University and its benefactors, promoting positive attitudes toward giving among current and prospective donors.

This position is responsible for the strategic development and implementation of a high performing, comprehensive campus-wide donor relations program, in collaboration with Advancement Engagement team leadership and University Advancement Senior Leadership. The position will focus on executing a comprehensive Donor Relations program designed to increase donor satisfaction and drive fundraising growth; creating and maintaining a positive and professional relationship between the university and its donors, alumni, and constituents; collaborating with various UA units to determine effective gift stewardship strategies; and elevating the overall philanthropic experience to support donor cultivation and retention.

The Senior Director of Donor Relations manages a staff of professionals with responsibilities in stewardship programs, acknowledgments, impact reporting, loyalty societies, scholarship reporting, and principal gift donor experiences. This position provides recommendations to Advancement and University leadership on stewardship and donor relations to develop strategic direction, determine priorities, and initiate and monitor the performance of efforts consistent with those priorities. The Senior Director will provide recommendations to leadership and fundraisers in donor reporting and experiences, develop joint reporting approaches with colleges and athletics, and work directly with lead donors to ensure they experience gratitude for the impact of their giving. This position has responsibility for conceptualizing and overseeing execution of initiatives that reach principal gift prospects and helps elevate MSU’s reputation among potential and existing donors.

 

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Drives Donor Relations Strategies for University Advancement:

• Develop strategies to improve the donor experience, increase retention, and promote giving to MSU.
• Conceptualize and implement a quantitative and qualitative measurement system to evaluate the effectiveness and success of all stewardship and recognition programs, utilizing the data to improve standards, increase donor retention, and further the success of fundraising goals.
• Collect and utilize qualitative and quantitative inputs from a wide range of leaders across campus to inform and develop highly customized stewardship plans for principal and major gift donors, lifetime and planned giving societies, and annual fund donors. Collaborate with UA Marketing and Communication and identify areas of integrated marketing opportunities to tell donor impact stories and emotionally connect donors.
• Lead the development and execution of strategic recognition and stewardship events, and programs for key donors and giving societies, in collaboration with the UA Events Team and other necessary departments.
• Develop annual departmental goals, objectives, key performance metrics and associated budget which support the progression of the Division’s mission.
• Build and strengthen a Donor Relations network consisting of the central UA team and practitioners throughout colleges and units at MSU. Communicate a vision for the team that aligns with and affirms the overarching goals of the Advancement Engagement team and University Advancement.
• Maintain working knowledge of industry best practices and standards to promote departmental longevity and divisional efficacy.

Donor Experience:

• Design, implement, and direct a comprehensive, integrated, and donor-centric donor relations and stewardship plan to build trust and fulfillment through strategic and meaningful contact, experiences, and outstanding hospitality and service.
• Work closely and collaboratively with the senior fundraisers to provide oversight, direction, and operations support for their donor relations coordinators to create and implement short-term and long-term strategies to steward and engage a portfolio of major gift donors in alignment with overarching UA donor relations and stewardship programs, plans and goals.
• In partnership with the principal gift team, contributes to the management of a portfolio of donors by developing and executing thoughtful and individualized strategies for stewarding donors.
• Represent University Advancement at functions and work with donors and other constituents to streng