Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship

Located in Boston's historic Fenway area, Simmons University has a strong tradition of empowering women and challenging traditional gender roles. Founded for equality 125 years ago as one of the first higher education institutions dedicated to helping women become leaders, Simmons now offers Boston's only women's undergraduate program and graduate programs open to all. The university is innovating with a six-school academic structure and a high-value education proposition that delivers greater ROI to students.

About the role

Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Advancement, the Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship leads the development and execution of strategic planning for donor relations and stewardship functions, including acknowledgment processes, stewardship reporting, donor recognition programs, and related efforts. The Director oversees the Donor Relations and Stewardship team and collaborates across Advancement and the university to enhance donor engagement and retention.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all aspects of donor recognition, acknowledgment, reporting, and stewardship to strengthen retention, engagement, and long-term philanthropic investment, including personalized stewardship strategies for the University's most generous donors.
• In collaboration with Advancement colleagues, create and manage policies, standards, templates, processes, and protocols for donor acknowledgment, recognition, stewardship of gifts, stewardship reporting, and fund reporting.
• Partner with the Associate Vice President of Advancement and the Director of Advancement Communications to execute robust communications plans around gift recognition and disseminate compelling stewardship materials.
• Establish and execute stewardship plans for key pipeline-building groups, such as recurring gift donors, new donors, unassigned donors, under $1,000 donors, and disillusioned lapsed donors.
• Conceive of and manage stewardship events for top donors and prospects in collaboration with university-wide colleagues.
• Leverage fundraising software (e.g., Raiser's Edge/NXT) and communication tools (e.g., ThankView, StoryRaise, Gratavid) to craft unique and personalized touchpoints for top-level prospects and major gift donors.
• Provide strategic leadership within Advancement and across campus to develop and enhance processes and systems for an optimal donor experience.
• Serve as a member of the Advancement Leadership Group and manage and mentor the Assistant Director of Donor Relations and student workers.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of job-related experience in donor relations or related Advancement functions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current donor relations and stewardship practices and software tools.
• Demonstrated experience in creating and implementing high-level cultivation and stewardship strategies and meaningful donor experiences.

Qualifications

• Excellent written, interpersonal, and verbal communication skills, with donor-centric writing experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years of supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience in donor relations and stewardship teams, preferably in the higher education sector.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully managing cross-functional initiatives.
• History of success developing and managing stewardship relationships with major donors, prospects, or clients.
• Interest and passion for the Simmons University mission and values.

Skills

• Ability to handle multiple deadlines and adapt to shifting priorities.
• Discretion in working with confidential and sensitive data.
• Demonstrated problem-solving, analytical, and strategic decision-making skills.
• Customer service-oriented approach.
• Commitment to a collaborative, team-based approach.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills.

Work Environment

• On-campus or hybrid eligibility.
• 12-month position, 40 hours per week, office environment.
• Essential physical requirements include sitting at a desk and working on a laptop or computer; sedentary work with lifting up to 10 pounds.
• May be required to work on weekends or nights as needed.

Pay

The hourly or annual salary range for this position is $107,890.00 - $130,600.00. Actual compensation will be based on factors such as experience, education, skills, equity, and external market benchmarks.

Benefits

This is a benefits-eligible position. The compensation package includes pay, health benefits, and retirement savings offerings, as well as work-life balance initiatives such as flexible hours and remote work opportunities. Additional details can be found here.