Assistant Director/Director of Stewardship

Utah State University•Logan, UT

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Director/Director of Stewardship, reporting to the Associate Vice President (AVP) of Stewardship and Donor Engagement (AVP), directs the stewardship efforts for Utah State University’s donors, focused within the areas of acknowledgment, impact reporting, recognition, and donor experience. This position reports to the AVP and supervises the stewardship coordinator for donor acknowledgments and impact reporting. They personally administer recognition activities such as planning and executing special gifts and unique experiences for high-level donors. They coordinate with unit stewardship personnel to train and support unit efforts, ensuring a consistently excellent giving experience for all USU’s donors. This position manages the Donor Stewardship program under the oversight of the AVP. It administers and leads Old Main Society member’s experience; administers the donor award recognition program, including serving on the awards committee; maintains the gift store and oversees planning and purchasing of donor and employee gifts; maintains and governs the physical and digital donor walls; serves as the primary liaison with the unit stewardship coordinators; and assures donor stewardship standards are met for areas that do not have an assigned stewardship coordinator. The ability to interact with donors in a professional manner, anticipate and solve problems, collaborate well with partners, and possess a positive attitude are requirements for this position. This position works collaboratively and provides recommendations to partners across campus to create an exceptional donor experience. This position may provide input to the AVP to evaluate and strategize stewardship success, create and execute stewardship plans, and assure stewardship standards are met throughout the university. The position will be hired as either an Assistant Director (Advancement Specialist I) or Director (Advancement Specialist II) based upon qualifications and duties assigned - see Qualifications section.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a related field plus one year of relevant work experience; or an equivalent combination of education plus experience (for Assistant Director).
Bachelor's degree plus three years of relevant work experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience (for Director).
Ability to interact with donors in a professional manner.
Ability to problem-solve.
Ability to work collaboratively with campus partners.
Ability to supervise a team.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with donor relations in higher education or community organization.

Responsibilities

Works closely with the AVP and makes recommendations on strategy for acknowledgments, impact reporting, recognition, and donor experience.
Takes initiative in advancing stewardship goals by proactively identifying donor needs, anticipating concerns, and resolving issues to support positive donor relationships.
Engages donors through strategic stewardship activities designed to deepen relationships, recognize philanthropic impact, and foster ongoing commitment.
Supervises the stewardship coordinator, who will execute acknowledgments, impact reporting, namings, and stewardship activities tracking.
Makes recommendations to and receives input from the AVP on the donor stewardship program, strategy, and activities.
Directs execution of creative and meaningful donor experiences, including mailings, gifts, gift baskets, concierge service for donors, unique recognition activities for high-level donors.
Working with the AVP for Stewardship and Donor Engagement and the chair of the Old Main Society Board, plans and executes Old Main Society Board activities.
Acts as liaison for the members of the Old Main Society in coordinating their Old Main Society engagement opportunities.
Directs USU’s Old Main Society and other donor recognition societies activities, including sending timely welcome packets, accurately maintaining data, coordinating donor benefits, awards, and recognition.
Maintains the applicable donor information in the database and on the physical and digital donor walls.
Coordinates award recognition information and serves as a member of the awards selection committee.
Assures nomination information in the database is accurate.
Coordinates award recognition activities, including ordering awards, assembling gift baskets, etc.
Oversees the Donor Gift Store, continually implementing new and innovative ideas, coordinating charge backs with the Financial Officer, maintaining inventory.
Plans and coordinates employee recognition gifts.
Assures stewardship standards are met for areas that do not have an assigned stewardship coordinator.
Provides input and coordinates with the AVP for Stewardship and Donor Engagement to create and execute engagement plans for specific donor groups.
Acts as the liaison for the unit stewardship coordinators, including training and planning activities.
Assists the Advancement Events Team with events, as needed.
Works closely with the AVP for Stewardship and Donor Engagement to provide input and execute recommendations.