Assistant Vice President/Donor Experience Officer

Babson College•Wellesley, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Assistant Vice President/Donor Experience Officer serves as a key senior leadership member of Advancement, responsible for driving a comprehensive, strategic vision for donor engagement, events, and marketing. Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President of Advancement, this role bridges marketing initiatives—such as social media, digital strategy, event planning, and stewardship—to create a seamless, personalized and elevated experience for donors. This position specifically oversees and drives strategic direction and synergies for the following teams: Advancement Events, Marketing & Communications, and Stewardship. Specifically responsible for leading a cohesive donor engagement strategy by overseeing Advancement marketing, communications, stewardship, and events, cultivating meaningful connections between the College and its supporters to enhance philanthropic impact and deepen donor relationships; playing a critical role in aligning touchpoints across the donor lifecycle to ensure consistency and synergy, delivering a seamless and integrated donor experience that drives engagement and connection; and collaborating closely with College leadership, campus partners, and the broader advancement team to champion a collaborative approach that elevates Babson’s brand, strengthens donor relationships, and advances fundraising goals. Through this alignment of strategy, communications, and engagement opportunities, the AVP will ensure a donor-centric approach that not only enhances individual interactions but also advances the College’s mission and philanthropic objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent skills/work experience.
A minimum of 15 years of senior level fundraising and campaign experience, preferably in higher education.
At least 10 years managing staff and a budget.
Strong leadership and management experience, as well as the ability to serve as a mentor within the Advancement Office.
Experience driving growth in marketing and sales.
Exceptional expertise in writing, brand storytelling, and public speaking, with a proven ability to articulate and inspire a compelling vision.
Exceptional experience in digital marketing, including social media strategy and email marketing.
Strategic planning, organizational, and communication skills to articulate the mission and brand of the College and story tell.
Demonstrated effectiveness in working with a diverse student body, faculty, staff, and other constituents.
Ability to establish credibility and confidence with stakeholders.
Exceptional collaboration and interpersonal skills, and the ability to be effective engaging with all levels within the college.
Significant knowledge, understanding, and experience in field of fundraising.
Strong computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).
Ability to create an environment where direct reports have the freedom and security to take initiative; deal with complexities with resilience, resourcefulness, and optimism; and appreciate open mindedness, creativity, and agility in thought and tactics.
Embrace ideas and changes created by all community members.
Ability to work independently to solve problems; look for opportunities to take on responsibility; take thoughtful risks; and effectively act on new and ongoing initiatives, objectives, and solutions to gain sought-after results.
Ability to anticipate and effectively handle change; demonstrate willingness to try new skills and challenging tasks; and is flexible in changing conditions.
Flexibility and willingness to travel as a representative of Babson.
Must have had a valid unrestricted U.S. Driver’s License for one year and maintain throughout employment an insurable (as determined by the College’s insurer’s criteria) or a satisfactory driving record; must successfully complete and pass the College’s vehicle training program within the first 60 days of employment; annual or more frequent review of employee’s driving record based on the College insurer’s criteria; and safety training as required by management.
Requires work onsite a minimum of 5 days a week; the on-campus requirement is subject to modification based on organizational need.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree preferred.
Salesforce experience and experience in Marketing and Commerce Cloud is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and vision by developing and executing a holistic donor experience strategy that integrates marketing, communications, stewardship, and events to support Advancement’s fundraising objectives and Babson’s overall strategic priorities.
Drive strategy with the Executive Vice President, Advancement, to align strategic initiatives with broader institutional priorities and ensure consistency across donor touchpoints.
Lead the planning, development, and implementation of strategies that foster meaningful, personalized connections between donors and Babson College, promoting a culture of philanthropy.
Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing donor experience team by setting clear expectations, fostering accountability, and investing in professional growth and talent development
Lead and mentor a high-performing team focused on marketing, communications, stewardship, and event planning, fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment.
Lead strategic Advancement marketing and communications efforts, including digital marketing, social media, appeals and proposals, email campaigns, print materials, and web content, to enhance Babson’s visibility and engagement with donors.
Develop and execute messaging that resonates with donors, clearly articulating Babson’s mission, achievements, and impact.
Serve as a strategic partner to College Marketing to ensure donor experience, communications, and engagement efforts are fully aligned with and advancing the institution’s brand, messaging, and strategic priorities.
Design and implement a comprehensive stewardship program that demonstrates the impact of donor contributions and fosters long-term relationships with Babson’s supporters.
Develop and curate individualized stewardship plans for principal and VIP donors, including top philanthropic donors and Governance members, ensuring personalized recognition and engagement to deepen their connection to the College.
Create innovative stewardship initiatives that celebrate and recognize donors, strengthening their engagement and investment in Babson’s mission.
Oversee and provide strategic direction in planning, execution, and evaluation of advancement events that range from intimate gatherings to high-profile, large-scale celebrations.
Partner with key stakeholders to strategically design and execute high-impact events that showcase Babson’s vision, celebrate donor contributions, and inspire continued philanthropic investment.
Drive synergy between advancement event strategy and brand storytelling by integrating compelling narratives into high-impact events, effectively showcasing institutional priorities, celebrating donor contributions, and strengthening Babson’s brand identity to inspire philanthropic engagement.
Foster a strategic culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the donor experience team, empowering team members to develop and implement creative, data-driven solutions that enhance donor engagement, strengthen relationships, and drive sustainable philanthropic growth.
Partner with other members of the senior leadership team and campus partners to ensure alignment on donor engagement strategies and shared goals are integrated into all aspects of advancement.
Design and lead a comprehensive, end-to-end donor experience strategy that enhances engagement across the full donor lifecycle—from discovery through stewardship and recognition.
Establish and implement a data-informed segmentation and personalization strategy to deepen donor relationships and increase lifetime value.
Oversee the development of compelling, multi-channel engagement opportunities including events, communications, and digital experiences that strengthen connection to the institution.
Partner with Advancement Services to leverage data, analytics, and CRM capabilities to inform strategy, measure effectiveness, and continuously refine engagement approaches.
Collaborate with frontline fundraising teams to align engagement strategies with major and principal gift cultivation and stewardship efforts.
Ensure a cohesive and differentiated donor experience that reflects institutional priorities, strengthens affinity, and builds long-term loyalty.
Develop and monitor budgets for cost centers reporting into this position.
Represent the Executive Vice President, Advancement in various internal and external meetings, as needed.
Assume additional responsibilities as required.

Benefits

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Group life insurance
Long-term disability insurance
Business travel accident insurance
Mental health benefits
3 weeks of vacation annually
2 weeks of sick time
1 week of paid family illness time
6 weeks of paid parental leave
12 paid holidays per year
Participation in a 403(b) retirement plan with mandatory employee contributions and a 4:1 employer match.
Wellbeing programs
Virtual fitness platform
Employee assistance program