Associate Director, Donor Experience

University of Arkansas System•Little Rock, AR

11d

About The Position

The Associate Director of Donor Experience is a frontline member of the UAMS Donor Experience Office (DXO), reporting directly to the Senior Director of Donor Experience. The role engages, cultivates, and stewards donors contributing $1,000–$4,999 annually, serving as an entry point into the DXO pipeline and a bridge between Annual Giving and mid-level philanthropic engagement. The DXO connects Annual Giving, Major Giving, and Donor Relations at UAMS. The Associate Director receives referrals from Annual Giving, qualifies prospects for DXO engagement, identifies upgrade potential, and builds donor relationships that support the broader mid-level and major gift pipeline. The role manages an active donor portfolio while supporting the Story Bank, prospect identification, and content-driven stewardship. It also contributes to technology-enabled fundraising and digital engagement strategies in a collaborative, fast-moving team environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
Three years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, alumni relations, annual giving, or a related field, including direct donor contact and relationship or portfolio management.
CRM or database experience.
Valid driver’s license.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple relationships and priorities consistently.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Comfort with databases or CRM systems.
Aptitude for technology and interest in CRM-based automation, including workflows, email journeys, and segmentation, with ability to learn new tools quickly.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in communications, public relations, public works, business, philanthropy, or marketing.
CFRE credential or progress toward CFRE.
Active involvement in AFP or another professional fundraising organization.
Five or more years of progressive fundraising experience, including mid-level or major gift portfolio management, preferably in healthcare, an academic medical center, higher education, or a nonprofit setting.
Experience in annual giving, pipeline development, or donor qualification.
Familiarity with mid-level giving programs, grateful patient fundraising, or affinity-based engagement strategies.
Ability to source and communicate donor impact stories.
Experience making direct gift asks or renewal requests.
Hands-on experience building and managing automated donor or marketing communications, such as CRM workflows, email journeys, or marketing automation platforms.
Affinaquest or equivalent CRM experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage and cultivate relationships with mid-level donors contributing $1,000–$4,999 annually, focusing on retention, renewals, upgrades, and identifying prospects for major and planned giving.
Develop personalized outreach and stewardship through phone calls, emails, handwritten correspondence, events, and donor recognition opportunities.
Partner with Annual Giving, Major Gift Officers, and internal teams to identify, qualify, and advance prospective donors through the giving pipeline.
Coordinate direct mail and email solicitation campaigns, develop donor communications, and share stories connecting philanthropic interests with UAMS initiatives.
Maintain the DXO Story Bank by identifying, organizing, and sharing stories highlighting UAMS programs, funding priorities, and philanthropic impact.
Use Affinaquest to maintain accurate donor records, manage engagement workflows, automate communications, and support personalized outreach.
Monitor donor retention, upgrades, referrals, outreach activities, and campaign performance to evaluate effectiveness and identify improvement opportunities.
Collaborate with Development, Annual Giving, Donor Relations, Marketing, and college-level partners while maintaining donor confidentiality and adhering to HIPAA, FERPA, and fundraising standards.
Explore emerging technology, AI-assisted tools, and digital engagement strategies to improve fundraising processes and donor engagement.
Perform other duties as assigned to support UAMS fundraising and development initiatives.