Associate Director of Donor Recognition & Experience

THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT FOUNDATION INC•Mansfield, CT

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director of Donor Recognition leads and evolves UConn’s donor recognition and experience strategy, ensuring donors feel deeply valued, connected, and inspired by the impact of their philanthropy. This role shapes and delivers recognition societies, engagement moments, communications, and experiences that strengthen donor relationships across the lifecycle and advance institutional priorities. The Associate Director develops strategic approaches to recognition, translates donor insights into actionable recommendations, and collaborates closely with Foundation colleagues and University partners to deliver consistent, meaningful, and high-quality donor experiences at every level of giving.

Requirements

Ability to think strategically across the donor lifecycle and anticipate donor needs, motivations, and expectations.
Champion for inclusive priorities both internally and externally.
Excellent project management skills.
Ability to develop plans and timelines and set and monitor progress towards goals.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and advanced-level mail merge skills.
Demonstrated ability to work in multiple system environments, including databases and/or CRM.
High degree of sensitivity in dealing with confidential donor information.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, work independently, and produce high-quality work products within set deadlines and a fast-paced environment.
Ability to engender trust and confidence of donors and prospective donors and to maintain confidentiality of donor information; ability to represent the UConn Foundation to prospects, donors, faculty, administrators, and others.
Ability to work to the demands of the position, which may exceed a 40-hour work week.
Attention to and concern for others.
Strong customer service orientation with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse groups and build collaborative relationships with University partners and internal colleagues.
Maintain in-depth knowledge and understanding of the mission, strategic plans, priorities, and operations of the Foundation and the University.
Always model and articulate the Foundation’s organizational core values.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
3+ years of experience in fundraising, alumni or community relations, communications, and/or relevant transferable skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in event planning (i.e., dedications, ground breakings, and donor recognition events) preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead cross-functional projects that shape donor recognition and engagement strategy, translating donor insights and institutional priorities into clear recommendations, plans, and outcomes for Foundation and University leadership.
Lead donor recognition societies and experience-based initiatives across the donor lifecycle, coordinating communications, engagement touchpoints, and moments of celebration in collaboration with Donor Relations & Stewardship, Development, Alumni Relations, Events, Digital Engagement & Annual Giving, and Creative Content & Communication teams.
Develop and implement strategic approaches that reflect donor preferences, infuse joy, and celebrate their impact on UConn.
Create and deliver communications and experiences that provide donors with insider knowledge, access, and experiences that deepen long-term donor relationships and reinforce donors’ connection to impact, outcomes, and institutional vision.
Shape recognition and acknowledgment for major gift and VIP donors and partner with annual giving stewardship to ensure timely and meaningful recognition.
Engage endowed faculty through recognition, communication, and training, facilitating connections between donors and beneficiaries and evaluating the relationship for both faculty and donors.
Monitor Board of Trustees meetings and serve as liaison with the Office of the Provost and academic units.
Apply creative strategies and emerging technologies to enhance donor recognition and experience, leveraging data insights to make strategic recommendations and decisions.
Set standards for consistent data capture for acknowledgement, recognition, and engagement, and synthesize insights into clear recommendations, briefings, and storytelling that inform leadership decision-making and cross-team strategy.
Coordinate recruitment, onboarding, and provide management for Donor Relations & Stewardship student assistants.
Represent Donor Relations & Stewardship as a liaison with other Foundation teams and University partners.
Anticipate and propose opportunities to strategically integrate donor experience and recognition in support of organizational goals.
Perform other duties as assigned.