Associate Director of Donor Relations

Virginia Tech•Blacksburg, VA

3d•$72,000 - $78,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director of Donor Relations is an important partner in the strategic management of Virginia Tech’s relationship with its donors, collaborating with members of the Advancement team and university partners. They are a strategic-thinking member of the Advancement Division’s Office of Donor Relations with lead responsibilities to passionately pursue and promote the overall institutional goals related to best-in-class stewardship, relationship building and customer service for internal and external constituents. This position develops, executes and oversees strategies to enhance the donor experience through the communication and interactions they receive in recognition of their philanthropic engagement with the university, contributing to longstanding and successful relationships between Virginia Tech and its donors. The Associate Director plays a leadership role within the Advancement Division, working to maintain and enhance the university’s relationships with its major donors through recognition, acknowledgments and communications. They are responsible for oversight of the day-to-day stewardship activities and operations of the Donor Relations office. This position reports to the Director of Donor Relations and may be asked to fill in when the Director is unavailable. The Associate Director will supervise the Donor Stewardship Coordinators on the Donor Relations team. This position has frequent contact with, and is a resource for donors, faculty and staff, assisting in the resolution of donor inquiries relating to gifts, pledges, giving society membership and qualification, and acknowledgments, while maintaining confidentiality with sensitive donor information. The Associate Director acts independently, making decisions and interpreting policy in regard to donor relations procedures/issues. This position actively participates in office training for new Donor Relations employees and provides guidance across Advancement. This position oversees program, project and event management for the office. They will lead centralized stewardship for our high-end donors, including giving societies and acknowledgments. They will ensure effective processes and Standard Operating Procedures are in place, overseeing/collaborating with the Donor Relations team to update annually. They will ensure that deadlines are met with best-in-class stewardship practices, with an eye to continuous review and enhancement of the donor experience with Virginia Tech.

Requirements

Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree and experience equating to an advanced degree.
Experience in donor relations, nonprofits, communications, fundraising, event planning, alumni relations, or related field.
Demonstrated experience in project management, with the ability to identify and solve problems in a fast-paced environment, develop and execute strategies with a keen eye to enhancing the donor experience, and collaborate with colleagues to accomplish established goals.
Strong track record of high-level customer service, critical thinking, and organization, with the capability to work both independently and collaboratively, and manage multiple competing tasks with great attention to detail.
Proficiency in desktop applications and computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite, and experience working with constituent data reports.
Excellent communication skills with internal and external constituents.
Experience handling confidential materials and information.
Experience in supervising staff and overseeing day-to-day operations.

Nice To Haves

Experience in higher education or similar field.
Experience with databases, querying data to segment audiences for communications, effectively manipulate the database for retrieval and production of detailed donor information.
Experience working with a variety of internal/external populations, such as high-level donors, volunteers, senior leadership, and diverse populations, and the ability to effectively and professionally communicate with them on behalf of the Office of Donor Relations and Virginia Tech.

Responsibilities

Develops, executes and oversees strategies to enhance the donor experience through communication and interactions in recognition of philanthropic engagement.
Plays a leadership role in maintaining and enhancing university relationships with major donors through recognition, acknowledgments, and communications.
Oversees the day-to-day stewardship activities and operations of the Donor Relations office.
Supervises Donor Stewardship Coordinators.
Resolves donor inquiries relating to gifts, pledges, giving society membership and qualification, and acknowledgments, while maintaining confidentiality.
Makes decisions and interprets policy regarding donor relations procedures/issues.
Participates in office training for new Donor Relations employees and provides guidance across Advancement.
Oversees program, project, and event management for the office.
Leads centralized stewardship for high-end donors, including giving societies and acknowledgments.
Ensures effective processes and Standard Operating Procedures are in place and updates them annually with the Donor Relations team.
Ensures deadlines are met with best-in-class stewardship practices, with a focus on continuous review and enhancement of the donor experience.