Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship

Empire State University•Saratoga Springs, NY

15h

About The Position

The Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship provides strategic leadership for Empire State University’s donor engagement, stewardship, and recognition program. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Advancement, the Director develops and implements institution-wide strategies that demonstrate philanthropic impact, uphold donor intent, and strengthen the donor experience throughout the giving journey. The role oversees donor recognition, impact reporting, gift acknowledgements, scholarship administration and reporting, gift agreements for major gifts and endowed funds, stewardship communications, endowed fund reporting, and donor engagement initiatives. Working with development, advancement services, communications, finance, academic leadership, and the Empire State University Foundation, the Director ensures philanthropic investments are acknowledged, celebrated, and connected to meaningful outcomes. The position uses storytelling, technology, data, and stewardship best practices to strengthen donor relationships and advance a culture of philanthropy. It directly supervises the Coordinator of Donor Relations. The position is located in Saratoga Springs, New York. Periodic travel and on-site presence at events throughout New York State and beyond are required, including occasional evening and weekend work. The university offers remote and flexible work options to meet the needs of its dispersed work environment, but the posting does not specify a particular workplace classification. The title is in Appendix A of the SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees; incumbents are not eligible for permanent appointment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in donor relations, stewardship, advancement, fundraising, alumni relations, advancement communications, or a related field.
Demonstrated success developing and implementing donor stewardship and engagement strategies.
Experience creating donor communications, endowed fund reports, impact reports, or stewardship programs, and familiarity with stewardship best practices.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Experience supervising staff, student employees, volunteers, or project teams.
Experience using CRM systems and data to support donor engagement and decision-making.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; visa sponsorship is not available.
Periodic travel and on-site attendance at events throughout New York State and beyond, including occasional evening and weekend work.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree from an accredited institution.
Experience in higher education, university advancement, or a nonprofit fundraising environment.
Experience with endowment stewardship, impact reporting, and donor recognition programs.
Experience supporting comprehensive fundraising campaigns.
Experience collaborating with communications, marketing, and finance colleagues.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, and assess a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship strategy aligned with fundraising priorities and long-term philanthropic goals.
Lead stewardship across annual, leadership, major, planned, and endowed giving, and partner with advancement leaders and fundraisers on donor engagement throughout cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention.
Establish stewardship goals, metrics, and standards, assess program effectiveness, and apply emerging trends and best practices.
Manage a small portfolio of former donors and stewardship contacts.
Oversee donor impact reporting and stewardship communications, including endowment and scholarship impact reports, annual stewardship communications, major gift reporting, and other impact materials.
Partner with Communications to develop compelling stories about donor impact, student achievement, and program outcomes; ensure communications are timely, accurate, and aligned with donor expectations and institutional messaging.
Develop and oversee donor recognition and engagement programs, including recognition societies, naming and recognition practices, planned-giving recognition, appreciation initiatives, and stewardship and recognition events.
Collaborate with advancement leadership and special events staff to create donor experiences, and evaluate recognition and engagement programs for effectiveness, inclusivity, and alignment with advancement goals.
Oversee stewardship policies and practices for endowed and restricted funds; work with foundation finance, advancement services, and university leadership to support compliance with donor intent and stewardship commitments.
Establish processes for accurate donor reporting, fund accountability, stewardship tracking and documentation, gift-agreement compliance, audit readiness, and reporting integrity; serve as a resource on stewardship policies and donor accountability.
Support frontline fundraisers with donor engagement and cultivation strategies, proposals and presentations, gift agreements, stewardship plans, and major-gift engagement strategies.
Develop tools, resources, and training to help advancement staff steward and engage donors throughout the philanthropic cycle.
Partner with academic and administrative leaders to facilitate donor engagement and communicate philanthropic impact.
Use CRM data, analytics, and emerging technologies to strengthen stewardship and donor engagement; collaborate with Advancement Services on a stewardship matrix, dashboards, and reporting tools.
Assess donor relations programs using measurable outcomes and continuous improvement; identify opportunities for innovation, automation, and personalization.
Promote accountability, excellence, and innovation within donor relations programs.
Supervise and develop the Coordinator of Donor Relations through leadership, mentorship, goal-setting, and professional development, while fostering a collaborative, service-oriented, high-performing culture.