Director, Regenerative Communities

Webster University•Webster Groves, MO

2h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Regenerative Communities leads Webster University’s strategy to grow and sustain the broad base of philanthropic supporters whose recurring annual gifts generate renewable, flexible funding for the institution. At Webster, regenerative communities include alumni, parents and families, faculty and staff, neighbors, and friends whose ongoing engagement and annual gifts strengthen the University over time. This role is responsible for designing and executing scalable acquisition, retention, and engagement programs that expand donor participation and strengthen Webster’s philanthropic pipeline. Through the strategic use of donor segmentation, analytics, and multi-channel communications—including direct mail, digital engagement, crowdfunding, telefunding, and emerging platforms—the Director builds sustainable donor engagement systems that increase long-term philanthropic participation. The Director reports to the Senior Director of Community Resource Development and collaborates across academic and administrative units to align regenerative giving strategies with institutional priorities and support the long-term growth of major and planned giving pipelines. Any one position may not include all of the duties listed, nor do the examples necessarily include all of the duties performed. Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm; some evening and/or weekend work required for special events. This position is approved for a 1-day hybrid work arrangement as offered in Webster University’s Flexible Work Arrangements policy. Use by individual employees is at the discretion of the supervisor and unit leadership based on department and University need.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
Minimum of 5 yrs experience in annual giving, donor engagement, or fundraising
Demonstrated success in growing donor participation, acquisition, or retention
Experience managing direct response fundraising campaigns, including direct mail and digital engagement
Experience with participation-driven fundraising models such as crowdfunding, giving days, telefunding, or peer-to-peer fundraising
Experience using donor data and segmentation to inform engagement strategies
Strong project management, organizational, and analytical skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and stakeholders
Demonstrated commitment to ethical fundraising practices

Responsibilities

Lead Webster University’s annual giving and regenerative donor engagement strategy, with a focus on increasing donor acquisition, retention, participation, and recurring support.
Design and implement scalable, multi-channel fundraising and engagement programs, including direct mail, email, digital campaigns, crowdfunding, telefunding, giving days, and peer-to-peer outreach.
Develop annual solicitation and engagement plans aligned with institutional priorities and donor lifecycle stages.
Ensure regenerative giving programs generate sustainable, unrestricted support for Webster’s mission and strategic initiatives.
Lead the planning, execution, and evaluation of direct response and participation-driven fundraising campaigns.
Utilize donor data, segmentation, and analytics to develop targeted engagement strategies and improve campaign performance.
Monitor and evaluate campaign results, adjusting strategies to improve donor participation, retention, and overall effectiveness.
Partner with departmental colleagues to ensure effective donor communications, accurate data management, and performance reporting.
Identify donors demonstrating increased engagement and support their progression into leadership, major, or planned gift pipelines.
Partner with academic and administrative leaders to translate institutional priorities into compelling donor engagement opportunities.
Collaborate with Community Resource Development colleagues to support coordinated donor engagement and lifecycle management.
Develop and implement stewardship strategies that reinforce donor impact and encourage continued engagement.
Ensure timely and meaningful donor communications and acknowledgments.
Perform other duties as assigned to support Webster University’s philanthropic goals.