Donor Experience Manger, Stewardship & Events

Scottsdale Cultural Council • Scottsdale, AZ

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Scottsdale Arts is seeking a Donor Experience Manager, Stewardship & Events, who is passionate about celebrating generosity and ensuring every supporter has a meaningful and joyful experience. This role is crucial for making donors, sponsors, members, and community partners feel valued, appreciated, and connected to the organization's mission. The position involves overseeing benefit fulfillment, recognition, creating memorable donor, member, and sponsor experiences, and thoughtful engagement moments. It also supports cultivating partnerships, membership programming, and stewardship strategies to foster loyalty and long-term philanthropy, including a key role in the annual gala. The work directly contributes to building lasting relationships that enrich the community and advance the mission.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field of study or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in donor relations, stewardship, fundraising, community partnerships, events, or related work.
• Strong written skills with a talent for expressing gratitude in a warm, genuine, and impactful way.
• Experience stewarding donors, sponsors, giving circles, or membership programs; experience managing donor relationships or portfolios preferred.
• Familiarity with CRM systems, plus other project management and communication interfaces.
• Warmth, high energy, creativity, and curiosity with a hospitality mindset.
• Highly organized, proactive, and attentive to detail.
• Natural relationship builder who can develop meaningful connections and translate them into engagement and philanthropic opportunities.
• Ability to communicate with clarity, kindness, and strategic insight.
• Comfortable taking ownership, managing across teams, and keeping complex plans aligned.
• Ability to balance exceptional donor service with organizational goals, revenue objectives, and measurable outcomes.
• Thrives in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.
• Genuine interest in the arts.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and a driving record that is acceptable to the organization’s insurance carrier.

Responsibilities

• Deliver Exceptional Stewardship: Maintain and manage a stewardship calendar, develop and manage a stewardship plan for timely gift acknowledgment, oversee the delivery of donor and sponsor benefits, recognition moments, impact updates, and personalized communications, identify opportunities for 'surprise and delight' experiences, and keep donor, member, and partner needs central to all interactions.
• Manage an assigned portfolio of gala donors and supporters, developing and executing individualized stewardship and engagement strategies.
• Lead Annual Gala Strategy, Experience, and Revenue: Serve as a key staff lead for the annual gala, supporting strategy, planning, execution, and the overall donor and guest experience, partner with development leadership to execute strategies for gala revenue goals (sponsorship, ticketing, etc.), and coordinate gala sponsorship fulfillment, donor recognition, guest communications, logistics, and post-event stewardship.
• Manage Donor Experiences and Events: Lead the planning and execution of donor- and sponsor-focused events (appreciation gatherings, behind-the-scenes opportunities, VIP experiences), coordinate event logistics, guest lists, communications, materials, and on-site needs, and support thoughtful event follow-up.
• Support Donor Insights and Continuous Improvement: Maintain accurate records in the CRM, surface insights and metrics to inform cultivation strategies, and seek new ideas to enhance the donor experience.
• Design Thoughtful Recognition and Engagement: Produce high-quality acknowledgments, recognition pieces, impact reports, and updates, collaborate with programming and marketing teams for stories and visuals, coordinate recognition activities, and support stewardship moments for membership groups and community partners.
• Partner Across the Organization: Collaborate closely with development team colleagues, coordinate across departments for benefit delivery and event execution, and encourage a culture of gratitude across the organization.
• Support other duties and activities as needed.

Benefits

• Great company culture
• Flexible schedules
• Hybrid work opportunities
• Employee recognition program
• PTO program that accrues more hours with tenure
• 9 paid holidays
• 5 floating holidays
• Medical and dental plans (company covers 90% of employee premiums and 70% of dependent premiums)
• Vision coverage
• Disability insurance
• Life Insurance
• FSA Account
• 401K with employer match
• Pet Healthcare
• Gym Membership
• Reciprocal membership with NARM and Local arts and culture organizations
• One membership to share
• Exclusive discounts on tickets to events and performances
• Opportunities for internal growth and advancement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level