Liberal Arts Director of Development (Donor Engagement and Stewardship)

University of Texas at Austin

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Manage and execute activities across the full donor engagement process to identify, engage, and steward alumni, parents, and donors for the College of Liberal Arts. The role provides day-to-day operational leadership for a comprehensive alumni and donor engagement and stewardship program, including strategic planning, program development, coordination, implementation, and continuous improvement. It manages direct reports and collaborates with College and University colleagues, leadership, students, and philanthropic stakeholders to advance stewardship, affinity group engagement, annual giving, campaigns, and donor communications. The position leads affinity group engagement strategies and events, oversees stewardship-specific activities, develops metrics and reporting, and maintains engagement activity in the CRM. It also builds relationships with donors and constituents, including addressing sensitive complaints and issues, and supports professional development for itself and direct reports.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
At least five years of experience in higher education fundraising.
At least two years of supervisory experience.
Highly effective written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Outstanding project management skills.
Excellence in collaborative teamwork, problem analysis, problem solving, and customer service.
High attention to detail and accountability.
Ability to use discretion and maintain integrity and professionalism.
High proficiency with computer applications, including CRMs and Microsoft Office.
Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail.
Ability to travel and work outside regular hours when needed.

Nice To Haves

Frontline gift officer experience.
Master’s degree.
Working knowledge of UT Austin policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership, professional assertiveness, and relationship management in donor relations.
Lead day-to-day operational oversight, strategic planning, development, coordination, and implementation of a comprehensive alumni and donor engagement and stewardship program.
Partner with leadership to identify top stewardship prospects and initiatives.
Manage and develop direct reports responsible for targeted communications, annual giving activities, campaigns, programmatic stewardship, and individual stewardship plans.
Create systems of measurement and metrics to support continuous improvement.
Supervise alumni engagement and donor stewardship tracking and contribute to continuous improvement of stewardship practices and a culture of philanthropy.
Support effective communication, make space for differing perspectives, and surface and address conflict.
Build collaborative relationships by valuing others’ emotions, input, and curiosity.
Engage in two-way communication and collaborate with the Frontline Team and colleagues and students across the College and University to shape the stewardship vision.
Develop resources and guidance for philanthropic stakeholders concerning communications, annual giving and campaigns, general stewardship, individual stewardship plans, and targeted affinity-group plans.
Liaise with stakeholders to collect and curate data for metrics reporting and advancement.
Lead data-guided affinity group engagement strategy and execution, recording activity in the CRM.
Connect prospective donors with relevant College areas of interest and engagement.
Create metric-driven goals and strategies for local and regional events and oversee execution in coordination with the COLA events director and development teams in UDO and other CSUs.
Manage an annual stewardship event in coordination with the COLA Director of Events.
Plan and facilitate virtual and in-person stewardship gatherings.
Direct and oversee the planning and implementation of stewardship-specific activities at events.
Engage with donors and constituents regarding sensitive complaints and issues.
Demonstrate initiative and interest in professional development, including development for direct reports.