Senior Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship

State of Virginia-posted 3 months ago

Full-time

Hybrid • Fairfax, VA

5,001-10,000 employees

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support

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As an integral part of Central Advancement, the Senior Director is responsible for ensuring that Mason has a comprehensive, best-practice donor relations and strategic stewardship program that supports the cultivation, recognition, and stewardship of Mason's donors - at all levels - and fosters their lifetime engagement in the University. This position is responsible for the strategic development and implementation of a high performing, comprehensive University-wide donor relations and strategic stewardship program that is designed to increase donor satisfaction and drive fundraising growth; creates and maintains a positive and professional relationship between the university and its donors, alumni, and constituents; collaborates with various advancement units to determine effective gift stewardship strategies; and elevates the overall philanthropic experience to support donor cultivation and retention. This position also oversees all aspects of gift acknowledgements, gift acceptance, endowment reporting and compliance, impact reporting, giving societies, naming opportunities, scholarship stewardship, and custom principal and major gift stewardship plans. The Senior Director collaborates closely with George Mason University Foundation accounting personnel, as well as University leadership to maintain donor relations standards and donor-centric programming across all areas of Mason. The Senior Director oversees a team of staff members in the Donor Relations and Stewardship team.

Develops the strategic direction to improve the donor experience, increases donor retention, and promotes giving to Mason.
Conceptualizes, oversees and/or executes initiatives that reach major and principal gift prospects and help elevate Mason's reputation among potential and current donors.
Collects and utilizes qualitative and quantitative inputs from a wide range of leaders across campus to inform and develop highly customized stewardship plans for principal and major gift donors, lifetime and planned giving societies, and annual fund donors.
Oversees the development of strategy for strategic recognition and stewardship events, and programs for key donors and giving societies.
Collaborates with Advancement events teams to successfully execute the vision and strategy for recognition and stewardship events.
Builds and oversees a donor relations and strategic stewardship community of practice consisting of Central Advancement team members and other fundraising practitioners throughout the University.
Communicates a vision for the community of practice that aligns with and affirms the overarching goals of Central Advancement.
Identifies resource requirements annually for the donor relations and strategic stewardship staff team, operations, and capital needs to place Mason's program at the leading edge.
Conceptualizes and implements a quantitative and qualitative system of data and metrics to evaluate the effectiveness and success of all stewardship and donor relations programs.
Collaborates with Advancement Communications to identify areas of integrated marketing opportunities to tell donor impact stories and emotionally connect donors.
Oversees the creation of all stewardship-related reporting that educates, engages, inspires, and thanks donors for their generosity to the university.
Evaluates potential naming opportunities for new construction and major renovation, as well as virtual spaces without dedicated physical space.
Develops, implements, and maintains standards and policies for capital and special project naming and recognition opportunities.
Works on collaborative, cross-campus committees for special university projects and events.
Develops, implements, and manages all work for the university's giving societies.
Works closely with university fundraisers, senior academic administrators, faculty, and staff to build long-term donor relations programs.
Provides oversight, direction, and operations support for donor relations needs to create and implement strategies to steward and engage major gift donors.
Contributes to the management of principal gift donors by developing and executing thoughtful and individualized strategies for stewarding donors.
Represents Central Advancement at functions and works with donors and other constituents to strengthen connections and build trust in Mason.
Sets clear direction and priorities for staff of professionals and administrative support personnel.
Promotes excellence through well-defined and measurable goals.
Inspires and motivates staff through the free flow of information.
Fosters a work environment that recognizes and rewards cross-functional collaboration and team-based efforts.
Celebrates current achievements and sets clear expectations for future success.
Mentors and trains staff, providing opportunities for professional learning and growth.
Maintains working knowledge of industry best practices and standards.
Organizes workflow and ensures that employees understand their duties or delegated tasks.
Monitors employee productivity and provides constructive feedback and coaching.
Prepares and submits performance evaluations.
Hires and trains new employees.
Ensures adherence to legal and university policies and procedures.
Manages and approves work schedules and workload.

Master's degree in related field.
Significant (generally six to nine years) experience in stewardship, donor relations, communications, marketing, or similar work.
Significant experience designing donor stewardship strategies for major and principal gifts.
Direct experience supporting or partnering with front line fundraisers.
Significant experience planning and executing donor-focused events (in person and virtual), at various giving levels.
Fundraising and donor relations experience, including proven track record of stewarding gifts of $1M or more.
Proven track record of effectively working and leading in a large, complex, dynamic, and sophisticated organization.
Considerable (generally three - five year) supervisory experience.
Experience working across a complex organization with C-suite individuals.
Strong knowledge of donor engagement, campaigns, planned giving, annual giving, and major gifts.
Knowledge of gift agreements and endowment reporting.
Strong project and program management skills.
Skill in a CRM.
Skill in scholarship management system.
Skill in data analysis and reporting related to donor relations.
Excellent verbal, written, and proofreading skills, and exacting attention to detail.
Ability to develop and manage relationships with donors.
Ability to set a vision and to influence and inspire others to action.
Strategic and creative approaches to tasks and challenges.
Considerable knowledge of donor relations and stewardship in higher education.

Experience in a public research university.
Experience working in a decentralized, complex organization.
Wide-ranging knowledge of academic units, current affairs in higher education, and research.
Skill in Salesforce.
Skill in Microstrategy.
Skill in Blackbaud.

Salary commensurate with education and experience.
Criminal Background Check required.

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