Stewardship & Donor Relations Manager

Cleveland Museum of Natural History•Cleveland, OH

4d•$65,000 - $75,000

About The Position

CMNH is seeking a dynamic, creative and energetic individual who is passionate about the Museum and its mission; exhibits strong project management, event planning, and organizational skills; is looking for new challenges; and enjoys working in an enthusiastic and fast paced environment. The Stewardship and Donor Relations Manager reports directly to the Senior Philanthropy Officer and is responsible for a comprehensive donor stewardship and relations program; developing and delivering mission-centered and donor-focused events; and implementing technology-assisted strategies and protocol aimed at connecting prospective donors and high-level constituents with gift officers at the Museum. This position will work fundamentally with the Office of Philanthropy team to ensure the Museum builds long-term, productive relationships with donors for increased annual operating support, planned gifts and endowment growth.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required
Exceptional oral and written communication skills to determine best methods of communication for diverse groups, including drafting, editing and proofreading correspondence, publications, and briefing documents.
Interpersonal skills to work effectively with diverse constituents, including museum leadership, donors, members, staff, service providers, volunteers and the public.
Demonstrated ability to anticipate problems, recommend solutions and implement appropriate responses to complex issues involved in donor relations and stewardship for donors at our highest levels.
Ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
Ability to initiate, manage, and evaluate challenging situations in rapidly changing and fast-paced environments
Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office products to include Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Excellent organizational, analytical and problem solving skills.
Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and dependability.
Ability to work with an interdisciplinary professional team.
Ability to exercise initiative and good judgment in anticipating problems before they arise.
Ability to effectively coordinate and track multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize, work well under pressure with a high degree of accuracy, and meet stringent and overlapping deadlines.
Ability to be an outstanding ambassador to the Museum.
Excellent verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Three to five years of related experience in donor relations, stewardship, philanthropy, public relations, or a related field preferred.
Knowledge and experience with Development/fundraising software, preferably Blackbaud products.
A passion for science, nature and conservation.

Responsibilities

Implement, and evaluate a long-term strategy for comprehensive donor relations program that appropriately and consistently promotes engagement with and recognition of all donors, with an emphasis on donors of the highest level, to strengthen relationships between donors and the Museum.
Review policies and procedures and provide an ongoing assessment of donor relations' practices, goals, and strategies and make enhancement recommendations for program improvement. Develop new donor relations strategies, including customized strategies, to recognize and engage the highest-level donors and donors to the highest priority.
Manage donor recognition standards and practices and monitor all recognition activities, including giving societies, naming opportunities, donor signage, recognition walls and print/web/social media donor features, for consistency, quality, and effectiveness. In collaboration with the Annual Fund Manager create a plan for enhanced visibility and activities around donor recognition societies, with an emphasis on Leadership Circle.
Assist the Senior Philanthropy Officer in developing and implementing technology-assisted strategies and protocol aimed at connecting prospective donors and high-level constituents with gift officers at the Museum, with an emphasis on increasing major gifts.
Manage all aspects of implementing, executing and evaluating donor engagement events from booking speakers, to pre-event planning, to on-site event production and breakdown. Liaise with marketing colleagues to promote events and assist with creating invitations. Coordinates with Museum Caterer on venue management, event staffing, menus and equipment hire. Secure all talking points for the event, including remarks for the President and CEO, Museum Directors and Staff.
Ensure that all endowment reports update the donor on the use, impact and financial management of their gift and are delivered in a timely, consistent, and manner. Manage gift agreements for pledges, principal gifts, and endowments to ensure their ongoing compliance and donor stewardship.
Develop and prepare donor agendas and briefing materials to support donor visits to CMNH. Prepare all briefing documents and work with Marketing for the creation of PowerPoint presentations for the Office of Philanthropy; assist in developing presentations for donor-centric meetings/visits for the President and CEO.
Manage the acknowledgement process to ensure that all donors are thanked in a personal, timely and appropriate manner. Improve the means by which to acknowledge gifts at various levels, and throughout the life cycle of donors.
Stay on the forefront of stewardship best practices.
In collaboration with the Member Services Manager assist with membership cultivation and stewardship events.
Other duties as assigned