Stewardship Specialist II - Corporate & Foundation Relations

University of Louisville • Louisville, KY

2d

About The Position

The Stewardship Specialist is a vital and strategic member of the Corporate & Foundation Relations (CFR) team within the Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement, supporting the University’s philanthropic efforts across all campuses, including Belknap, the Health Sciences Center (HSC), and central administration. Reporting to the Executive Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations, this role will cultivate meaningful connections with donors, ensuring an unparalleled donor experience, and championing the overall philanthropic goals of the university by helping advance institutional fundraising priorities through strategic project management, stewardship, and grants management. The position will coordinate cross-functional fundraising and stewardship initiatives, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty, Deans, senior leadership, staff, and corporate and foundation partners. Responsibilities include writing complex grant proposals and reports, coordinating multi-unit submissions, managing donor stewardship plans, preparing impact and financial reports, and ensuring compliance with donor intent and institutional policies. This role serves as a professional point of contact for corporate and foundation partners and assists with the oversight of grant portfolios, reporting schedules, financial performance, and CRM documentation to ensure accountability and progress toward funding goals, coordinating with the Executive Director as needed. Through strategic coordination, donor engagement, and operational excellence, this position supports revenue-generating activities and advances high-impact CFR initiatives across the University.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field
• Two (2) years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Excellent Oral & Written Communication Skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Research & Analytical Skills
• Organizational & Collaboration Skills
• Critical Thinker & Innovative Problem Solving
• Attention to Detail
• Accountability & Dependability

Nice To Haves

• 3+ years of related experience
• Experience in higher education.
• Experience in CRM
• Experience with drafting grant proposals, reports, and donor materials.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Discretion and professionalism are essential, particularly when handling confidential donor and institutional information.
• The role requires the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including faculty, staff, senior leadership, and external partners, while also working independently.
• The ideal candidate will be skilled in data tracking.
• Strong research and analytical skills are important for supporting grants and stewardship efforts.
• Prior experience in fundraising, philanthropy, or grants administration is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement customized stewardship plans for CFR donors, including those with complex or multidisciplinary awards and endowed funds.
• Coordinate the preparation of detailed impact and financial reports for CFR, including endowment spend policy reporting and other agreement-specific requirements.
• Coordinate data collection and narrative development across multiple academic and administrative units to produce comprehensive, high-quality donor reports.
• Collaborate with the UofL Foundation and internal stakeholders to ensure all corporate and foundation awards are stewarded in compliance with donor intent and institutional policy.
• Assist with the execution of donor engagement events and stewardship activities involving corporate leadership, organizational executives, and university senior leadership, ensuring alignment with strategic fundraising objectives.
• Support preparation of complex donor materials, including proposals, multi-year grant agreements, gift agreements, and related documentation.
• Draft, edit, and coordinate corporate and foundation grant proposals and reports in collaboration with faculty and development officers.
• Manage interdisciplinary grant submissions, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, donor guidelines, and submission requirements.
• Oversee the CFR grant portfolio in coordination with the UofL Foundation to ensure awards are expended within grant periods, compliant with donor requirements, and aligned with approved budgets and scopes of work.
• Coordinate and facilitate extension requests, budget reallocations, and compliance-related communications with donors as necessary.
• Monitor reporting schedules, deliverables, and financial performance across the portfolio to proactively identify and address risks or delays.
• Ensure accurate documentation of grant activity, deadlines, and stewardship requirements within the CRM and other institutional systems.
• Lead and manage cross-functional internal and external meetings related to corporate and foundation, and gift planning fundraising initiatives, ensuring appropriate stakeholders are identified and engaged.
• Prepare meeting agendas with developed objectives; prepare presentations and briefing materials (including donor-facing stewardship and proposal presentations); document outcomes; assign action items; and monitor follow-up to ensure timely completion.
• Serve as project manager for interdisciplinary fundraising and stewardship initiatives, coordinating faculty, staff, senior leadership, and foundation partners to advance institutional priorities.
• Maintain oversight of related tasks, deadlines, and deliverables within the CRM and other institutional systems to ensure accountability and progress toward funding and stewardship goals.

Benefits

• The University of Louisville has an exceptional benefits package; to learn more about our benefits, please visit here
• Compensation will be commensurate to candidate experience.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees