Assistant Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship

Assistant Director, Donor Relations and StewardshipCampus Title: Assistant Director, Donor Relations and StewardshipState Job Title: Assistant DirectorDepartment: Institutional AdvancementJob Code: HA6600FLSA Status: ExemptFunding: TBDBargaining Unit: APAJob Type: Full-time PermanentTimeframe: 52 WeeksShift: Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm (At times evening and weekend work may be required)Regular Days Off: Saturday and SundaySupervision Received: Reports to Vice President of Institutional Advancement / at times the Executive Director of Institutional AdvancementSupervision Exercised: The Assistant Director will supervise various personnel, interns and students within the Advancement department. The Assistant Director will supervise the engagement of both internal and external vendors, contractors and community partners.Salary:$70,000.00-$75,000.00 (Salary to commensurate with education and experience)General Statement of Duties: The Assistant Director of Stewardship and Scholarships will play a significant role in developing, creating and nurturing a culture of philanthropic support at Westfield State University. The Assistant Director's primary responsibilities are to build donor trust through consistent and meaningful contact from the University; continue cultivation of past and current major donors to enhance and steward their relationship with the University; develop and implement strategies for effective and timely acknowledgement, recognition and stewardship of alumni, donors, and other key stakeholders; serve as a primary support to the Blackbaud Award Management online scholarship system including assisting students and reviewer groups .Duties and Responsibilities:Duties include but not limited to:Essential:• Manage and direct a creative, strategic and proactive donor stewardship program, designed to foster and strengthen long-term relationships and consistently promote increased engagement and recognition of donors at all levels. Proactively suggest, develop and implement donor stewardship initiatives and programs to steward donors.• Manage the stewardship of scholarship donors and proactively engage scholarship students in the acknowledgement and recognition of their scholarship donors.• Work with the Vice President, Executive Director, Alumni Director, Annual Fund Coordinator and Major Gifts Officers to steward donors via the delivery of targeted communications, including correspondence, emails and social media and personal contacts.• Serve as the primary support to the Blackbaud Award Management online scholarship portal allowing greater ease to all users (students, faculty, staff and reviewers). Regularly update online scholarship presence with upgrades designed to facilitate both student and donor interactions.• Manages the scholarship award process in conjunction with the Westfield State Foundation scholarship committee, the University Financial Aid office, and donors and other scholarship committees. Ensures that students are made aware of scholarship award availability and application process; makes scholarship applications available to the student population in a timely fashion, oversees collection of applications and ensures proper handling and distribution to committees to ensure smooth award process.• Develop appropriate personalized correspondence in support of directors of development and gift officers per direction.• Oversee the planning and execution of donor-focused events, including recognition ceremonies, receptions and events ensuring memorable experiences that deepen donor engagement.• Create successful working relationships with faculty, staff and students to achieve successful fundraising opportunities.• Develop and assess policies and procedures across the University that are essential for a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship program.• Support the stewardship responsibilities of the advancement staff by assisting them in establishing and coordinating individualized stewardship plans for donors.• Work collaboratively with advancement staff to compose letters, compile appropriate invitation lists, engage featured program participants, create programs and provide program materials, prepare program scripts and participant remarks (as needed) and create and/or obtain donor awards and recognitions.• Perform special assignments or duties as directed by the Executive Director of University Advancement.• Attend WSU and Westfield State University Foundation events and meetings. Evening and weekend work may be required. Represent the University at campus and community events.Job Requirements:Required Qualifications• A bachelor's degree is required with a minimum of three to five years' experience in higher education (or a comparably complex organization), in development, stewardship, advancement services or related field• Strong understanding of 501 ( c ) 3 organizations, budgets and finances and overall non-profit management• Knowledge and ability to create, execute, support, and oversee carefully orchestrated cultivation events and programs for the University's major donors• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills are essential• Previous experience interacting with donors and donor opportunities is mandatory• Ability to generate creative solutions for stewarding donors in order to advance the University's efforts to strengthen high-quality individual relationships with donors• Ability to think, plan and implement solutions strategically• Excellent social skills, with large groups as well as with individuals• Proven skills and ability to manage complex, multi-phase projects from inception to completion, including the ability to build consensus among team members and balance multiple concurrent priorities• Ability to work independently and as part of a team and supervise others• Detail oriented, well organized, focused and goal-oriented, with a high level of initiative and energy, is essential, as well as being adept at problem solving.• Ability to use sound judgment in situations requiring independent initiative and tact; must exhibit a higher order of involvement and complexity of judgement.Additional Information:Salary:Salaries for current Westfield State University employees and individuals currently working for the state of Massachusetts must be calculated individually in accordance with collective bargaining agreements as well as state policies. State job specifications may be found on the https://www.mass.edu/forfacstaff/classificationspecs/home.asp.Employee Benefits:Benefits are an important component of an employee's total compensation package.• Health Insurance: Westfield State offers a variety of HMO, POS, and PPO-type health insurance plans for eligible employees. Coverage is effective on the 1st of the month following the date of hire. Exceptions to employees hired on the 1st of the month, coverage is effective immediately.• Retirement: the MA State Employee Retirement System provides eligible employees with a retirement pension following a 10-year vesting period. In lieu of the retirement pension, eligible employees may select the Optional Retirement Plan with a maximum 5% employer matching contribution.• Tuition Waivers & Discounts: eligible employees, including spouses and dependent children, receive reduced tuition at MA state colleges, community colleges, and universities.• Paid Time Off: employees receive 12 paid holidays and generous vacation, personal, and sick leave benefits.• Additional information regarding employee benefits is available on the University's https://westfield.ma.edu/offices/hr-titleix-eo/benefits-wellness.Disabi… AccommodationsWestfield State University is committed to the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities and will ensure the availability of reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact Human Resources at (413) 572-8809 or visit us in the Horace Mann Building, 1st floor.Background CheckEmployment is contingent upon the successful completion and review of a background check. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration.To apply, visit https://apptrkr.com/6506692jeid-bc9dbe42f3c4c044bb4bf9cb617bc2dd