Working/Functional Title
Asst Director of Stewardship & Donor Rel
Position Summary
The Assistant Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations for the College of Engineering is a collaborative strategist and facilitator responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive, college-wide stewardship and donor recognition program that ensures high-level stewardship and communication for alums, donors, friends, and supporters, utilizing best practices to create cohesive strategies, programs, and materials.
Responsibilities:
Stewardship Strategies
- Develop a coordinated strategy of communication and stewardship strategies for Development and Alumni Relations, including partnering with the college communications team on print communications, electronic materials, and constituent outreach as needed.
- In partnership with Engineering Development colleagues and University Development and Alumni relations, design and execute individual stewardship plans, including formal impact reports for some of the College’s most generous supporters and prospects.
- Identify best practices at other organizations for stewardship planning and operation.
- Plans, coordinates, and assists with development events such as groundbreakings, dedications, campaign meetings, endowed chair/professorship investitures, and scholarship events. This requires direct interactions with the Dean, Associate Deans, Department Chairs, Development Directors, Marketing and Communications team, and other personnel in the College of Engineering to solicit input and coordinate events.
Communications and Donor Recognition
- Facilitate publicity of major gifts and donors through college communications, the university communications office, and the university advancement.
- Work with the College of Engineering development team to identify creative opportunities to engage and steward donors and their gifts.
- Collaborate with the College of Engineering Alumni Relations on materials to support active engagement of alums and donors.
- Serve as an advocate for donors, alums, and friends.
Endowment Management
- Develop an intimate knowledge of current endowments residing in the College of Engineering and partner with college, department, and program administrators to understand the impact each endowment is making on the College’s mission.
- Annually prepare Endowment Activity Reports, accompanying letters, and electronic support materials to donors and those notified of endowment activity.
- Obtain all information from department chairs and program directors regarding endowment administration and award information.
- Audit endowment agreements and ensure distributions are being spent correctly.
- Work with departments and programs to annually review college scholarship agreements to ensure that donor intention is being followed.
- Manage the processes for acknowledgment and recognition, including ongoing communications with donors.
Proposals
- Provide support for development officers in developing proposals, writing, and production.
- Edit current drafted content for proposals and enter the content into a design template.
- Utilizing existing information and compiling for donor presentations.
Other duties as assigned
Minimum Requirements
Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in a related field such as communications, public relations, marketing, business, or liberal arts; one to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in the planning and production of institutional and/or fundraising events; contractor and vendor contract negotiations, and developing event budget reports; experience in a customer-service environment; and experience in database, spreadsheet, word processing and presentation software; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Desired Qualifications
The ideal candidate should have at least three years of progressively responsible experience in professional fundraising, alums/donor relations, public relations, marketing, or a related field, showcasing strong interpersonal and customer relations skills with diverse personality types. Essential qualities include proficiency in database segmentation and prospect identification, creativity, curiosity, humor, high energy, and enthusiasm for engaging with diverse individuals. A self-starter with initiative, robust decision-making, tact, active listening, and the ability to involve others in activities or decisions is crucial. The candidate must have excellent written communication and organizational skills, knowledge of major gift fundraising principles and techniques, and the ability to manage, analyze, and report data. Additionally, they should be able to implement programming and strategic initiatives while embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion, recognizing the importance of diverse perspectives in fostering a collaborative and enriching work environment.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Application Materials
A complete application will include a resume, a cover letter, and the names and contact information of three professional references.
College of Engineering Donor Recognition: https://engineering.msu.edu/about/donor-recognition
Special Instructions
Working hours are Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm, with some nights and weekends as needed.
Work Hours
STANDARD 8-5
Website
https://engineering.msu.edu/
Remote Work Statement
MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.
Bidding eligibility ends September 10, 2024 at 11:55 P.M.
