Manager – Alumni Donor Relations (Stewardship)

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Development and Relations Foundation (IITB DRF); Mumbai; On-site; INR 1,400,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Job summary

IIT Bombay Development and Relations Foundation (IITB DRF) seeks an experienced stewardship professional to advance IIT Bombay’s mission by cultivating long‑term donor relationships, managing sponsorships and philanthropic support.

You will design personalized communications, deliver donor experiences, prepare impact reports, maintain donor records, and collaborate with faculty and Institute leadership to translate research achievements into compelling donor narratives.

Qualifications

• 7–13 years of experience in donor relations or stewardship.
• Strong educational pedigree with science/tech emphasis preferred.
• Experience in high-value, relationship-based engagements.
• Ability to manage multi-stakeholder environments.
• Proven ability in donor communications and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement donor stewardship strategies to strengthen existing donor relationships.
• Deliver personalized donor experiences through communications, meetings, and events.
• Manage donor acknowledgement, impact reporting, and lifecycle communications.
• Collaborate with faculty and leadership to translate research outcomes into donor stories.
• Create donor-centric engagement initiatives and organize institute visits.
• Communicate IIT Bombay's mission and achievements to external stakeholders.
• Maintain donor records, preferences, and engagement histories.
• Develop dashboards and reports tracking donor engagement metrics.
• Identify opportunities to deepen donor engagement and retention.

Skills

Relationship building

Stakeholder management

Donor engagement

Donor stewardship

Analytical skills

Tech‑savvy

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Fundraising knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in science/engineering

Tools

CRM software

Donor management systems

Data analytics tools

Job description

Help in advancement of IIT Bombay's mission by fostering strong relationships with its alumni, corporations and philanthropists.

About us:

The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, set up in 1958 as the second IIT, is recognised worldwide as a leader in the field of science and engineering education and research. The Institute was granted the status of 'Institution of Eminence' by the Ministry of Education (the then Ministry of Human Resources Development) on July 9, 2018. IIT Bombay is reputed for the quality of its faculty, cutting-edge research, industry relations, and the outstanding caliber of students graduating from its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The Institute has 17 academic departments, 64 other academic entities (Centres/ Programmes/ Academic facilities/ Hubs/ Externally funded centres and Labs), and three schools. Over the last six decades, more than 75,000 engineers and scientists have graduated from the Institute. It is served by 756 faculty members, with 121 women faculty, and about 150 visiting and part-time faculty, considered not only amongst the best within the country but also highly recognised in the world for achievements in the field of education and research. On June 19, 2025, IIT Bombay was ranked 2nd in India and 129th in the world in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings for 2026.

The Development and Relations Foundation (DRF), established as a Section 8 not-for-profit entity under the Dean Alumni & Corporate Relations (ACR) office, serves as a strategic arm dedicated to advancing IIT Bombay’s vision of global leadership. DRF plays a pivotal role in fostering meaningful, long‑term partnerships with alumni, corporations, and philanthropic foundations — transforming goodwill into sustained philanthropic support It empowers the Dean ACR’s mission by driving fundraising initiatives, stewarding donor relationships, and ensuring transparency in managing philanthropic contributions

From personalized donor engagement to overseeing financial accountability and impact reporting, DRF ensures that every philanthropic effort translates into lasting progress for the Institute’s academic, research, and infrastructure growth.

Job Purpose:

Establish and maintain systematic outreach to existing donors, fostering long‑term relationships and creating opportunities for sponsorship, research project funding, and support for the institute. Act as a passionate team member for IITB DRF, showcasing its contributions to cutting‑edge research and innovation in science and technology to the external world.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement comprehensive stewardship strategies to strengthen relationships with existing donors and sustain their long‑term engagement with IIT Bombay.
• Design and deliver personalized donor experiences through tailored communications, one‑on‑one interactions, meetings, events, and other meaningful engagement opportunities.
• Manage donor stewardship plans, ensuring timely acknowledgement, recognition, impact updates, and communication throughout the donor lifecycle.
• Partner with faculty, Institute leadership, and internal stakeholders to gather and translate programme and research outcomes into compelling donor impact reports, stories, and communications.
• Develop and curate donor‑centric engagement initiatives, including personalized correspondence, donor meetings, special events, Institute visits, and opportunities for meaningful interaction with faculty and beneficiaries.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of IIT Bombay's mission, achievements, and institutional priorities and effectively communicate its impact to donors and external stakeholders.
• Strengthen donor retention, repeat giving, and long‑term engagement by ensuring a consistent, thoughtful, and high‑quality donor experience.
• Maintain comprehensive and accurate donor records, engagement histories, preferences, and stewardship actions to enable informed relationship management.
• Develop dashboards and periodic reports to track donor engagement, stewardship activities, retention, and other relevant metrics, providing insights to strengthen the overall donor experience.
• Identify opportunities to deepen donor engagement and strengthen the connection between philanthropic contributions and their impact on IIT Bombay.

Desired Experience/ competencies:

• 7 –13 years’ Strong educational pedigree, preference for qualification in science and technology.
• Experience of high value, relationship‑based engagements.
• Effectively manage internal and external multi‑stakeholder environment for desired outcomes.
• Additionally, proficiency in relationship building is highly valued.
• Association with philanthropy and fund raising is a plus.
• Attention to Detail: Stewardship executives must be detail‑oriented to ensure accurate and timely acknowledgement of donations, as well as proper documentation of donor details.
• Tech‑Savviness: Proficiency with technology tools is typically required for tracking donor interactions, managing data, and generating reports to inform stewardship strategies.
• Adaptability: The ability to adapt to changing circumstances and organizational priorities is important in navigating the dynamic nature of donor relations and stewardship.
• Team Collaboration: Collaborating with colleagues across departments, such as fundraising, marketing, and program management, is often necessary to ensure a cohesive approach to stewardship that aligns with broader organizational objectives.
• Analytical Skills: Being able to analyze donor data and trends helping provide valuable insights for refining stewardship strategies and identifying opportunities for donor engagement and retention.