Advancement Relations Officer

University of Washington; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

University of Washington in Seattle seeks an Advancement Relations Officer to support donor engagement and events within the Arts Division of the College of Arts & Sciences. The role partners with colleagues across advancement and academic units to enhance fundraising impact and donor stewardship.

The position coordinates cultivation events, communications, and stewardship activities, and requires collaboration with divisional leadership to align resources with strategic goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 2 years of experience in administrative support, development, fundraising, alumni relations, or communications.
• Experience with project management or program administration preferred.
• Experience planning, coordinating and executing events or engagement activities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with diverse audiences.
• Knowledge of donor relations, fundraising, advancement, or alumni relations practices.
• Familiarity with arts organizations or related community.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and execution of cultivation, stewardship and engagement events across the Arts Division.
• Create meaningful engagement opportunities that strengthen connections among supporters and community partners.
• Partner with colleagues across the Arts Division, University Advancement and the broader University community to deliver engaging event experiences.
• Manage event logistics from planning through execution, including invitations, registrations, budgets, vendor coordination, communications, and follow-up.
• Maintain accurate event and constituent information within the Advancement CRM and support reporting and tracking efforts.
• Develop donor-focused materials, including gift acknowledgements, impact reports and stewardship communications.
• Collaborate with Advancement and Marketing & Communications to ensure donor-facing messaging.

Skills

Administrative support

Fundraising

Alumni relations

Communications

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM

Database systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

For over 160 years, the University of Washington has been a hub for learning, innovation, problem solving and community building. Supporting this legacy and important public mission—with the goal of making the UW the world’s greatest public university, as measured by positive impact—guides everything we do in University Advancement. Bringing together development; alumni and stakeholder engagement; marketing and communications; and advancement operations, we advance the UW’s impact by developing meaningful connections that foster pride, advocacy and philanthropic support.

The mission of the Development team is to facilitate private resources to enhance and protect the University’s reputation and support equitable community building and service. This starts with creating a culture of belonging within our organization that values the diverse experiences and expertise of our team members, allowing everyone to thrive and to contribute their unique talents as we strive to achieve our shared goals.

The College of Arts & Sciences has an exciting opening for an Advancement Relations Officer. This is a full-time permanent position.

The Advancement Relations Officer supports engagement, stewardship and fundraising efforts for the Arts Division within the College of Arts & Sciences. This position plans and coordinates events, supports donor and alumni relations activities, develops stewardship communications and impact reports and collaborates with colleagues across advancement, communications and academic units to strengthen engagement and support fundraising goals.

Reporting to the Director of Advancement Services and working closely with the Senior Director of Development for Arts and Humanities, this role partners with teams across the College and University to implement events, communications and donor engagement activities that support the Arts Division: Schools of Art + Art History + Design, Drama and Music and the Departments of Dance and DXARTS.

What You Will Do

Division-Wide Signature Events (45%)

• Lead the planning and execution of cultivation, stewardship and engagement events across the Arts Division, including programs for donors, alumni, community members and other key stakeholders.
• Create meaningful engagement opportunities that strengthen connections among supporters and community partners..
• Partner with colleagues across the Arts Division, University Advancement and the broader University community to develop and deliver engaging event experiences.
• Manage event logistics from planning through execution, including establishing event goals, invitations, registrations, budgets, vendor coordination, communications, event-day support and follow-up communications with attendees.
• Maintain accurate event and constituent information within the Advancement CRM and support reporting and tracking efforts.

Donor Stewardship & Cultivation Activities (45%)

• Support donor stewardship, cultivation and engagement efforts through meaningful communications, recognition activities and outreach initiatives. Work closely with divisional dean and faculty leadership to draft stewardship communications.
• Develop donor-focused materials, including gift acknowledgements, impact reports, student and faculty letters and other stewardship communications.
• Partner with academic units and Advancement colleagues to ensure gifts funds are utilized and to highlight the impact of philanthropic support and communicate outcomes to donors and supporters.
• Serve as a key resource for accepting gifts supporting Arts Division programs, scholarships, fellowships and initiatives, ensuring accurate documentation and coordination. Manage in-kind gift inquiries and acceptance procedures.
• Maintain online giving resources and accurate constituent records to support donor engagement, stewardship and fundraising efforts.
• Collaborate with Advancement and Marketing & Communications partners to ensure consistent donor-facing messaging and engagement strategies.

Other Duties (10%)

• Develop and coordinate communication and engagement plans that support Arts Division priorities.
• Partner with Marketing & Communications colleagues to identify and promote stories, events and accomplishments across the Arts Division.
• Contribute to events, communications and engagement initiatives that support broader College advancement efforts and other departmental priorities.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity, your application must demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants who do not meet these qualifications will not be forwarded to the Hiring Department.

Bachelor's degree AND 2 years of experience in administrative support, development, advancement, fundraising, alumni relations, communications or related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with project management or program administration, preferably in a nonprofit, higher education, arts, or related environment.
• Experience planning, coordinating and executing events or engagement activities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences.
• Knowledge of donor relations, stewardship, fundraising, advancement, or alumni relations practices.
• Familiarity with arts organizations, arts education, or the broader arts community.
• Experience using CRM, database, or other information management systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Access to reliable transportation for local travel, with the ability and willingness to drive to and from events and across campus as needed.
• Ability to lift/move 20 pounds regularly and up to 40 pounds occasionally for event setup and tear down.
• During Events (from setup to tear down) or on Event days there is often:
• Standing 4 or more hours continuously.
• Walking 4 or more hours continuously.
• Working greater than a 10-hour day

What You Can Expect

• Hybrid-work schedule with three days in the office and two days eligible for telework per week, based on business needs.
• Ability to work evening and weekend hours and to flex in-office days, as necessary, on short or limited notice.
• Cubicle/open workspace environment that may result in higher noise levels and visual distractions.