Assistant Director, Donor Experience

UVA External Relations; Charlottesville (VA); Hybrid; USD 54,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

UVA External Relations seeks a dynamic Assistant Director, Donor Experience to lead digital-first donor communications and innovative workflows in support of UVA's fundraising goals.

You will steward a large donor portfolio, build personalized relationships, and solicit annual gifts using email, social media, video conferencing, and calls, collaborating with the Salesforce Ascend CRM team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• One year of related work experience or equivalent.
• Proficient with digital media, text, phone, and video conferencing tools.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Self-motivated with strong work ethic and initiative.
• Ability to prioritize, stay agile, and pay attention to detail.
• Well organized with high energy and initiative.
• Able to handle confidential information discreetly.

Responsibilities

• Actively manage a portfolio of 1,000 alumni donor households.
• Cultivate relationships via email, phone, social media, video conferencing, and texting.
• Execute monthly touchpoint cadences (30–50+ outbound touches per day).
• Solicit renewals or upgrades to UVA using targeted, alumni-centric approaches.
• Provide UVA information aligned with donors' interests and opportunities to engage.

Skills

Digital communication

Verbal communication

Written communication

Self-motivation

Detail oriented

Discretion

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Word

Excel

Desktop Publishing

Job description

External Relations at the University of Virginia (UVA) is seeking a highly qualified candidate to fill the role of Assistant Director, Donor Experience. The University of Virginia has a strong and reputable advancement community, boasting effective, results-oriented, and resourceful professionals. Our community comprises a robust central advancement organization, 12 University schools, and more than 25 University-related programs. We offer a wide variety of career opportunities, as well as an outstanding environment for professional growth and development.

Position Summary

The Assistant Director, Donor Experience role combines digital-first communication efforts with innovative workflows to achieve the University of Virginia's fundraising and alumni participation goals. By utilizing technology tools, this position is responsible for developing personal, customized relationships with an assigned portfolio of current and former alumni donors and friends to ask for renewed or increased support for the University. The Assistant Director, Donor Experience will steward donors, provide information to deepen their understanding of the University, and solicit annual gifts using digital tools such as email, LinkedIn, video conferencing, phone calls, and texting. This role works with a cohort of peers within the engagement and annual giving teams using innovative technology through UVA’s Salesforce Ascend CRM. The Assistant Director, Donor Experience will report to the Senior Associate Director, Virtual Philanthropy.

Responsibilities

• Actively engage and manage a portfolio of 1,000 recent and lapsed alumni donor households
• Cultivate relationships with these donors via email, phone, social media, video conferencing, and texting
• To ensure consistent and relevant donor communication, execute monthly touchpoint cadences (averaging 30-50+ outbound touchpoints per day) across their portfolio
• Build rapport, steward, and solicit donors in an alumni-centric, targeted, high-velocity manner using technology tools
• Provide information on the University relative to the alumni donors' interests and share upcoming opportunities to attend events, volunteer, participate in alumni activities/services, or otherwise deepen their engagement with UVA
• Solicit currently unassigned, untracked donor households to renew or upgrade giving to any area of UVA, integrating donors' interests with their philanthropic priorities
• Foster cross-campus connections by participating in communities of practice and developing relationships with school and program colleagues
• Develop and maintain broad knowledge of the University, such as admissions, athletics, schools, and alumni engagement activity
• Participate and collaborate in planning meetings to understand broader marketing strategies and recommend integrated tactics to support giving, donor retention, philanthropy education, and engagement
• Identify and troubleshoot challenges to donors' online giving and engagement experience and work with appropriate colleagues to address
• Coordinate with the prospect management team and major gift program to develop a lead generation/hand-off structure that can be tracked
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, analysis, and improvement. Identify and troubleshoot challenges to the donor journey or engagement experience and work with appropriate colleagues to recommend solutions across teams
• Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• One year of related work experience, which may include work as a student or volunteer
• Proficient at using digital media, text, phone, and video conferencing tools
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Self-motivated with an excellent work ethic driven to iterate and innovate
• Ability to prioritize and remain agile while paying attention to details
• Well organized and goal-oriented and with a high level of initiative and energy
• Proven problem-solving skills and ability to exercise sound judgment
• Adept at problem-solving and using judgment in situations requiring independent initiative and tact
• Motivated to work in and grow a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture
• Able to manage confidential or sensitive information responsibly and with discretion
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and Desktop Publishing

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with relational CRM or databases a plus
• Fundraising experience, which may include work as a student or volunteer
• UVA graduates preferred

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Salary Range

• The anticipated hiring range is $54K - $64K / year, commensurate with education and experience.

Position Type & Work Location

• This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.
• This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability.
• UVA External Relations offers a flexible and hybrid workplace. All team members must have access to and maintain a secure home office environment with high-speed internet service and work collaboratively with others using various technologies and tools. Depending on the type of position and work performed, or as deemed by the manager, some positions may be required to work intermittently in a shared office space in Charlottesville, Virginia.
• This position can be worked remotely, with the expectation of being in Charlottesville a minimum of four times a year at UVA’s expense.

About UVA And The Community

To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.

Application Timeline

Application review will begin after July 27, 2026.

Additional Requirements

• Background checks will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.
• This position will not consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future.

Reference Check Process

Reference checks will be completed by UVA’s third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will be requested, with at least three responses required.

Contact

• For additional information about the position, please contact Sandi Hall, Senior Associate Director for Staff Success, at [e-mail].
• For questions about the application process, please contact Jon Freeman, [e-mail].

Job Profile

J1061 - Engagement and Annual Giving Professional 1

Career Stream and Level

Professional-P1

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer.

All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.