Assistant Director of Donor Relations

Bates College; Lewiston (ME); On-site; USD 54,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement contribution with match

Vacation days

Personal days

Paid holidays

Free parking

Job summary

Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, seeks an Assistant Director of Donor Relations to design and manage donor experiences and a suite of in-person and virtual touchpoints that showcase Bates’ gratitude and the impact of philanthropy on campus.

You will plan virtual events, coordinate with the Advancement Events team for in-person gatherings, and support stewardship communications and donor recognition across campus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 2-3 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated success in project management is preferred.
• Understanding of database systems, business office software, and reporting software preferred.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion, and serving the needs of a culturally and educationally diverse community.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute virtual events and in-person donor events.
• Collaborate with Advancement Events to execute ceremonies and receptions.
• Coordinate inauguration delegates and special donor experiences.
• Refine stewardship communications templates and editing.
• Oversee installation and maintenance of plaques and recognition spaces.
• Oversee wide-scale mailings such as holiday cards and donor gifts.
• Support stewardship communications such as End of Year reports and impact stories.
• Distribute Bates news to frontline fundraisers for outreach.
• Develop knowledge of Bates history, programs, and administration.
• Maintain understanding of college priorities and initiatives.
• Participate in professional training to increase expertise.

Skills

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Team player

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Data management basics

Job description

Located in Lewiston, Maine, Bates is internationally recognized asa leading liberal arts college. We are proud to offer a highlypersonalized education that centers on deep and sustainedinteractions among students, faculty, and community. We areengaging the forces — intellectual trends, demographic changes, andtechnology — that are transforming higher education and the worldinto which our students graduate.

Title: Assistant Director of Donor Relations

Position Purpose:

The Assistant Director of Donor Relations is responsible for anumber of donor experiences, and a suite of in-person and virtualtouchpoints that demonstrate Bates’ gratitude to our donors anddisplays the impact of their philanthropy on campus andbeyond.

Job Duties:

• Plan and execute virtual events, such as Mount David Societyand Phillips Society Webinars and virtual dialogues.
• Collaborate with the Advancement Events team to executein-person events, such as Dedications and Ribbon Cuttings,Presidential Receptions, Regional Mount David Society Receptions,Donor lunches, and the Otis Lecture.
• Coordinate presidential inauguration delegates, and otherspecial donor experiences, such as thank you calls from the Boardof Trustees and Senior Leadership Team.
• Support the secondary acknowledgement process through templaterefinement and custom editing.
• Oversee the installation and maintenance of plaques and otherphysical recognition spaces across campus.
• Oversee wide-scale mailings, such as annual holiday cards andMount David Society gift fulfillment.
• Assist the Director with stewardship communications, such asthe End of Year email series and impact reports.
• Collect, organize and send key Bates news stories to frontlinefundraisers for their use in stewardship and cultivationcommunications.
• Develop a thorough knowledge of Bates history, academic,extracurricular and athletic programs, and its faculty, studentsand administration.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of the college’s prioritiesand initiatives of the faculty and administration.
• Participate in departmental and professional training programsto increase expertise in the profession when appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education

Bachelor's degree required.

Experience

• 2-3 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated success in project management is preferred.
• Understanding of database systems, business office software,and reporting software preferred.

Skills and Knowledge

• Commitment to equity and inclusion, and serving the needs of aculturally and educationally diverse community.
• Strong project management skills; able to build projecttimelines in tools like Basecamp.
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to develop andmaintain collegial relationships. Must be flexible, collaborative,and have a positive attitude.
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills; ability tosynthesize complex or diverse information; and experience workingwith complex data sets.
• Impeccable organizational skills and ability to coordinateresources and staff within the college community.
• Ability to both work independently and as a team player whilehandling multiple priorities with minimal supervision.
• Keen attention to detail necessary for successfuldocumentation, planning and execution.
• Proficiency in basic data management systems and basic computerapplications (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability and willingness to work weekends, evenings and othernon-traditional schedules.
• High ethical standards; ability to maintain confidentiality anddiscretion.

Benefits:

Bates College offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits(health, dental, 9% retirement contribution with potential for anadditional 3% match, sick leave, 24 days of vacation, 2 personaldays, 13 paid holidays, dependent care subsidy, free parking,access to library and athletic facilities & more), and asupportive, collegial environment in a drug and smoke-freeworkplace.

Hiring Range:

The hiring range for this position is $54,359to $60,000. Placement within the range depends on experience andother factors.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Bates College is committed to the principle of equal opportunityand providing an educational and work environment free fromdiscrimination. The college prohibits discrimination on the basisof race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexualorientation, gender identity or gender expression, age, disability,genetic information or veteran status and other legally protectedstatuses in the recruitment and admission of its students, in theadministration of its education policies and programs, or in the recruitment of its faculty and staff. Bates College adheres to allapplicable state and federal equal opportunity laws andregulations. All college faculty, staff, students, contractors,visitors, and volunteers are responsible for understanding andcomplying with the Non-Discrimination Policy.

Inquiries concerning the college’s policies, compliance withapplicable laws, statutes, and regulations (such as Title VII,Title IX, and ADA/Section 504), and complaints may be directed toGwen Lexow, Title IX Officer, 207-786-6445 or via email at [e-mail] .

About Bates:

Bates is internationally recognized as a leading liberal artscollege, attracting 2,000 students from across the U.S. and aroundthe world.

Since 1855, Bates has been dedicated to educating the whole personthrough creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborativeresidential community. Committed to opportunity and excellence,Bates has always admitted students without regard to gender, race,religion, or national origin.

Cultivating intellectual discovery and informed civic action, Batesprepares leaders sustained by a love of learning and zeal forresponsible stewardship of the wider world. Bates engages theforces — intellectual trends, demographic changes, and technology —that are transforming higher education and the world into which ourstudents graduate.

Bates has highly competitive admissions, graduates over 90 percentof its entering students, and more than half of its alumni earngraduate degrees. Bates employs 200 faculty members and 550staff.

The college is proud of deep roots in the Lewiston/Auburncommunity, Maine’s second-largest urban area with a population ofapproximately 65,000. Bates is located on a beautiful, 133-acre,traditional New England campus in Lewiston, an emerging city withan entrepreneurial climate, a lively arts scene, and a dynamicbusiness community. Bates is 35 miles north of Portland, 140 milesnorth of Boston, and 350 miles north of New York City.

Advertised:

Oct 13 2026 Eastern Daylight Time