Assistant Director of Stewardship - Penn Engineering Development and Alumni Relations

University of Pennsylvania; United (PA); On-site; USD 56,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Tuition benefits

Retirement plans

Time off

Long-term care insurance

Wellness resources

Professional development

University resources

Discounts and services

Flexible work hours

Home ownership assistance

Adoption assistance

Job summary

University of Pennsylvania's Penn Engineering Development and Alumni Relations seeks an Assistant Director of Stewardship to execute a comprehensive donor relations program and produce high-quality communications for donors, alumni, and leadership.

You will manage gift acknowledgments, stewardship reporting, and digital communications, translating engineering priorities into compelling content while coordinating events and special projects with colleagues across Penn’s Development and Alumni

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 2–3 years of progressively responsible experience in stewardship, donor relations, development communications, alumni relations, advancement, event management, marketing communications, or related field.
• Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, interviewing, and research skills for translating complex information into engaging donor communications.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, take ownership of projects, and collaborate with senior leaders, fundraisers, faculty, staff, students, and donors.
• Willingness to support a broad range of initiatives, including events and special projects, with occasional evenings/weekends.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and experience with databases, email platforms, event systems, and digital content tools; ability to learn new technology.

Responsibilities

• Gift acknowledgments and donor correspondence across an assigned portfolio, drafting, editing, proofreading, and tracking communications.
• Stewardship reporting and donor impact materials for endowed and current-use funds, including scholarships and fellowships.
• Program support for Development and Alumni Relations initiatives, including stewardship and alumni events, special projects, and engagement activities.
• Develop donor-facing and leadership communications, including proposals, briefs, remarks, and post-event materials.
• Create digital content and manage communications using Salesforce Marketing Cloud and related platforms; support event registration and performance reporting.
• Maintain accurate records in Compass/Salesforce; document procedures and develop templates, dashboards, and workflows.

Skills

Strong writing

Editing

Project management

Independent work

Stakeholder collaboration

Microsoft 365

CRM databases

Email marketing platforms

Digital content tools

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

CRM databases

Event management systems

Digital content tools

Job description

Assistant Director of Stewardship - Penn Engineering Developmentand Alumni Relations

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer inPhiladelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research,and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranksamong the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & WorldReport survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provideopportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education,all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been rankednationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbeswho named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

Posted Job Title

Assistant Director of Stewardship - Penn Engineering Developmentand Alumni Relations

Job Profile Title

Staff Writer B

Job Description Summary

Reporting to the Director of Donor Relations, the AssistantDirector of Stewardship will help to execute Penn Engineering'scomprehensive donor relations and stewardship program and willprovide communications, project management, and event supportacross the School's Development and Alumni Relations program. TheAssistant Director will produce high-quality developmentcommunications and stewardship materials, manage a range ofrecurring and individualized projects, and help improve the systemsand workflows that ensure constituents are thanked, informed, andengaged in timely and meaningful ways.

The Assistant Director will be a superb writer and editor who willtranslate complex engineering research, education, andinstitutional priorities into clear, compelling content for donors,alumni, prospects, and University leaders. The position willdevelop gift acknowledgments, fund reports, proposals, leadershipbriefings, remarks, and digital communications; support donorrecognition activities such as donor walls and events; and usevisual, video, and other digital media to demonstrate philanthropicimpact.

The role will also provide broad support for the planning andexecution of Development and Alumni Relations initiatives,including stewardship and alumni events, special projects, andother engagement activities. Working closely with colleagues acrossPenn Engineering, University Development, and Alumni Relations, theAssistant Director will work across the full range of donorrelations and stewardship activities while independently managingprojects appropriate to the assistant director level.

Job Responsibilities

• Gift acknowledgments and donor correspondence. Manage anassigned portfolio of gift acknowledgments and personalized donorcorrespondence, including letters recognizing major gifts, pledges,pledge payments, annual gifts, and other philanthropic milestones.Research gifts and donors; draft, edit, proofread, route, and trackcorrespondence for the Dean and other School leaders. Inpartnership with the Director and Associate Director, evaluate andimprove acknowledgment standards, templates, workflows, servicelevels, and quality-control practices to increase timeliness,personalization, accuracy, and scalability.
• Stewardship reporting and donor impact. Research, write,edit, design, and coordinate stewardship reports and impactcommunications for an assigned portfolio of endowed and current-usefunds, including scholarships, fellowships, faculty support,research and educational initiatives, capital projects, and othermajor gifts. Gather and synthesize financial, programmatic,faculty, and student information; maintain reporting calendars andrecords; and recommend formats and content that make complexinformation accessible and meaningful to donors.
• Development and Alumni Relations program support.Provide communications, project management, and programmaticsupport for a broad range of Development and Alumni Relationsinitiatives based on evolving office priorities, includingstewardship and alumni events, special projects, and constituentengagement activities. Collaborate with internal and externalstakeholders to ensure initiatives are thoughtfully planned,effectively executed, and aligned with the School's development andalumni relations goals. Occasional evening and weekend work andlocal travel may be required.
• Development communications and leadership materials.Draft and edit donor-facing and leadership communications,including gift proposals, concept papers, case statements,executive briefings, event remarks, talking points, donor visitmaterials, nomination memos, and post-event correspondence.Translate technical subjects and institutional priorities forvaried audiences while maintaining accuracy, voice, and messageconsistency. Contribute research, first drafts, and projectcoordination for high-level and complex assignments led by theDirector.
• Digital communications and creative media. Build, test,and deploy assigned donor, annual giving, alumni, and eventcommunications using Salesforce Marketing Cloud and relatedplatforms. Create and maintain event registration experiences;support segmentation, personalization, accessibility, qualityassurance, and performance reporting. Develop or coordinate visual,video, web, and other digital content in partnership with theAssociate Director of Donor Relations, Penn Engineering Marketingand Communications, and University colleagues; use engagement datato recommend improvements.
• Program operations and continuous improvement. Maintainaccurate project, fund, donor, recognition, and stewardship recordsin Compass/Salesforce and other systems. Document procedures;develop templates, calendars, dashboards, and shared resources;monitor deadlines and deliverables; identify workflow gaps; andhelp implement tools and process improvements. Support named-spaceand donor recognition projects, special stewardship initiatives,and evaluation of program effectiveness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and two to three years of progressivelyresponsible experience in stewardship, donor relations, developmentcommunications, alumni relations, advancement, event management,marketing communications, or a related field, or an equivalentcombination of education and experience.
• Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, interviewing, and research skills, with demonstrated ability to translate complex ortechnical information into clear, engaging, audience-appropriatecommunications.
• Strong project management and organizational skills; meticulousattention to detail; sound judgment; and the ability to managemultiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders in a fast-pacedenvironment.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, take ownership ofprojects, improve processes, and collaborate effectively withsenior leaders, fundraisers, faculty, staff, students, donors,alumni, vendors, and University partners.
• Versatility and adaptability in supporting a broad range ofDevelopment and Alumni Relations initiatives, including specialprojects, constituent engagement activities, and stewardship andalumni events. Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekendsis required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and experience with constituentdatabases, email marketing platforms, event management orregistration systems, and digital content tools. Ability andenthusiasm to learn new technology are essential.
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentialitywhen handling sensitive donor, financial, student, andinstitutional information.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Development and Alumni Relations

Pay Range

$55,962.00 - $70,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications,experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary rangesbased on external market data for the job's level. Internalorganization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer.Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race,color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenshipstatus, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements

Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer ismade. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Pennoffers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health,dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and yourfamily's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spendingaccounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent careexpenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuitionbenefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can gettuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are alsoeligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans tohelp you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, andSupplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on apre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investmentoptions through TIAA and Vanguard.
• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with asubstantial amount of time away from work during the course of theyear. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personalaffairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time withfamily-whatever your personal needs may be.
• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with GenworthFinancial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible familymembers) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of thecosts of long-term care services received at home, in the communityor in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, youwon't have to provide proof of good health or be subject tounderwriting requirements. Eligible family members must alwaysprovide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed tosupporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competingdemands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a widevariety of programs and resources to help you care for your health,your family, and your work-life balance.
• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides anarray of resources to help you advance yourself personally andprofessionally.
• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community,you have access to a wide range of University resources as well ascultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of theUniversity's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit ourarboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on atPenn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latestmusic or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the PennRelays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a memberof the Penn community, you're right in the middle of theexcitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of theseactivities for free.
• Discounts and Special Services: From arts andentertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find greatdeals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts andcultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admissionand memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoysubstantial savings on other goods and services such as new carsfrom Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movietickets, and admission to theme parks.
• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offercreative approaches for completing work while promoting balancebetween work and personal commitments. These approaches involve useof non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or jobstructures.
• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivableloan for eligible employees interested in buying a home orcurrently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used forclosing costs or home improvements.
• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligibleemployees on qualified expenses in connection with the legaladoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for upto two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer.Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race,color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenshipstatus, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state, or local law.