Assistant Director, Stewardship and Donor Relations

University of Maryland; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 100,000 - 111,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid leave

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Tuition remission

Flexible work schedules

Job summary

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Office of Philanthropy seeks a Stewardship Officer to lead donor relations, recognition programs, and strategic stewardship initiatives that strengthen long-term philanthropic engagement. This role reports to the Principal Gift Officer and partners with USM institutions.

UMB offers a comprehensive benefits package including generous paid leave, health insurance, retirement options, tuition remission, and flexible work schedules.

Qualifications

• Five years of progressive experience in philanthropy functions, including donor support or stewardship.
• Experience with principal gift donors ($1M+).
• Supervisory experience: at least 1 year.
• Higher education or nonprofit experience preferred.
• Ability to analyze donor data and prepare strategic insights.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-level donor stewardship and recognition programs aligned with best practices.
• Develop stewardship plans for principal gift donors, endowed funds, and major partners.
• Plan and execute high-profile donor events.
• Collaborate with USM institutions on shared stewardship strategies.
• Produce donor communications, impact reports, and donor stories.
• Maintain stewardship policies and compliance with state and USM standards.
• Track donor engagement metrics and inform fundraising strategy.
• Coordinate with development, leadership, and communications teams for donor messaging.

Skills

Donor relations

Stewardship planning

Communication skills

Event coordination

Project management

Strategic thinking

Research & analysis

Confidentiality

Collaboration across institutions

Tools

CRM systems

Donor databases

Job description

Job Description - Assistant Director, Stewardship and Donor Relations (260000SU)

Job Description

Assistant Director, Stewardship and Donor Relations - ( 260000SU )

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Office of Philanthropy seeks a Stewardship Officer to lead donor relations, recognition programs, and strategic stewardship initiatives that strengthen long-term philanthropic engagement. This role ensures that UMB delivers a best-in-class donor experience aligned with national CASE standards and institutional priorities. This position reports to the Principal Gift Officer of the University of Maryland Baltimore Central Philanthropy.

The Stewardship Officer manages donor communications, reporting, and recognition activities, while coordinating special events, place-based initiatives, and gift focused collaboration with University System of Maryland (USM) institutions. The position requires strong judgment, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to manage high visibility projects. The role also plays a key part in supporting principal gift strategy by identifying, researching, and tracking high-capacity prospects whose engagement may advance UMB’s top philanthropic priorities.

The Stewardship Officer also supports stewardship and reporting activities associated with the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund (MEIF), a State of Maryland matching program that leverages private philanthropic support to establish endowed research positions and advance scientific and technical research excellence across Maryland higher education institutions.

UMB offers a comprehensive benefits package that prioritizes wellness, work/life balance, and professional development, along with additional exciting perks that employees can take advantage of. This position participates in a retirement program (pension or optional retirement plan/ORP) that must be selected and is effective on your date of hire. Exempt regular staff receive a generous PAID leave package that includes over 4 weeks of vacation accrued each year, 15 paid holidays, 3 personal leave, unlimited accrual of sick time, and comprehensive health insurance; professional learning and development programs; tuition remission for employees and their dependents at any University System of Maryland school; and flexible work schedules and teleworking options (if applicable per job).

UMB is a public university and constituent institution of the University System of Maryland. All employees are expected to work primarily physically within the State of Maryland.

Essential Functions:

• Lead UMB’s high-level donor stewardship and recognition programs, ensuring alignment with national best practices.
• Develop and implement stewardship plans for principal gift donors, endowed funds, and major philanthropic partners.
• Plan and execute high-profile donor stewardship and recognition events.
• Support stewardship components of place-based philanthropic initiatives that emphasize UMB’s impact on Baltimore and Maryland.
• Collaborate with other institutions in the University System of Maryland (USM) and the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) on shared stewardship strategies and multi-institution donor recognition.
• Produce donor communications, including impact reports, acknowledgments, and donor stories.
• Maintain stewardship policies, naming guidelines, and compliance with State of Maryland and USM standards.
• Track donor engagement metrics and prepare reports to inform fundraising strategy.
• Partner with development officers, leadership, and communications teams to ensure consistent donor centered messaging.

Conduct proactive research to identify emerging principal gift prospects, including analysis of giving patterns, engagement indicators, and capacity data.

Prepare briefing materials, donor profiles, and strategic insights to support the Principal Gift Officer’s cultivation and solicitation activities.

Monitor stewardship interactions for principal level donors to surface opportunities for deeper engagement or strategic intervention.

Coordinate stewardship, reporting, recognition, and donor communications for Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Fund (MEIF)-supported endowed professorships, research chairs, and related research initiatives.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Experience: Five (5) years progressively building a background in the various philanthropic functions, including at least two (2) years in donor data maintenance, donor support or stewardship, gift administration, or advancement services.

Preferred Experience: Higher education or nonprofit experience.

Experience working with principal-gift donors ($1M+).

Supervisory Experience: One (1) year of experience providing work coordination, training, or supervision of others.

Other: Except for qualifications established by law, additional related experience and formal education in which one has gained the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for full performance of the work of the job class may be substituted for the education or experience requirement on a year-for-year basis with 30 undergraduate college credits being equivalent to one year of related experience. In instances where specific education and/or experience is required only directly related education and/or experience may be substituted.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of donor relations, stewardship strategy, and CASE standards.
• Strong writing, editing, and communication skills.
• Experience planning and executing complex special events.
• Understanding of place-based philanthropy and community engaged donor strategies.
• Ability to collaborate across USM institutions and navigate system level policies.
• Proficiency with CRM systems and donor databases.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with senior leadership and donors.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Commitment to confidentiality and ethical information handling.

Ability to analyze donor data, synthesize research findings, and identify indicators of principal level philanthropic potential.

Familiarity with prospect research tools, wealth screening platforms, and data driven fundraising practices. Ability to gather, synthesize, and communicate research, academic, and programmatic outcomes for donor stewardship and impact reporting purposes, including support for endowed research programs and MEIF-funded initiatives.

Hiring Range: $100,000 - $111,000, commensurate with education and experience

UMB is committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce and is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, ancestry or national origin, sex, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, marital status, protected veteran's status, or any other legally protected classification.

If you anticipate needing a reasonable accommodation for a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), during any part of the employment process, please submit a UMB Job Applicant Accommodation Request . You may also contact [e-mail] Please note that only inquiries concerning an ADA request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. Read the UMB Notice of Non-Discrimination for more information.

Job

Reg or CII Exempt Staff - E0928F

Employee Class : Exempt Regular

Full Time/Part Time : Full-Time

Shift

Day Job

Organization

Job Posting

Aug 6, 2026

Unposting Date

Sep 6, 2026, 3:59:00 AM

Human Resource Services

410-706-7171

The University of Maryland, Baltimore is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Minorities, women, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.