Associate Director, Donor Relations

Northwestern University; Evanston (IL); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Paid vacation and holidays

Tuition benefits

Job summary

Northwestern University in Evanston, IL is seeking an Associate Director of Donor Relations to lead donor recognition programs from concept to installation, coordinating signage, plaques, and related materials. You will manage stewardship activities, collaborate with gift officers across campus, and guide design, production, and installation while maintaining strong donor relationships.

The role requires project management skills, attention to detail, and flexibility to work in a hybrid setting

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher required or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 4 years of development, marketing, sales or equivalent experience required.

Responsibilities

• Work with vendors to secure donor recognition items.
• Manages stewardship correspondence including acknowledgment letters, holiday cards, plaques and signage, and gift selection.
• Manages stewardship activities developed and implemented for client groups including tracking all contact in databases.
• Reviews use of database and recommends changes to create a system of prompts and reminders to ensure timely and appropriate activity.
• Develops, plans & implements personalized stewardship strategies, goals & approach for more complex, key or high-profile donors.
• Gathers data and develops strategies to realize current and life-time giving potential of individual prospects.
• Creates donor centric event materials, including programs and other collateral materials.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Creative thinking

Cross-department collaboration

Project management

Excel data analysis

Donor relations experience

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Job ID: 54249

Location: Evanston, Illinois

Department: Alumni Relations & Development

Salary/Grade: EXS/8

Salary: The target budgeted salary for this position is 75,000-$80,000 annually. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Job Summary: The Associate Director of Donor Relations advances the university's philanthropic mission through stewardship and engagement programs for major, leadership, and principal gift donors, with a primary focus on managing donor recognition signage from concept to installation. This role serves as the lead for all donor recognition and physical acknowledgment projects, coordinating design, approvals, production, installation, and ongoing maintenance across campus.

Additional responsibilities include overseeing personalized donor and trustee recognition efforts, managing annual holiday card initiatives, and coordinating stewardship gifts and branded items that support relationship-building efforts by gift officers.

The successful candidate is a highly organized project manager and relationship builder who can lead complex donor-focused projects, coordinate multiple stakeholders, and navigate shifting priorities to deliver exceptional stewardship experiences.

Work Schedule: Our office operates in a hybrid model and offers the option of working three days in the office and two days remote. Occasional evening or weekend hours are required to support donor engagement events.

Application Requirements: For full consideration, please submit a cover letter and resume.

Specific Responsibilities

• Work with vendors to secure donor recognition items.
• Manages stewardship correspondence including items such as acknowledgment letters, holiday cards, plaques and signage, and gift selection.
• Manages stewardship activities developed and implemented for client groups including tracking all contact in databases.
• Reviews use of database and recommends changes to create a system of prompts and reminders to ensure timely and appropriate activity.
• Develops, plans & implements personalized stewardship strategies, goals & approach for more complex, key or high-profile donors.
• Gathers data and develops strategies designed to realize the current and life-time giving potential of individual prospects.
• Creates donor centric event materials, including programs and other collateral materials.

Miscellaneous: Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 4 years of development, marketing, sales or the equivalent experience is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strategic thinking and creative thinking skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with senior leadership.
• Demonstrated success managing complex tasks and large-scale projects.
• Experience analyzing and manipulating large datasets in Excel.
• 4 years of experience in donor relations, fundraising, or a related field.
• Proficient using Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Benefits

• health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
• paid vacation and holidays
• paid medical/sick and parentalleave
• tuition benefits for the employee and dependents
• pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care
• generous retirement savings options
• wellness programs

For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness

Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.

We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development

Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.