Associate Director of Donor Communications, Wharton External Affairs

University of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 77,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance & benefits

Tuition benefits

Retirement plans

Flexible work hours

Wellness programs

Job summary

University of Pennsylvania's Wharton External Affairs is seeking an Associate Director of Donor Communications. The role leads executive-level donor communications, drives strategic philanthropy narratives, and partners with Development to showcase outcomes and impact to major donors.

The position requires a bachelor's degree with 3–5 years in fundraising communications and an ability to manage multiple high-profile projects while maintaining donor confidentiality.

Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal skills and experience interacting with leadership and stakeholders.
• Exceptional writing, research, and editing abilities across donor communications.
• High discretion with confidential donor data.
• Outstanding project management and deadline-driven delivery.
• Ability to work independently within a team and manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Establish relationships to create compelling cases for support and impact reports.
• Partner with Development/Principal Gift colleagues on funding opportunities and storytelling.
• Lead donor relations writing for impact reports on high-priority initiatives.
• Coordinate with university communications to announce principal gifts across platforms.
• Develop bespoke personalized materials for individual donors and scaled content for large audiences.
• Manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Apply knowledge of giving types to support fundraising goals.
• Operate autonomously while contributing as part of the Donor Relations team.
• Occasional evening/weekend work and travel for alumni/donor events; submit writing samples.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Writing skills

Editing skills

Discretion

Project management

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Associate Director of Donor Communications, Wharton ExternalAffairs

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 toscholarship 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 ofPhiladelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urbancampus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, andrecreational activities. With its historical significance andlandmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety ofatmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home forwork and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includesexcellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and theirfamilies, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety ofprofessional development opportunities, supportive work and familybenefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources,and much more.

Posted Job Title

Associate Director of Donor Communications, Wharton ExternalAffairs

Job Profile Title

Associate Director C, Business and Finance, Communications andMarketing

Job Description Summary

Wharton School Overview Founded in 1881 as the world's first collegiate business school,the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping thefuture of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, andcreating leaders who change the world. With campuses in bothPhiladelphia and San Francisco, Wharton has over 850 staff, afaculty population of more than 235 renowned professors, and 5,000undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careersthrough Wharton Executive Education's individual,company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Whartonalumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transformbusiness every day. Wharton is home to a dynamic community ofstaff, bringing a wide range of skills, experiences, andperspectives. To learn more, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.

The Associate Director of Donor Communications is anexecutive-level writer and strategic collaborator who leadscomplex, high-impact projects that demonstrate the outcomes ofphilanthropy and inspire engagement with the Wharton School. Thisrole reports to the Development Communications Director and is acore member of the Donor Relations team, situated as a part of theDevelopment and Principal Gifts function in Wharton ExternalAffairs.

Wharton External Affairs serves as the gateway for alumni, friends,and partners to remain actively engaged with the Wharton community.The department fosters meaningful connections among alumni,faculty, and students, facilitates philanthropic partnerships, andstrengthens lifelong ties to the School.

Job Responsibilities

• Establish strong working relationships with research programsand centers across the School and the University to createcompelling cases for support, proposals, and impact reports. Applyyour experience and comfort with interfacing with executiveleadership to guide conversations to yield giving outcomes. Leadconversations that inform shaping stories that motivate donors togive and illustrate outcomes and future direction to existingdonors.
• Become a trusted thought partner to Development and PrincipalGift colleagues, versed in funding opportunities, gift structures,and storytelling strategy in various formats, suiting donors atvarious stages of gift conversations at six figure and above levelsfor endowed and term gifts to MBA fellowships, professorships, andprograms in analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, and more.
• Serve as the lead Donor Relations writer for impact reports onthe School's highest priorities - including existing, evolving, andnewly launched research programs, centers, and initiatives. Applyyour advanced persuasive writing skills; your experience withlearning and incorporating organizational style and leadershipvoice; and your ability to capture emotion and paint a vivid imageof the opportunities made possible by donor support.
• Actively drive the partnership with University-widecommunications offices to announce principal gifts, tell donorstories, and promote giving on a variety of platforms. Ensureaccuracy in content to reflect donor intent and School andUniversity priorities among principal and major gift level Whartondonors.
• Introduce novel concepts to elevate the development andpresentation of donor relations content. Apply that vision tocompose bespoke, personalized material for individual donorsalongside advising on and executing scaled content production anddistribution for large donor audiences.
• Manage competing priorities across multiple high-profileprojects while producing exceptional content in a high expectation,large volume, and fast-paced environment.
• Bring your experience with an understanding of different givingtypes - including principal giving, major giving, corporate andfoundation giving, and more - and factor this into the processesyou support and advise upon. Enable reaching ambitious year overyear fundraising goals through exceptional wording and visualpresentation for current and prospective donors.
• Function at a high level autonomously, while engaging as amember of a holistic Donor Relations team. Serve as a subjectmatter expert on editorial and writing style standards for donorrelations content, and a mentor to writers on the Donor Relationsteam, contributing to a workplace environment of continuouslearning and connection.
• Position will require a limited number of evening and weekendwork and travel to staff alumni and donor events. Applicants must submit a cover letter and 2 writing samples,preferably in a fundraising context.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and three to five years of experience indevelopment and principal giving communications, fundraisingwriting, or equivalent combination of education andexperience.
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience interactingeffectively with administrative, faculty, and other organizationalleadership and navigating a complex environment ofstakeholders.
• Exceptional writing, research, and editing skills along withthe ability to adapt style and voice to writing on behalf of andfor varied audiences.
• A high level of discretion for maintaining the confidentialityof donor data.
• Outstanding detail orientation, with an ability to personalizecontent and communicate outcomes in a clear, compellingmanner.
• Excellent complex project management, planning, and timemanagement skills, with the ability to meet multiple deadlines andtrack activities in a fast-paced, high volume environment.
• Effectiveness in both micro-focus on singular donors andprograms balanced with a macro strategic view on reaching broaddonor audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently as well aseffectively as a member of a team. Experience functioningautonomously, shaping robust communications strategy, andcollaborating productively with program executives.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Wharton School

Pay Range

$77,330.00 - $80,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications,experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to therequirements 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 therequirements 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, 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.