Development Programs Manager, Alumni & Donor Engagement

Lehigh University; Bethlehem (Northampton County); On-site; USD 56,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Above-market retirement contributions

Generous paid leave

Tuition benefits for employees and...

Tuition benefits for employees and DEI

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

Lehigh University’s College of Health seeks an experienced development professional to manage a portfolio of alumni, donors, and prospective supporters. You will cultivate long-term relationships and coordinate strategic outreach to advance fundraising goals.

You will partner with faculty and campus colleagues to plan donor events, craft communications, and oversee stewardship reports while maintaining accurate donor data in CRM systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; fundraising or development experience preferred.
• 3–5 years in development, donor relations, or related field in higher education or nonprofit.
• Ability to collaborate with faculty, staff, alumni, students, and external partners.
• Experience using Trello, Asana, or similar tools to manage projects and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication to craft clear donor messages.
• Experience planning and coordinating donor engagement events.
• Proficiency with CRM systems (Salesforce/Blackbaud/Raiser's Edge) and MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage a portfolio of alumni, parents, and prospective donors aligned with College of Health priorities.
• Cultivate and sustain meaningful donor relationships through regular outreach.
• Plan and execute donor engagement and stewardship events from concept to delivery.
• Develop and support volunteer programs; engage College advocates.
• Coordinate with faculty and campus partners on cohesive cultivation strategies.
• Support leadership in fundraising goals and campaigns.
• Prepare donor communications, briefings, proposals, and stewardship reports.
• Track and manage constituent data and engagement in Lehigh CRM systems.
• Identify new prospective donors via research, referrals, and activities.
• Represent the College of Health at alumni and development events on and off campus.

Skills

Communication

Stakeholder management

Event planning

Project coordination

Data tracking

Donor relations

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Trello

Asana

Salesforce

Blackbaud

Raiser's Edge

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Excel

Job description

Lehigh University’s College of Health seeks an experienced development professional to manage a portfolio of alumni, donors, and prospective supporters. You will cultivate long-term relationships and coordinate strategic outreach to advance fundraising goals.

You will partner with faculty and campus colleagues to plan donor events, craft communications, and oversee stewardship reports while maintaining accurate donor data in CRM systems.