Director, Advancement Content & Stewardship

Bryant University

Smithfield, Northern (RI, KY)

Hybrid

USD 100,000 - 135,000

Full time

12 days ago

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Job summary

The Director of Advancement Content & Stewardship at Bryant University leads strategic donor communications, donor stewardship, and content development to support fundraising priorities and the Vision 2030 plan.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Development Operations, this role collaborates with University Marketing & Communications and campus partners to produce proposals, impact reports, campaign materials, and executive presentations that strengthen donor engagement and

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required with 6–8 years in advancement communications or related field.
Proven ability to manage multiple stakeholders and lead staff.
Experience with CRM systems and fundraising platforms preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead integrated fundraising, campaign, and stewardship communications for annual, leadership, major, and campaign priorities.
Partner with Marketing & Communications to align messaging and donor engagement strategies.
Serve as primary communications partner to advancement leadership and gift officers on donor-centered messaging.
Oversee creation of proposals, cases for support, donor impact reports, and campaign materials.
Collaborate with campus stakeholders to highlight philanthropic priorities and impact stories.

Skills

Advancement communications

Donor stewardship

Content strategy

Project management

Collaboration with Marketing

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM systems

Fundraising databases

Digital media platforms

Design software

Project management tools

AI applications

Job description

Director, Advancement Content & Stewardship

Job Title Director, Advancement Content & Stewardship

Full Time / Part Time

Full Time / Part Time Full Time

Job Type

Job Type Staff

Reports To

Reports To Associate Vice President, Development Operations

Position Summary

The Director of Advancement Content & Stewardship leads strategic communications, donor stewardship, and content development in support of Bryant University’s fundraising, campaign, and engagement priorities. Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Development Operations, The Director oversees the development and delivery of fundraising proposals, cases for support, donor impact reports, stewardship communications, campaign materials, executive presentations, and other strategic donor-facing communications.

Serving as the primary liaison between University Advancement (UA) and University Marketing & Communications ( UMC ), the Director manages Advancement communications strategy, project execution, and stakeholder collaboration while ensuring Advancement communications align with institutional priorities, fundraising objectives, and University brand standards.

Bryant is recognized as a top 1 percent national leader in student education outcomes and ROI and regularly receives high rankings from U.S. News and World Report, QS Stars, Money, Bloomberg Businessweek, Wall Street Journal, and College Factual. Bryant’s strategic plan, Vision 2030, redefines higher education through a commitment to providing students with a transformational learning experience. Vision 2030 accelerates advancements in academic innovation, experiential learning, vibrant student life, Division I athletics, and a connected community that fosters belonging and success.

Principal Accountabilities

Lead the development of integrated fundraising, campaign, and stewardship communications supporting annual, leadership, major, principal gift, and campaign priorities.
Partner with University Marketing & Communications to align Advancement campaign messaging, fundraising communications, and donor engagement strategies with institutional priorities, University brand standards and established messaging frameworks.
Serve as the primary communications partner to Advancement leadership and gift officers, developing donor-centered messaging in collaboration with University Marketing & Communications and other campus partners as appropriate.
Oversee the creation of proposals, cases for support, donor impact reports, campaign materials, donor presentations, and other strategic communications.
Partner with campus stakeholders to identify philanthropic priorities, funding opportunities, and impact stories that demonstrate the value of donor support.
Promote philanthropy through impactful storytelling, donor recognition communications, and stewardship initiatives that strengthen donor engagement and retention.

25% Project Management & Stakeholder Coordination

Serve as the primary project manager for Advancement communications and stewardship initiatives, overseeing Advancement planning, prioritization, content development, stakeholder coordination, review processes, execution, and delivery.
Serve as the primary Advancement point of contact with University Marketing and Communications, providing complete project briefs and coordinating with appropriate UMC functional leads to facilitate creative, communications, and production needs.
Partner with UMC project leads to establish timelines, deliverables, responsibilities, and communication cadence for the UMC components of Advancement projects.
Coordinate Advancement content development, stakeholder reviews, approvals, and communication cadence among Advancement, University partners, University Marketing & Communications, and external vendors, serving as the primary Advancement point of contact for projects requiring UMC support
Develop and maintain Advancement project management tools, content calendars, workflows, and reporting mechanisms that improve efficiency and accountability.
Ensure communication activities are documented within the Advancement CRM system and identify opportunities to improve processes, resource allocation, and project execution.

15% Donor Impact, Recognition & Stewardship Programs

Lead the development and implementation of donor stewardship, impact-reporting, and recognition strategies that strengthen donor relationships and retention.
Oversee donor impact reports, beneficiary stories, stewardship reports, and related donor communications.
Partner with Development, Donor Experience, Annual Giving, Alumni Engagement, and campus stakeholders to communicate the outcomes of philanthropic support.
Create opportunities for donor engagement and recognition that demonstrate the impact of philanthropy and strengthen connections to the University.

10% Multimedia & Executive Communications

Lead the planning, content development, messaging strategy, and coordination of photography, video, multimedia, and storytelling initiatives within Advancement, partnering with University Marketing & Communications and external vendors as appropriate to support production and execution.
Develop executive presentations, donor-facing materials, and strategic communications supporting Advancement priorities for trustees, campaign volunteers, senior leaders, prospects, donors, and other key stakeholders; collaborate with University Marketing & Communications and external partners as appropriate to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and brand standards.
Leverage emerging technologies and industry best practices to enhance content development, operational efficiency, donor engagement, and communications effectiveness.
Lead and develop Advancement Communications and Stewardship staff, providing strategic oversight for communications, donor stewardship, donor recognition, and impact-reporting initiatives.
Establish goals, manage performance, and provide coaching and professional development that promotes accountability, collaboration, and innovation.
Promote a collaborative, high-performing culture and consistent communications and project management practices.
Perform other duties as assigned in support of University Advancement priorities and Bryant University’s Vision 2030 goals.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required, with 6-8 years of progressively responsible experience in advancement communications, fundraising communications, donor stewardship, content strategy, project management, marketing communications, or a related field; higher education experience preferred.

The successful candidate will demonstrate exceptional writing, editing, communication, and project management skills; experience developing fundraising and stewardship communications; and the ability to manage complex projects, build collaborative partnerships, work effectively across stakeholder groups, and lead staff. Experience managing communications initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, review processes, and shared decision-making responsibilities is preferred.

Experience with CRM systems, fundraising databases, digital media platforms, design software, project management tools, artificial intelligence applications, and other advancement technologies is preferred. Evening and weekend work may be required, and travel may be necessary.

At Bryant University, we believe that our strength lies in the richness of our campus community and the unique perspectives that shape it. By connecting academic and social experiences, we create an environment where individuals feel valued, respected, and supported. Our commitment to fostering belonging and well-being ensures that everyone has the opportunity to thrive and contribute meaningfully. We encourage applications from those who appreciate the wide range of experiences and backgrounds that make our community exceptional. Discover more about how we cultivate a welcoming and collaborative campus culture that drives excellence.

Physical Capacities

Posting Number

Posting Number STA02831

Work Hours

Open Date

Open Date 09/28/2026

Close Date

Open Until Filled Yes

Supplemental Questions

* Please briefly describe your experience developing donor-facing communications, such as proposals, cases for support, impact reports, stewardship materials, or campaign communications.
(Open Ended Question)
* Tell us about a communications or stewardship project you led from concept through completion. What was your role, and what made the project successful?
(Open Ended Question)
* This role works with senior leaders, fundraisers, donors, and campus partners to translate complex ideas into compelling communications. Please share an example of how you have adapted content or messaging for different audiences.
(Open Ended Question)

Required Documents