Director, Donor Relations

Rhode Island School of Design; Providence (RI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Rhode Island School of Design seeks a Director of Donor Relations to lead RISD's donor engagement strategy within the Institutional Advancement team, building strong relationships with alumni, parents and donors to support college priorities.

The role oversees a professional team, guiding donor acknowledgments, fund reporting, and stewardship while partnering with gift officers to develop donor-centric recognition strategies across multiple platforms, with an emphasis on inclusion and equity.

Qualifications

• Experience in donor relations or fundraising leadership.
• Ability to lead a team and manage cross-platform stewardship programs.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in fundraising.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and a strategic vision for donor relations.
• Oversee a team implementing donor acknowledgments, reporting, and stewardship.
• Develop and implement donor-centric stewardship and recognition across platforms.
• Collaborate with gift officers and colleagues to engage RISD's donors.

Job description

The mission of RISD (pronounced "RIZ-dee"), through its college and museum, is to educate students and the public in the creation and appreciation of works of art and design, to discover and transmit knowledge and to make lasting contributions to a global society through critical thinking, scholarship and innovation. Our immersive model of art and design education emphasizes robust liberal arts studies and conceptually driven studio-based learning in full-time bachelor's and master's degree programs across 19 majors. RISD's exceptional faculty foster student growth and development in extensive specialized facilities, enabling students to become confident, cross-disciplinary thinkers and nimble problem-solvers ready to confront the complexities of global practice in the 21st century. Nearly 30,000 alumni worldwide testify to the impact of a RISD education, exemplifying the vital role artists and designers play in defining global innovation. Founded in 1877, RISD and the RISD Museum help make Providence, RI among the most culturally active and creative cities in the region. For more information, visit risd.edu and our.risd.edu.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) seeks a Director of Donor Relations. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled individual to join the Institutional Advancement (IA) team who is responsible for engaging RISD's alumni, parents, students, and donors in meaningful ways, while cultivating relationships and raising money from a variety of sources to support the priorities of the college.

The Director of Donor Relations is responsible for providing leadership and a strategic vision for strengthening donor relationships through comprehensive engagement, stewardship, and recognition programs. The director manages a team of professionals who execute a robust donor relations program that includes donor acknowledgements, fund reporting, and donor-centric stewardship and recognition opportunities across multiple platforms. The director adheres to industry best practices and incorporates creativity to partner with gift officers and colleagues to develop and execute ongoing donor-centric stewardship and recognition strategies for RISD's most generous donors.

Our students and alumni are diverse, coming from a wide range of geographic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds, representing all forms of diversity. As such, the Director of Donor Relations must be culturally competent in order to thrive in a campus environment that advances principles of social equity and inclusion, equal access to resources and opportunities, and recognizes diversity and inclusion as central to excellence.