Director, Donor Stewardship & Impact

Lindenwood; Saint Charles (MO); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition benefits

Tuition discounts

Comprehensive benefits

Paid holidays

Free lunch Fridays

Professional development

Job summary

Lindenwood University Advancement in St. Charles, Missouri, seeks a Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations to lead the strategic stewardship program, manage acknowledgment processes, and foster long-term donor engagement that aligns with university priorities.

You will collaborate with front-line fundraisers, plan donor events, guide communications, audit gift funds, and drive data-driven reporting using Raiser's Edge NXT, with occasional travel and some flexible in-office/remote days.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of three years of stewardship, donor relationship, advancement, or similar experience.
• Demonstrated marketing or communications experience.
• Experience in a higher education or not-for-profit environment.
• Proficiency with project management preferred.
• Experience with Raiser's Edge or similar CRM preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversees all aspects of donor recognition, acknowledgment, and stewardship of philanthropic gifts designed to strengthen retention and long-term investment.
• Develops and executes strategic comprehensive stewardship plans to engage current and prospective donors and cultivate future gifts.
• Meets regularly with advancement colleagues to discuss gift mechanics, confirm donor intent, and foster long-term philanthropic relationships.
• Identifies target populations for mass communications while partnering with major gift officers to generate personalized stewardship solutions for key pipeline and principal donors.
• Facilitates meaningful, direct connections between donors and fund beneficiaries, such as scholarship recipients and faculty appointees, through specialized communications and in-person engagements.
• Directs donor-centric events, including scholarship receptions, exclusive donor engagement events, and donor appreciation celebrations.
• Collaborates with communications to center our donors in University storytelling, highlighting donor impact in print, video, social media, online, and at events.
• Audits and manages gift funds to ensure alignment with donor intent and priorities, coordinating with academic leaders as needed.
• Establishes efficient workflows, performance metrics, data tracking, and reporting utilizing Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT to track stewardship productivity and campaign targets.
• Collaborates continuously with central advancement teams, department heads, and front-line fundraisers to implement best practices across the division.
• Travels to regional events, conferences, and donor meetings; occasional evening and weekend engagements.
• Performs other duties to advance the division’s goals.

Skills

Donor relations

Marketing experience

Communications experience

Project management

Relationship building

Data-driven

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Microsoft Office

Job description

Lindenwood University Advancement in St. Charles, Missouri, seeks a Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations to lead the strategic stewardship program, manage acknowledgment processes, and foster long-term donor engagement that aligns with university priorities.

You will collaborate with front-line fundraisers, plan donor events, guide communications, audit gift funds, and drive data-driven reporting using Raiser's Edge NXT, with occasional travel and some flexible in-office/remote days.