Director, Stewardship and Donor Relations

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

Welcome to Career Opportunities at Lindenwood University.PLEASE READ: For all applications, please include your resume and cover letter. You may skip the “ Quick Apply ” page by simply clicking “ Next ” at the bottom of the page. When you arrive at the “ Experience ” page, you may upload all desired documents using the upload box labeled “ Resume/CV. ” This is the appropriate box to upload all documents.Benefits of Being a Lindenwood Employee:Upon hire, employer-paid tuition benefits for bachelor’s (employee, spouse, and dependent) and master’s degree programs (employee and spouse only).Tuition discounts for doctoral programs (employee only).Comprehensive benefits plan: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement options.Paid holidays: MLK Jr. day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving break (Wednesday – Friday), and winter break (Dec. 23 – Jan. 1).Free lunch Fridays: LU employees are eligible for a free meal on Fridays at the Evans Commons Dining Hall or Spellman Dining Hall; Chick-fil-A and Qdoba included.Professional development opportunities through the Lindenwood Learning Academy .About Lindenwood University AdvancementLocated in historic St. Charles, Missouri, Lindenwood University is a premier, independent comprehensive institution known for student-centric focus and innovation. Lindenwood is committed to providing an exceptional, values-driven education that prepares students to thrive in a dynamic world. It is an exciting time to join the Lindenwood Advancement team. As we prepare to launch a comprehensive fundraising campaign, we are aligning our operational infrastructure, building high-impact philanthropic opportunities, and enhancing our engagement with alumni, donors, and regional constituents to support student success, experiential learning, and innovative campus spaces. At Lindenwood, we benefit from working at a picturesque, historic campus, located in a thriving micro-urban community that’s adjacent to a major metropolitan city. In fact, in Business Insider named St. Charles the best college town in Missouri, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recognized Lindenwood University as the Best College/University.JOB TITLE SUMMARYJob Title: Director, Stewardship and Donor RelationsDivision: University AdvancementEvaluation Group: StaffFLSA Status: ExemptReports To: Associate Vice President, Advancement OperationsPositions Supervised: N/AJob SummaryThe director, stewardship and donor relations at Lindenwood University, this role is an important partner in the strategic management of the university's relationships with its donors. The director leads the development and execution of a short-term and long-range stewardship and donor relations program, inclusive of acknowledgment processes, stewardship plans, a centralized stewardship program, impact and fund reporting, donor engagement opportunities, and donor recognition programs. By creating and improving standards, procedures, and tools, this position ensures a comprehensive, strategic, data-driven, and donor-centered stewardship program that fosters and sustains long-term, meaningful relationships with the university.Essential Job Functions and Performance IndicatorsThe intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and level of responsibility that will be required of positions given this title. This job description shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.Job Responsibilities and ExecutionOversees all aspects of donor recognition, acknowledgment, and stewardship of philanthropic gifts designed to strengthen retention and long-term investmentDevelops and executes strategic comprehensive stewardship plans to engage current and prospective donors and cultivate future giftsMeets regularly with advancement colleagues to discuss gift mechanics, confirm donor intent, and foster long-term philanthropic relationshipsIdentifies target populations for mass communications while partnering with major gift officers to generate personalized, creative stewardship solutions for key pipeline and principal donorsFacilitates meaningful, direct connections between donors and fund beneficiaries, such as scholarship recipients and faculty appointees, through specialized communications and in-person engagementsDirects donor-centric events, including scholarship receptions, exclusive donor engagement events, and donor appreciation celebrationsCollaborates with communications to center our donors in University storytelling, highlighting donor impact in print, video, social media, online, and at eventsAudits and manages gift funds to ensure strict alignment with both donor intent and institutional priorities, facilitating in-person meetings as needed with donors, major gift officers, and academic leaders to negotiate, formalize, and document fund amendments as necessaryEstablishes efficient workflows, performance metrics, data tracking, and reporting utilizing Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT to continuously track stewardship productivity, support campaign targets, and evaluate donor engagementCollaborates continuously with central advancement teams, department heads, and front-line fundraisers to determine and implement industry best practices across the divisionTravels to regional events, conferences, and donor meetings as necessary, which may include occasional evening and weekend engagementsPerforms other relevant duties assigned to advance the strategic goals of the divisionService ExcellenceChampions a culture of donor-centered service excellence by delivering timely, accurate, and personalized responses to all donor inquiries and internal stakeholder requestsMaintains the highest standard of discretion, integrity, and professionalism when handling sensitive donor profiles, financial data, and confidential materialsAnticipates the needs of university leadership, major gift officers, and external constituents to ensure a seamless and exceptional donor experience across all touchpointsSupports the mission of the University and serves as an ambassador of the Q2 culture of service excellenceModels, supports, and holds others accountable to the University’s valuesCommunication, Teamwork, and CollaborationAdvises division leaders on donor relations and stewardshipCollaborates with advancement colleagues to ensure excellent stewardship and donor relations that results in a growth of philanthropic investments in the institutionProvides leadership to campus constituents on current, effective stewardship and donor relations best practicesJob may require other duties as assigned.Required Qualifications – An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered. Additional requirements may be designated by position.Bachelor’s degreeMinimum of three years of stewardship, donor relationship, advancement, or similar experienceDemonstrated marketing or communications experienceExperience in a higher education or not-for-profit environmentProficiency with project management preferredExperience with Raiser’s Edge or similar CRM preferredKnowledge, Skills, and Abilities – May be representative, but not all inclusive, of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform this job competently.Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and culturesDemonstrated ability to effectively build relationships and alliances with internal and external audiencesProficient in Microsoft Office SuiteKnowledge of the field’s best and current concepts, practices, and proceduresSkilled in providing attention to detailEmpathetic listener with corresponding excellence in verbal and written communicationAbility to maintain accuracy under time pressure with multiple priorities and deadlinesAbility to provide discretion with confidential informationWork Environment – Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of this job’s functions. Please click here to view Lindenwood University’s flexible work designation descriptionsFlexible work environment consisting of regular in-office and remote workdays as assigned by supervisorOccasional night and weekend workOccasional travel to other regions for advancement work may be requiredStandard FlexPhysical Abilities – The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job’s essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.Ability to work effectively at a computer for extended time dailyAbility to sit/stand for extended periods of timeAbility to lift/carry items commonly found in an office setting including, but not limited to, documents, laptops, keyboards, etc.Ability to use repetitive wrist, hand, and finger movements to type regularlyRegular attendance is a necessary and essential functionEqual Opportunity EmployerLindenwood University is an Equal Opportunity employer. The University complies with appropriate federal, state, and local laws and provides equal employment opportunities and access to educational programs without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other protected status to all qualified applicants and employees. Lindenwood University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and dedicated to providing a positive discrimination-free educational work environment.