Donor Experience Senior Associate

The Ohio State University; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 55,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ohio State University is seeking a Donor Experience Senior Associate in Columbus, OH. This role partners with fundraising, marketing, and engagement teams to express appreciation, demonstrate impact, and strengthen donor relationships across the college.

Responsibilities focus on stewardship plans, donor recognition, and communications, with opportunities to support student scholarship reporting and events. Strong written and oral communication are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education/experience.
• Two years of donor relations or related experience.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite.
• Intermediate level experience with excel.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements strategic stewardship plans for major gift donors in partnership with development officers.
• Coordinates scholarship stewardship activities, including student scholarship reporting, donor letters, and donor-student engagement.
• Designs and produces stewardship materials using Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office applications, coordinating with multiple teams to ensure consistent messaging.
• Completes special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Donor relations

Microsoft Office

Excel

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Title: Donor Experience Senior Associate

Department: Arts and Sciences | Development and Alumni

Position Overview

The Donor Experience Senior Associate is a member of the Arts and Sciences (ASC) Advancement team and reports to the Donor Experience Consultant. The position will have opportunities to partner with fundraising, marketing/communications, and engagement teams in the college and across campus. In concert with a counterpart team member, the Senior Associate's primary responsibilities will revolve around our team's four main areas of focus: expressing appreciation, demonstrating impact, donor recognition and fiscal stewardship. Tasks may include, but are not limited to, student scholarship reporting, personalized major gift donor stewardship and continuing engagement (impact reporting, event support, and other special donor recognition opportunities and communications).

The ASC Donor Experience team leads a comprehensive stewardship program of recognition and engagement of all donors to the College of Arts and Sciences, to further the college’s efforts of private financial support. We ensure that all donors receive messages of appreciation and annual updates about how private support makes a difference in the lives of our students, faculty and greater community overall. Our philosophy of donor-focused stewardship is reflective in everything we do by building lifelong relationships with the college’s generous supporters who have entrusted us to utilize their gifts in support of the college.

The Donor Experience Senior Associate will have excellent oral and written communication skills; strong customer service orientation and demonstrated ability to work with a variety of populations and manage multiple projects with varying timelines simultaneously.

All members of External Affairs are part of creating a culture that inspires an exceptionally multifaceted and talented team and are expected to exhibit The Ohio State University’s Shared Values. The Office of External Affairs is committed to acting with kindness, respect, and integrity at all times and welcoming our colleagues’ ideas, voices, and perspectives, acknowledging that we are better together.

About the College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences is Ohio State's laboratory for discovery and creativity. By bringing together ideas and disciplines to create bold, new connections, we empower people and their potential, envision the unimagined, advance innovations and solve unrelenting problems at a scale few others can match. We have 38 academic departments and schools, 80+ majors, 17,453 undergraduate and 2,285 graduate students and 260,000 living alumni.

Responsibilities

50%

Develops and implements strategic stewardship plans for major gift donors in partnership with development officers. Coordinates personalized donor stewardship and continuing engagement activities, including impact reporting, donor recognition and communications, and other in-person opportunities designed to express appreciation, demonstrate impact, and strengthen long-term donor relationships.

25%

Coordinates scholarship stewardship activities, including student scholarship reporting, scholarship recipient outreach, donor thank-you letters, and donor-student engagement opportunities. Works with students, faculty, and staff to collect content and develop materials that demonstrate the impact of donor support on students and the college community.

15%

Designs and produces stewardship materials utilizing Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office applications, including impact reports, scholarship reports, presentations, and donor communications. Collaborates with fundraising, marketing and communications, engagement teams, academic departments, and campus partners to ensure accurate reporting, consistent messaging, and effective stewardship of donor-funded resources.

10%

Completes special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education/experience.
• Two years of donor relations or related experience.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite.
• Intermediate level experience with excel.

Desired Qualifications

(We’re committed to building a team that reflects a variety of skills and experiences and encourage you to apply even if your experience does not align perfectly)

• Prior experience in non-profit, philanthropic environment with donor interactions.
• Knowledge of donor relationship and/or higher-education advancement.
• Experience working with relationship database systems.
• Experience with donor relations communications and storytelling/reporting.
• Event planning experience.
• A general understanding of financial systems and software.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.

You Need to Know

Aside from the unparalleled benefits of working for The Ohio State University and working in the vibrant, smart, enjoyable, and growing city of Columbus, Ohio, this opportunity will provide exceptional rewards that arise from working for an institution doing worldwide life-changing teaching and research. Learn more here: https://hr.osu.edu/careers/.

Additional Information (to be added in Workday)

To learn more about the Office of Advancement, please visit advancement.osu.edu.

The budget for this position is up to $61,500. The offer for this position will be based on internal equity and the candidate's qualifications.

Function: Development and Engagement

Sub-function: Donor Experience

Career Band: Individual Contributor - Specialized

Career Level: S2

Location: Jennings Hall (0014)

Position Type: Regular

Scheduled Hours: 40

Shift: First Shift

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.