Donor Experience Senior Associate

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

Job summary

The Ohio State University’s Arts and Sciences Advancement team in Columbus is seeking a Donor Experience Senior Associate. The role partners with fundraising, marketing/communications, and engagement teams to express appreciation, demonstrate impact, and strengthen donor relationships through stewardship and recognition.

Responsibilities include developing strategic stewardship plans for major gifts, coordinating scholarship stewardship, producing materials with Canva and Adobe Creative Suite,

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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Completes special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Donor relations

Customer service

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

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

• 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.

Additional Information

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

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

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

At Ohio State, you’ll find work that inspires you. We offer roles and growth opportunities in countless fields and specialties — including a job that’s right for you. Ohio State benefits give you options to take care of what matters most to you — and opportunities to make adjustments as your life and needs change, including:

• Medical, dental and vision coverage, with Ohio State paying a significant portion of the cost.
• Paid time off, including sick and vacation time and 11 holidays.
• State retirement plan or an alternative retirement plan, both with generous employer contributions.

As Buckeyes, we accomplish more together. No matter your role, you’ll be part of creating what people need now: pathways to education, research and health care. Working at Ohio State means you’re part of a team with a strong sense of community and an unwavering commitment to excellence — and, of course, incomparable Buckeye spirit. We bring out the best in people, help each other succeed and learn together. By joining Ohio State, you become part of a top-20 public university with one of America’s leading academic health centers. We’re a team of dedicated colleagues with access to boundless resources that support you.