Donor Growth & Retention Director

State University of New York at Buffalo; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

University at Buffalo seeks an Assistant Director of Retention and Acquisition in Annual Giving to deepen donor engagement and lead multi-channel strategies that acquire new donors and retain existing supporters. The role blends analytics, storytelling, and relationship-building to demonstrate philanthropic impact across UB.

The successful candidate will translate data insights into personalized donor experiences, collaborate across Advancement teams, and contribute to a culture of continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of experience in annual giving, fundraising, marketing, communications, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or executing multi-channel campaigns (e.g., email, digital, direct mail) aimed at audience engagement, acquisition, or retention.
• Experience working with data and reporting to inform strategy, evaluate performance, and guide decision‑making.
• Familiarity with audience segmentation and targeted outreach, with an understanding of how to tailor messaging to different donor groups.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to accuracy, attention to detail, and confidentiality in handling donor information.
• Excellent problem solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to listen and interact effectively with donors or high-level volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute donor retention and acquisition strategies that engage first-time, recurring, leadership annual, and lapsed donors, increasing participation and long-term philanthropic support.
• Leverage donor data, audience insights, and campaign performance metrics to inform strategy, optimize results, and create personalized donor experiences through targeted, multi-channel outreach.
• Collect and translate donor impact stories into compelling communications and engagement materials that demonstrate how philanthropy advances student success, research, and innovation at UB.
• Collaborate across University Advancement with colleagues in Annual Giving, Alumni Engagement, Donor Relations and Stewardship, Advancement Communications, and Prospect Research to align fundraising, engagement, and stewardship efforts.
• Test innovative engagement approaches and contribute to a high-performing team culture through creative problem-solving, continuous improvement, professional development, and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

Donor engagement

Multichannel campaigns

Data analysis

Audience segmentation

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

University at Buffalo seeks an Assistant Director of Retention and Acquisition in Annual Giving to deepen donor engagement and lead multi-channel strategies that acquire new donors and retain existing supporters. The role blends analytics, storytelling, and relationship-building to demonstrate philanthropic impact across UB.

The successful candidate will translate data insights into personalized donor experiences, collaborate across Advancement teams, and contribute to a culture of continuous