Donor Relations Coordinator

Socket.dev; Ames (IA); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Iowa State University Foundation is seeking a donor relations coordinator in Ames, IA. The role centers on managing donor relations projects, coordinating workflows, and supporting stewardship initiatives to communicate impact and gratitude to donors.

The position requires 5-6 years of related work experience, strong organizational skills, and proficiency with project management tools and CRM software. Hybrid work options and a collaborative team environment are offered.

Qualifications

• 5-6 years of work experience related to employment area.
• Experience with project management including establishing processes, tracking progress, and ensuring quality outcomes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team; highly organized with attention to deadlines and accuracy; must adhere to confidentiality standards.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary project manager for donor relations initiatives, overseeing intake, workflow, timelines, reporting, and deliverables.
• Support development of project management procedures, templates, and best practices.
• Provide project support for stewardship, acknowledgement, recognition, and engagement initiatives including donor outreach, information gathering, scheduling, and follow-up communications.
• Support creation of stewardship and communication materials by drafting, editing, proofreading, designing, and coordinating donor-facing or internal communications.
• Provide operational and administrative support for special projects and day-to-day team operations, including meeting logistics and notes.

Skills

Project management

Workfront

Salesforce

Self-motivation

Communication skills

Customer service

Independent work

Attention to detail

Confidentiality

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Description

Join the Iowa State University Foundation in our mission to engage our community, inspire philanthropy, and steward resources to advance Iowa State University and its impact on Iowa and the world. We are seeking an organized, service-oriented individual to join our donor relations team.

Donor relations is focused on building and enhancing relationships with donors by capturing and communicating the impact of philanthropy through reports, project updates, videos, giving histories, recognition initiatives, and other meaningful expressions of gratitude. This coordinator position provides project coordination, administrative support, and operational assistance to the donor relations team and helps ensure initiatives are completed accurately, efficiently, and on schedule.

Core Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Serve as the primary project manager for donor relations initiatives, overseeing project intake, workflow administration, timelines, reporting, and deliverables to ensure timely, accurate, and efficient completion of work.
• Support the development and maintenance of project management procedures, templates, and best practices.
• Provide project support for stewardship, acknowledgement, recognition, and engagement initiatives including donor outreach, information gathering, scheduling, and follow-up communications.
• Support the creation of stewardship and communication materials by helping draft, edit, proofread, design, and coordinate other donor-facing or internal communications.
• Provide administrative support for special projects, strategic initiatives, and process improvement efforts that advance donor relations and development priorities which may include annual awards, acknowledgements, and recognition societies.
• Provide operational and administrative support for the team including management of the department’s shared email inbox, ordering supplies, coordinating meeting logistics and notes, and supporting day-to-day team operations.
• Support financial operations and data management processes including budget tracking, invoice and reimbursement processing, expense reporting, and maintenance of stewardship-related records within the customer relationship management system and other systems to ensure data integrity and accessibility.

Requirements

Education & Work Experience

• 5-6 years of work experience related to employment area. Education may be substituted for years of work experience.

Desired Skills & Experience

• Experience with project management including establishing processes, tracking progress, and ensuring quality outcomes.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and ability to learn new software. Experience with project management software (such as Workfront) and customer relationship management software (such as Salesforce) is preferred.
• Self-starter with strong self-accountability, motivation, and a growth mindset.
• Proactive, service-oriented approach with creative problem solving.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Must be adaptable, flexible, and self-directed.
• Highly organized and able to handle several activities simultaneously with attention to detail and adherence to deadlines and accuracy.
• Must adhere to strict confidentiality standards.

Travel: None

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Location: Ames, IA; potentially hybrid