Donor Relations & Recognition Lead

SDState Alumni & Foundation; Brookings (SD); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The SDSU Alumni & Foundation in Brookings, South Dakota seeks a Stewardship and Recognition Manager to support fundraising success by developing donor acknowledgement, recognition, and impact reporting. You will coordinate writings, design communications, and steward touchpoints in collaboration with university partners.

This service-oriented role requires strong writing, interpersonal skills, and the ability to manage multiple donor-facing projects with discretion and professionalism.

Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor's degree preferred; relevant experience recommended.
• Minimum three years in communications, marketing, admin support, customer service, or graphic design.
• Excellent writing for multiple audiences and channels.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to handle confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate donor correspondence including acknowledgements and presidential letters.
• Draft, design, and manage donor stewardship communications (letters, emails, postcards).
• Oversee stewardship calendar, reports, and giving society communications.
• Develop impact reports and donor summaries communicating philanthropy impact.
• Manage donor recognition content and CRM-driven updates across programs.
• Perform other duties as needed to support fundraising goals.

Skills

Donor stewardship

Communications writing

CRM familiarity

Project coordination

MS Word

MS Excel

PowerPoint

Education

Associate's or bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM system

MS Word

MS Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

The SDSU Alumni & Foundation in Brookings, South Dakota seeks a Stewardship and Recognition Manager to support fundraising success by developing donor acknowledgement, recognition, and impact reporting. You will coordinate writings, design communications, and steward touchpoints in collaboration with university partners.

This service-oriented role requires strong writing, interpersonal skills, and the ability to manage multiple donor-facing projects with discretion and professionalism.