Donor Stewardship and Engagement Specialist

Duke University; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Donor Stewardship & Engagement Specialist at Duke Athletics in Durham, NC leads stewardship programs for annual to principal gifts, creating personalized engagement opportunities, and collaborating with development officers to shape donor touchpoints.

You will plan events, manage donor recognition, prepare impact reports, and partner with communications teams to tell the story of donor generosity, contributing to student-athlete success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Two years of experience in fundraising, alumni relations, public relations, student engagement, or a related field.
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Experience with fundraising CRM platforms.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive stewardship strategies for various donor levels.
• Create personalized engagement opportunities to deepen donor relationships and retention.
• Collaborate with development officers to design customized stewardship plans and touchpoints.
• Research and implement innovative stewardship practices that enhance donor experience.
• Oversee donor recognition programs across giving societies and funds.
• Plan stewardship-focused events and VIP engagement activities.
• Manage donor impact reports and transparency communications.

Skills

Communication

Relationship building

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

CRM platforms (Salesforce/Blackbaud/Paciolan)

Design tools (Canva/InDesign/Photoshop)

Job description

Donor Stewardship and Engagement Specialist

Work Arrangement: On-Site

Requisition Number: 275704

Regular or Temporary: Regular

Location: Durham, NC, US, 27710

Date: Oct 9, 2026

Be You. Be Bold. Choose Duke.

Donor Stewardship & Engagement Specialist

Be You.

At Duke Athletics, we believe our greatest strength comes from the unique experiences, perspectives, and talents of our people. Guided by our values of respect, trust, inclusion, discovery, and excellence, we are committed to creating an environment where every member of our community feels welcomed, valued, and empowered to thrive.

As the Donor Stewardship & Engagement Specialist, you will play a key role in cultivating meaningful relationships with the generous supporters who help advance the mission of Duke Athletics. Working collaboratively across Athletics, Advancement, and University partners, you will help ensure donors experience the impact of their philanthropy through thoughtful engagement, recognition, and stewardship.

If you are passionate about relationship-building, strategic communication, and creating exceptional donor experiences, we invite you to bring your talents to Duke.

Be Bold.

Join the Iron Dukes team and lead innovative stewardship initiatives that strengthen donor connections and inspire lasting philanthropic support. In this highly collaborative role, you will help shape the donor experience, elevate engagement opportunities, and create meaningful moments that connect supporters to Duke Athletics' mission and student-athlete success.

What You'll Do:

Lead Donor Stewardship & Engagement

• Develop and implement comprehensive stewardship strategies for annual, leadership, major gift, and principal gift donors.
• Create personalized engagement opportunities that deepen donor relationships and support long-term retention.
• Partner with development officers to design customized stewardship plans and meaningful donor touchpoints.
• Research and implement innovative stewardship practices that enhance the donor experience.

Manage Donor Recognition Programs

• Oversee recognition initiatives for giving societies, affinity groups, endowed funds, capital projects, and sport-specific programs.
• Coordinate donor acknowledgments, recognition opportunities, and benefit fulfillment activities.
• Lead milestone recognition efforts, appreciation initiatives, and naming opportunity stewardship programs.

Create Meaningful Donor Experiences

• Plan and execute stewardship-focused events, hospitality experiences, scholarship celebrations, facility dedications, and VIP engagement activities.
• Collaborate with coaches, Athletics staff, and campus partners to create memorable donor interactions.
• Support exclusive access opportunities, facility tours, and other high-impact donor experiences.

Demonstrate Donor Impact

• Oversee the creation and distribution of donor impact reports, stewardship materials, and personalized updates.
• Gather compelling stories, student-athlete highlights, and program achievements that showcase the impact of philanthropic support.
• Manage reporting obligations for endowed funds and scholarship programs to ensure meaningful donor engagement.
• Maintain accurate stewardship and engagement records within donor management systems.
• Conduct audits and data quality reviews to ensure consistency and integrity.
• Generate reports that support donor segmentation, engagement strategies, and informed decision‑making.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements that increase efficiency and enhance the donor experience.

Support Strategic Communications

• Partner with communications teams to develop stewardship-focused communications, including newsletters, impact stories, annual reports, and donor correspondence.
• Manage stewardship communication calendars and ensure messaging aligns with Duke Athletics priorities and brand standards.
• Support communications related to donor societies, stewardship initiatives, and special engagement opportunities.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Two years of experience in fundraising, alumni relations, public relations, student engagement, program administration, or a related field.
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and analytical skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in donor relations, stewardship, advancement, higher education, athletics fundraising, or nonprofit philanthropy.
• Demonstrated success leading donor engagement and stewardship initiatives.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Exceptional communication and relationship‑building skills.
• Strong project management and organizational capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Experience working with fundraising CRM platforms and donor databases.
• Knowledge of donor stewardship best practices and engagement strategies.
• Experience managing donor recognition programs, impact reporting, and special events.
• Familiarity with systems such as Paciolan, Advance, Salesforce, Blackbaud, or similar platforms.
• Experience with design and communication tools such as Canva, InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, or related applications.
• Ability to use donor analytics and engagement metrics to inform strategy and decision‑making.
• Commitment to providing exceptional service and fostering positive donor relationships.

Choose Duke.

At Duke, you'll join a nationally recognized institution where excellence extends beyond competition. You'll work alongside passionate colleagues dedicated to supporting student-athletes, advancing philanthropy, and creating meaningful impact across our community.

We offer opportunities for professional growth, collaboration, innovation, and service while fostering a culture that values inclusion, curiosity, integrity, and teamwork.

Whether you're helping celebrate a transformational gift, creating memorable donor experiences, or sharing stories of student-athlete success, your work will directly contribute to the future of Duke Athletics.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Work requires communications, analytical and organizational skills normally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program.

Experience

Work requires two years of experience in fund raising, alumni affairs, public relations, student activities, program administration or a related field to become familiar with activities involved inplanning special events or programs. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Degrees, Licensures, Certifications

Anticipated Pay Range: Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $0.00 to USD $0.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond thedollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Equal Opportunity Employer: Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy‑ related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and reasonable accommodation(s) can be requested with Duke Access and Accommodations Services (email: [e-mail]; phone: [phone]).

Nearest Major Market: Durham
Nearest Secondary Market: Raleigh

Read more about Duke’s commitment to affirmative action and nondiscrimination at hr.duke.edu/eeo.