Hybrid Donor Relations Lead

UVA External Relations; Charlottesville (VA); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

UVA External Relations is seeking an Assistant Director of Donor Relations in Charlottesville to design and implement donor recognition programs, coordinate engagements, and partner across UVA's central advancement, schools, and programs to deepen donor impact.

This role oversees donor communications, signature events, and data-informed stewardship, delivering personalized experiences for leadership donors while supporting institutional priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least one year of relevant experience.
• Excellent attention to detail and a strong commitment to accuracy and quality.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor communications for different audiences.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities independently, meet deadlines, and seek direction when appropriate.
• A customer service mindset and commitment to creating thoughtful, positive experiences for donors and other audiences.
• Ability and willingness to learn and effectively use new technologies, systems, and processes.
• Ability to identify and contribute to improvements in programs, workflows, processes, and constituent experiences.
• Experience in donor relations, fundraising, stewardship, event management, higher education, nonprofit organizations, communications, hospitality, customer engagement, or a related field is valued.

Responsibilities

• Develop donor recognition strategies in partnership with colleagues across the University.
• Monitor giving activity to identify eligible donors and manage recognition communications and stewardship touchpoints.
• Curate personalized stewardship and engagement opportunities for principal and leadership-level donors.
• Manage personalized and large-scale donor communications across multiple channels.
• Collaborate with vendors to source, produce, and deliver recognition items and manage inventory.
• Maintain accurate donor, communication, and project records in CRM and PM systems.
• Coordinate donor events and engagement experiences, including plans, budgets, and invites.
• Coordinate data requests to support invitation, registration, and attendance processes.
• Build cross-functional relationships and contribute to a collaborative team culture.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Project management

Organizational skills

Customer service mindset

Technology adaptability

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

CRM systems

Tableau

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Monday.com

Microsoft tools

Job description

UVA External Relations is seeking an Assistant Director of Donor Relations in Charlottesville to design and implement donor recognition programs, coordinate engagements, and partner across UVA's central advancement, schools, and programs to deepen donor impact.

This role oversees donor communications, signature events, and data-informed stewardship, delivering personalized experiences for leadership donors while supporting institutional priorities.