Senior Donor Communications Lead

University of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 77,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance & benefits

Tuition benefits

Retirement plans

Flexible work hours

Wellness programs

Job summary

University of Pennsylvania's Wharton External Affairs is seeking an Associate Director of Donor Communications. The role leads executive-level donor communications, drives strategic philanthropy narratives, and partners with Development to showcase outcomes and impact to major donors.

The position requires a bachelor's degree with 3–5 years in fundraising communications and an ability to manage multiple high-profile projects while maintaining donor confidentiality.

Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal skills and experience interacting with leadership and stakeholders.
• Exceptional writing, research, and editing abilities across donor communications.
• High discretion with confidential donor data.
• Outstanding project management and deadline-driven delivery.
• Ability to work independently within a team and manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Establish relationships to create compelling cases for support and impact reports.
• Partner with Development/Principal Gift colleagues on funding opportunities and storytelling.
• Lead donor relations writing for impact reports on high-priority initiatives.
• Coordinate with university communications to announce principal gifts across platforms.
• Develop bespoke personalized materials for individual donors and scaled content for large audiences.
• Manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Apply knowledge of giving types to support fundraising goals.
• Operate autonomously while contributing as part of the Donor Relations team.
• Occasional evening/weekend work and travel for alumni/donor events; submit writing samples.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Writing skills

Editing skills

Discretion

Project management

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

University of Pennsylvania's Wharton External Affairs is seeking an Associate Director of Donor Communications. The role leads executive-level donor communications, drives strategic philanthropy narratives, and partners with Development to showcase outcomes and impact to major donors.

The position requires a bachelor's degree with 3–5 years in fundraising communications and an ability to manage multiple high-profile projects while maintaining donor confidentiality.