Stewardship Associate

Shepherd Center; United States; On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Shepherd Center is seeking a Philanthropy Stewardship Associate to cultivate and steward donors, with a focus on the Kids Shaping Shepherd initiative. You will help develop engagement strategies for donors, manage volunteer events and programs, and report activities to leadership to measure impact.

Responsibilities include building and stewarding donor relationships, planning and executing events, drafting communications, overseeing donor recognition, maintaining data quality, and collaborating

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 2 years in donor relations, event planning, or volunteer coordination in nonprofit/healthcare.
• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and donor management software.
• Detail-oriented, proactive, and mission-driven.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate and solicit donors by identifying and building relationships with potential donors.
• Steward donor relationships with timely acknowledgments and updates on impact.
• Plan and execute KSS events, meetings, and volunteer experiences.
• Draft and edit written communications for meetings and group updates.
• Oversee donor recognition activities to ensure donors feel valued.
• Ensure accurate data gathering, reporting, and tracking of donor interactions.
• Collaborate with gift officers, volunteers, and teams to achieve fundraising goals.
• Support stewardship policy implementation and adherence.

Skills

Donor relations

Event planning

Volunteer coordination

Communication

Microsoft Office

Donor management software

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Donor management software

Job description

About Shepherd Center With five decades of experience, Shepherd Center provides world‑class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi‑trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is also recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Shepherd is the only rehabilitation facility in the nation with an intensive care unit on‑site, allowing us to care for the most complex patients and begin the rehabilitation process sooner. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again. Shepherd Center’s culture is one of hope, humor, and hard work. You will enjoy career growth, strong relationships with co‑workers, strong support from leadership, and fun activities that have kept over 12% of staff members working at Shepherd for more than 20 years.

The Philanthropy Stewardship Associate will play a pivotal role in cultivating and stewarding donors, with a primary focus on the Kids Shaping Shepherd (KSS) initiative. This role involves developing engagement and cultivation strategies for KSS, managing volunteer events and programs, and reporting all activities to leadership.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate and solicit donors by identifying and building relationships with potential donors, including individuals and corporations, and preparing customized engagement strategies aligned with their interests and the mission of KSS.
• Steward donor relationships by managing ongoing donor relationships, ensuring timely and personalized acknowledgments, providing regular updates on the impact of their contributions, and fostering a sense of connection to the organization.
• Plan and execute events by leading the planning and execution of KSS events, meetings, and volunteer experiences that support organizational objectives and deliver meaningful engagement opportunities; evening and weekend availability is required to fulfill event and program responsibilities.
• Craft written communications by assisting in drafting and editing personalized written correspondence, such as meeting agendas and group communications, to effectively convey the organization’s message and engage stakeholders.
• Manage donor recognition by overseeing donor recognition opportunities, ensuring they are accurately and timely executed, and that donors feel valued for their support.
• Oversee data management by ensuring accurate data gathering, reporting, and tracking of donor interactions and activities, maintaining up-to-date records to inform stewardship strategies.
• Collaborate across teams by working closely with gift officers, volunteers, and other team members to align efforts and achieve fundraising goals, fostering a collaborative environment.
• Implement stewardship policies by supporting the implementation and adherence to internal policies and processes for donor stewardship, ensuring consistency and effectiveness in all stewardship activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 2 years in donor relations, event planning, or volunteer coordination, preferably within a nonprofit or healthcare setting.
• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and donor management software.
• Detail-oriented, proactive, and passionate about the mission of Shepherd Center.