Stewardship Communications Manager

Hillsdale College; Hillsdale (MI); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI seeks a Stewardship Communications Manager to craft and manage stewardship reporting for donors. You will partner with the Assistant Director for Proposals and Stewardship to develop 15–20 formal pieces annually, coordinating content, design, printing, and distribution to strengthen donor relationships.

This full‑time on‑campus role requires strong writing and project management, collaboration across departments, and meticulous donor record keeping to ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and demonstrated project management experience; donor relations background preferred.
• Experience in journalism, communications, writing, or copyediting.
• Two to five years' experience in related fields.
• Ability to perform the job with education and experience.

Responsibilities

• Prepare stewardship pieces for reporting to donors and supporters at scale.
• Lead project development and coordinate content, design, printing, and distribution.
• Collaborate with Marketing and internal departments on stewardship materials.
• Ensure donor records reflect receipt of stewardship communications.
• Maintain digital library and inventory of printed materials.
• Coordinate brochures and promotional literature as requested.

Skills

Project management

Organizational skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Donor relations

Cross-department collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in English or related field

Job description

Position Title: Stewardship Communications Manager

Posting Number: S333P

Department: Institutional Advancement - Dept

Position Type: Staff

Job Description

Job Summary: As a member of IA Operations, the Stewardship Communications Manager will work closely with the Assistant Director for Proposals and Stewardship to prepare stewardship pieces for reporting to friends and supporters at scale. The Stewardship Communications Manager will lead project development and collaborate with internal departments for content, design, printing, and distribution of stewardship materials that convey gratitude and strengthen donor relationships. This is a full-time on-campus role.

Essential Job Functions

• Work with the Assistant Director for Proposals and Stewardship to determine reporting needs across Hillsdale College initiatives and outreach programs, with an estimated output of 15-20 formal stewardship pieces annually.
• Gather data, news, and stories for stewardship reporting from project and program leads.
• Develop outlines for each stewardship piece, including some copywriting, with an eye to conveying gratitude, gift impact, and project/program progress.
• Collaborate with the Marketing Department to design stewardship pieces and relevant postal package elements.
• Work with Stewardship, Prospect Development, and Database colleagues within IA Operations to determine appropriate recipients for each piece and refine mail sort criteria.
• Lead stewardship pieces through printing and distribution, working with the College's Print & Mail and external vendors as necessary.
• Ensure that receipt of stewardship communications is recorded on donor records.
• Communicate outgoing stewardship communications and recipient lists to the Institutional Advancement Department, especially gift officers.
• Maintain a digital library of current stewardship pieces and supervise inventory of printed materials to update or reorder as needed.
• Coordinate the production of brochures and other promotional literature as requested.
• Keep informed about College activity, student achievements and statistics, faculty achievements, and outreach programs, and think creatively about future stewardship project opportunities.

Essential Work Functions

• Maintain confidentiality with all information and in all situations.
• Occasionally assist in after-hour College activities.
• Perform additional duties as supervisor may assign.
• Maintain acceptable attendance record and be punctual.
• Attend staff meetings and other meetings as requested.
• Participate in a professional development seminar annually, if possible.

Required Qualifications

Education and Experience: This position requires, at minimum, a bachelor's degree (preferably in English or a related field), demonstrated facility in project management, and experience in development/donor relations. Experience in journalism, communications, writing, or copyediting is preferred. The ideal candidate will have two to five years' experience in one or more of these fields, or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to demonstrate the ability to perform the job.

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• A firm grasp of Hillsdale College's mission and purpose.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to work under limited supervision.
• Experience in project management, with the ability to work cross-departmentally, balance multiple priorities and deadlines, and shepherd projects from inception to completion.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and an above-average ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions and to express ideas verbally and in writing.
• An understanding of donor interests and priorities in the context of effective gift stewardship.
• Strong interpersonal skills for cross-campus collaboration.
• Sound judgment and maturity.
• Ability to keep calm and remain personable under pressure.

Individuals must possess such knowledge, skills, and abilities and must be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Physical Demands: Personal Characteristics

The offices of Institutional Advancement interact with College staff, donors, alumni, friends, students, parents, and business contacts, and its employees serve as representatives of Hillsdale College. A clean and neat appearance is essential, as is a pleasant and professional demeanor that is supportive of the College mission while maintaining confidentiality.

Open Date: 10/14/2026

Open Until Filled: No

Supplemental Questions: Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Documents Needed To Apply (Required Documents & Optional Documents)

• Resume
• Cover Letter