Stewardship Specialist II

University of Louisville; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Louisville seeks a Stewardship Specialist II to cultivate donor relationships, manage acknowledgment programs, and design high-touch donor experiences. You will partner with colleges, donors, and academic units to align stewardship with university priorities and events, ensuring exceptional donor experiences and growth in philanthropy.

The role focuses on major donor engagement, recognition programs, and collaboration with the Events & Donor Experiences team to deliver strategic

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and two years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Preferred experience in non-profit fundraising or higher education.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary stewardship liaison to assigned colleges and units, aligning engagement strategies with institutional priorities and Events & Donor Experiences processes while supporting the broader Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement strategy.
• Develop and implement stewardship strategies to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with donors.
• Develop and implement acknowledgment process and recognition programs to express gratitude to donors at various giving levels, including major and principal-level donors.
• Design and execute high-touch experiences and intentional moves aligned to cultivation and stewardship goals.
• Personalize experiences based on donor interests and giving history.
• Collaborate with the philanthropy team to identify opportunities for donor engagement and recognition.
• Coordinate the scholarship stewardship process, including partnerships with academic units and scholarship selection committees.
• Oversee the creation and distribution of donor recognition materials, including ThankView.
• Support the planning and execution of unit-based donor-related events and experiences while working in coordination with the Events & Donor Experiences team to ensure alignment and quality execution.
• Assist in the creation of compelling materials, such as impact reports, success stories and other donor engagement materials, that articulate the value of philanthropy to donors.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records in BBCRM, leveraging data to inform engagement strategies and measure effectiveness, including touchpoints and fulfillment of commitments
• Track stewardship touchpoints and fulfillment of commitments in BBCRM

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Job description

Department

Location

Belknap Campus

Time Type

Full time

Worker Type

Regular

Job Req ID

R109559

Minimum Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field and two (2) years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience Grade 6 (Salaried)

Position Description

The Stewardship Specialist II at the University of Louisville reports to the Director of Stewardship and plays a key role in cultivating meaningful connections with donors, ensuring an unparalleled donor experience, and advancing the overall philanthropic goals of the university. This position supports the implementation of comprehensive stewardship, acknowledgment, recognition, and donor engagement efforts, including high-touch strategies for major and principal-level donors, ensuring alignment with the broader Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement team’s priorities.

Serving as a dedicated liaison to assigned colleges and units, this role partners closely with development officers, academic leadership, and central teams to foster positive and mutually rewarding relationships between the university and its donors. The Stewardship Specialist II collaborates across teams to design and deliver seamless, high-quality experiences, including strategic events and engagement opportunities that serve as intentional stewardship touchpoints. Through this work, the role contributes to strengthening donor relationships, enhancing satisfaction, and supporting long-term philanthropic investment.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary stewardship liaison to assigned colleges and units, as well as for central student scholarship initiatives and major and principal-level donors, aligning engagement strategies with institutional priorities and Events & Donor Experiences processes while supporting the broader Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement strategy.
• Develop and implement stewardship strategies to cultivate and maintain strong relationships with donors.
• Develop and implement acknowledgment process and recognition programs to express gratitude to donors at various giving levels, including major and principal-level donors.
• Design and execute high-touch experiences and intentional moves aligned to cultivation and stewardship goals.
• Personalize experiences based on donor interests and giving history.
• Collaborate with the philanthropy team to identify opportunities for donor engagement and recognition.
• Coordinate the scholarship stewardship process, including partnerships with academic units and scholarship selection committees.
• Oversee the creation and distribution of donor recognition materials, including ThankView.
• Support the planning and execution of unit-based donor-related events and experiences while working in coordination with the Events & Donor Experiences team to ensure alignment and quality execution.
• Assist in the creation of compelling materials, such as impact reports, success stories and other donor engagement materials, that articulate the value of philanthropy to donors.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records in BBCRM, leveraging data to inform engagement strategies and measure effectiveness, including touchpoints and fulfillment of commitments
• Track stewardship touchpoints and fulfillment of commitments in BBCRM

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred experience in non-profit fundraising or higher education.

Competencies

Self-driven and goal-oriented, the individual will be adept at handling multiple priorities and act with a high degree of integrity, professionalism, creativity, and cooperation with internal and external constituents.

Please note that the anticipated start date for this position is January 5, 2027, or later.

Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement is committed to creating campus environments that support the success of all students and employees. We believe that employees who feel valued and respected will create policies, programs, practices, research agendas, and services that effectively meet the needs and exceed the expectations of our student population.

Benefits-The University of Louisville has an exceptional benefits package; to learn more about our benefits, please visit HERE

Compensation will be commensurate to candidate experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Louisville is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. The University strives to provide equal employment opportunity on the basis of merit and without unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran status, marital status, or pregnancy.In accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veteran Readjustment Act of 1974, the University prohibits job discrimination of individuals with disabilities, Vietnam era veterans, qualified special disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, and other protected veterans.The University acknowledges its obligations to ensure affirmative steps are taken to ensure equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. It is the policy of the University that no employee or applicant for employment be subject to unlawful discrimination in terms of recruitment, hiring, promotion, contract, contract renewal, tenure, compensation, benefits, and/or working conditions. No employee or applicant for employment is required to endorse or condemn a specific ideology, political viewpoint, or social viewpoint to be eligible for hiring, contract renewal, tenure, or promotion.

Consistent with applicable law, demographic information is collected for aggregate reporting requirements. Demographic information provided through this application is not available to hiring managers/committees and is not considered in hiring or employment decisions.

Assistance and Accommodations

Computers are available for application submission at the Human Resources Department located at 2315 South First Street Walk, Room 02C - Louisville, Kentucky 40292.

If you require assistance or accommodation with our online application process, please contact us by email at [e-mail] or by phone [phone].