Transformational Gifts Writer, Development

University of Texas at Austin; United States; On-site; USD 74,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin's Dell Medical School seeks a Transformational Gifts Writer, Development to provide strategic donor-focused communications, lead editor/writer for external content, and collaborate with faculty and marketing teams to craft proposals, cases for support, and campaign materials.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Development Communications, this role ensures alignment with brand standards and donor engagement goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with at least 5 years of experience in fundraising or marketing communications strategy for a large institution or health sciences organization.
• Experience collaborating with faculty, development officers, and communications teams.
• Ability to translate complex academic priorities into donor-focused narratives that support fundraising goals.

Responsibilities

• Advise internal clients on donor communications across the giving cycle and ensure alignment with fundraising priorities.
• Lead writer for proposals, cases for support, campaign materials, and donor-focused external content.
• Collaborate with faculty, institutional communications, and marketing to integrate messaging with brand standards and donor engagement goals.
• Translate complex academic and clinical priorities into compelling donor narratives under tight deadlines.

Skills

Donor communications strategy

Editing & writing

Storytelling

Brand alignment

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications/marketing/public relations or related field

5+ years fundraising/marketing communications experience

Tools

CRM tools

Content management systems

Job description

Transformational Gifts Writer, Development

Hiring Department: Dell Medical School

Position Open To: All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40

FLSA Status: Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date: Oct 26, 2026

Position Duration: Expected to Continue

Location: UT MAIN CAMPUS

GENERAL NOTES

Dell Medical School is seeking a Transformational Gifts Writer, Development.

JOB SUMMARY

The Transformational Gifts Writer, Development position provides strategic communications consultation for donor-focused communications that directly support fundraising priorities and outcomes. Reporting to the Senior Director of Development Communications, this role serves as a lead editor and writer for external content and high-level internal communications. The position collaborates with faculty, institutional communications, and marketing teams to create compelling proposals, cases for support, campaign materials, and digital content. This role ensures alignment with brand standards, best practices, and donor engagement goals, strengthening relationships with donors and stakeholders through innovative storytelling and integrated communications.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Develops donor-focused communications strategy

• Advises internal clients on communications needs across the cycle of giving, aligned with approved institutional fundraising priorities.
• Partners with internal clients and communications and marketing teams to ensure message alignment.
• Establishes annual communications goals and evaluates effectiveness through qualitative and quantitative measures.

Oversees content creation and campaign materials

• Partners directly with faculty and physicians to build fundraising priority-specific cases for support, articulate gift concepts, and ensure brand-aligned language.
• Translates complex academic, clinical, and research priorities into compelling donor-ready narratives.
• Serves as a lead writer and strategist for a full range of externally facing content across the cycle of giving, under tight deadlines and evolving priorities.
• Inputs content into designed templates and collaborates with graphic designers on custom pieces.
• Guides scripting and messaging for donor-focused events, campaigns, and leadership presentations.

Proposal and case development

• Leads development of fundraising priority-aligned cases for support and gift opportunities in collaboration with administrators, faculty, and development officers.
• Maintains methods and standards for tracking proposals-in-process (proposal log) using development systems or new platforms as needed.
• Serves as a project lead for transformational proposals and campaign-related materials.
• Ensures consistency and adaptability of campaign messaging across audiences and timelines.

Collaborates with institutional partners

• Works with communications and marketing teams to integrate donor messaging into broader campaigns.
• Develops internal communications strategies.
• Development community, keeping them informed of key related developments to inform their work and strengthen their outreach to donors and prospects.
• Liaises with campus development teams for cohesive health communications.
• Provides content and tools to support in-house and campus-wide fundraisers.
• Participates in planning sessions for major campaigns and events.

Other duties as identified by department

MARGINAL OR PERIODIC FUNCTIONS:

• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Fundraising strategy and donor lifecycle
• Strategic communications, branding, and storytelling
• Academic/healthcare environment concepts
• Editorial standards and persuasive writing
• Performance measurement and CRM tools
• Strategic communications planning
• Advanced writing and editing
• Translating complex concepts into clear narratives
• Project and proposal management
• Stakeholder collaboration and influence
• Campaign and content development
• Data analysis and evaluation
• Think strategically and align with fundraising goals
• Manage multiple priorities and tight deadlines
• Build relationships and influence stakeholders
• Drive measurable results
• Maintain brand consistency
• Lead projects independently and adapt messaging

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field with at least 5 year(s) of experience in developing and leading fundraising or marketing communications strategy for a large institution of higher education, nonprofit or corporate office within the health sciences.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

According to Executive Order No. GA-48 of the State of Texas: for all positions that research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2), Business and Commerce Code, it is required that both candidates for employment and employees have the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field with at least 6 year(s) of experience in healthcare or higher education fundraising communications.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS OR CERTIFICATIONS

REQUIRED:

None

PREFERRED:

None

SALARY:

$82,329+ depending on qualifications

WORKING ENVIRONMENT/EQUIPMENT

• Standard office equipment and environment
• Repetitive use of a keyboard
• For healthcare jobs, may be exposed to such occupational hazards as communicable diseases, blood borne pathogens, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, hazardous medications and disoriented or combative patients, or others.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility: Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility: The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks: A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.