Assistant Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship

Position Summary

The Office of Strategic Donor Relations and Stewardship is dedicated to ensuring donors are stewarded, recognized, and acknowledged in meaningful ways that communicate the impact of their philanthropic support across Columbia. The Office’s work inspires ongoing donor engagement and giving to further the mission and fundraising goals of the Office of Alumni and Development.

The Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship is an integral member of Columbia University’s Office of Strategic Donor Relations and Stewardship team. The Assistant Director will project manage, edit, and draft targeted stewardship communications and narrative reports and strategically steward Columbia's most generous donors through data-driven decision making and special projects such as stewardship events, milestone recognition, and bespoke gifts.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Stewardship, the Assistant Director will be responsible for building positive working relationships with internal stakeholders and generating meaningful stewardship and engagement opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Oversees project management of narrative impact reports for principal/major gift donors of endowed funds from schools/units across the University, along with professorship establishment letters and other key communications. This includes managing all related research, writing, and coordination of approvals with faculty and principal gift stakeholders.
• Partners with diverse constituent groups including principal gift officers, senior administrators (including Offices of the Provost, Gift Planning, and President), faculty, and students to execute assigned projects, and oversees stakeholder management and secures necessary approvals.
• Provides counsel to colleagues across the University, and cultivates and maintains relationships with prospect managers and other key staff to further personalize stewardship communications and activities.
• Leverages data to inform projects and communication strategies while utilizing the CRM database to track interactions with donors and store information on named funds.
• Collaborates with members of the Stewardship team on a variety of communications and projects, including presidential acknowledgments, rapid response communications, and ad hoc initiatives.    
• Manages the strategic planning and execution of stewardship and donor recognition events, including executing stewardship touchpoints and communications for the 1754 Society, Columbia’s gift planning society.    
• Identifies and generates and oversees the launch of new engagement opportunities, and leads the rollout of new initiatives to enhance the donor experience.
• Oversees strategic planning and execution of university-wide stewardship community building events.
• Manages ongoing updates and distribution of university-wide baseline standards tool, which provides guidance to all school and unity stewardship colleagues on Columbia’s stewardship best practices.
• Assists the Deputy Director with duties related to developing and fostering the strategic direction of university-wide stewardship.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree and/or its equivalent and a minimum of two (2) to four (4) years of related experience are required.
• Must have superlative communication, writing, and project management skills, as well as a strong understanding of the development process, particularly in the areas of major gift cultivation and stewardship.
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team, balance competing priorities and assignments, effectively oversee relationships with critical stakeholders, and collaborate with colleagues, exhibiting diplomacy and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Must have a strong personal work ethic and demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and integrity.
• Must be flexible and willing to take on new responsibilities within a growing program.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in event planning and data management preferred.
• Knowledge of Advance or similar development databases preferred.

Other Requirements

• Subject to business needs, the Office of Alumni and Development supports a hybrid work arrangement for this position. Options will be discussed during the interview process.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.