Job Listings

Assistant Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations

Office of Advancement
The Office of Advancement in The Grainer College of Engineering seeks applicants for the Assistant Director of Stewardship & Donor Relations position.  The position is responsible for developing and managing a comprehensive, strategic donor-centered stewardship program by creating and improving standards, procedures and tools that enable a community of decentralized fundraising units to act with consistency and to effectively coordinate and implement acknowledgement, recognition and reporting activities so that the donor's experience with the college will foster and sustain long-term meaningful relations with The Grainger College of Engineering and its departments. Duties & Responsibilities

Strategically develop and implement process and procedure for donor acknowledgements for key donor categories

• Develop efficient and effective process for these categories using tools for data collection and output to enhance both the beneficiary and donor experiences
• Enhance strategic approach to identifying donors to steward to align donor relations efforts with a maximized impact for cultivation
• Responsible for creating and implementing meaningful opportunities to engage, thank and retain current and future donors, both in-person and via communication pieces.
• Develop and execute strategic comprehensive stewardship plans to engage current and prospective donors, acknowledge gifts, facilitate volunteerism, and recognize donors in order to enhance their relationship with the University and to cultivate the next gift.
• Identify and analyze target populations for mass stewardship communications.

Generate creative solutions for stewarding donors in order to advance the Department(s) and College's efforts to maintain and strengthen high-quality individual relationships with donors working in close partnership with major gift officers.

• Develop and implement stewardship connections between donors and fund beneficiaries including but not limited to scholarship recipient students, graduate fellowship recipient students, and faculty named appointment holders. Both in-person and via communication pieces.
• Advise on and facilitate the recognition of donors in both print and web-based publications in collaboration with Communications.
• Engage in Stewardship and Donor Relations centered events including but not limited to scholarship receptions, award ceremonies, donor appreciation celebrations and regional alumni events.

Lead and collaborate with Central Advancement Team, Department Heads, front-line fundraisers, donors and departmental advancement partners in holistic management of gift funds including but not limited to the establishment of named funds, monitoring spending of funds, tracking beneficiaries of funds and reporting back to donors on the impact of their giving.

• Responsible for meeting with and leading discussions with donors, independently and with major gift officers, to effectively ensure donor intent, understanding of the mechanics of their gift and enhancing the donor relationship to increase likelihood of continued contributions.
• Manage funds to ensure donor intent and college needs are respected including in-person meetings and conversations with major gift officers and donors for amendments to funds as necessary.
• Develop and execute strategic stewardship plans for key donors in collaboration with major gift officers to foster and strengthen long-term relationships for continued cultivation
• Occasionally travel to events and conferences to meet with donors, major gift officers, and other stakeholders at various locations and durations. This may include evenings and weekends.

Collaborate with Central Advancement Stewardship team to determine and develop best practices and communicate with those departments.

• Develop and implement metrics and workflow for tracking processes and productivity for Stewardship and Donor Relations
• Other duties as assigned, relevant to this position.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree.
Three (3) years of administrative experience with advancement, donor relations and/or
related experience.
Preferred Qualifications

Experience in university advancement and donor relations
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to appropriately manage sensitive and confidential information.
• Ability to research and organize information and data with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated success in working independently and as part of a team.
• Knowledge of The Grainger College of Engineering at Illinois.
• Ability to occasionally travel to events and conferences to meet with donors, major gift officers, and other stakeholders at various locations and durations. This may include evenings and weekends.

Appointment Information


This is a 100% full-time Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close date. Applicants
may be interviewed before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be
made until after that date.  The budgeted salary range for this position is $65,000-$74,000. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.  Fully remote work may be possible for this position per the University's Workplace Flexibility policy. Sponsorship
for work authorization is not available for this position. There are two vacancies being filled for this search.  

Application Procedures & Deadline Information


Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on January 14, 2025. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Please upload your cover letter, resume, and names/contact information for three references.  Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, please contact Rachael Coleman at rfoll2@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.

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The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.


Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

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Requisition ID: 1027493

Job Category: Professional and Administrative

Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu

Apply Now