Donor Engagement and Annual Giving Coordinator
FLSA CODE: Exempt
NORMAL WORK HOURS: 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Donor Engagement and Annual Giving Coordinator plays a vital role in supporting Olin College’s development efforts by fostering meaningful relationships with donors and advancing the institution’s culture of philanthropy. This position is responsible for developing and managing a comprehensive donor stewardship program, ensuring timely and personalized acknowledgment of gifts, and drafting donor correspondence for College leadership and gift officers. The Coordinator maintains accurate donor records in the Raiser’s Edge NXT database, assists in crafting individualized donor engagement strategies, and generates reports to support fundraising objectives. Additionally, the role includes cultivating and soliciting a portfolio of prospective donors, supporting donor-related events, and leading student-focused fundraising initiatives, including senior class giving and crowdfunding campaigns. With a focus on collaboration, strategic communication, and operational excellence, this position contributes to the success of Olin’s development team and enhances donor engagement at all levels.
This is an in-person/on-campus position based in Needham, MA, with possible flexible work options. Any approved remote work arrangement must be performed in Massachusetts where Olin is registered to do business. The person in this position must be able to travel, and occasionally work evenings and weekends as needed.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Design, implement, and continually enhance a comprehensive donor stewardship program aimed at recognizing, retaining, and engaging Olin donors effectively.
• Create and distribute personalized, timely acknowledgments for all gifts, ensuring alignment with donor preferences and institutional priorities.
• Oversee and coordinate acknowledgment processes involving fundraising-focused staff, faculty, and College leadership to ensure consistent and meaningful communication.
• Draft high-quality donor correspondence on behalf of gift officers and College leadership, reflecting the institution's gratitude and impact.
• Collaborate with fundraising staff to tailor messaging that aligns with individual donor interests, goals, and giving history.
• Develop and maintain a library of templates and customizable materials for efficient and consistent donor communications.
• Provide strategic and logistical support for donor-centric events, such as recognition events, campus visits, and stewardship celebrations, to demonstrate the impact of philanthropic support.
• Collaborate with event planning staff to ensure events reflect Olin's mission and values while enhancing donor relationships.
• Maintain and update accurate donor records in the Raiser’s Edge NXT database, ensuring data integrity and accessibility for strategic use.
• Generate reports on donor engagement, giving history, and stewardship activities to inform and support the development team’s strategies.
• Proactively identify and address discrepancies in donor records to ensure reliable data for decision-making.
• Assist fundraising staff in developing, tracking, and reporting on individualized donor engagement strategies, including personalized communication plans based on donor preferences and actionable follow-ups from donor meetings.
• Serve as a resource to support the broader team in achieving fundraising objectives, providing insights on donor engagement trends and best practices.
• Lead the development and implementation of student-focused fundraising initiatives, including student competition teams, senior class giving campaigns, and activities to foster a culture of philanthropy.
• Create and deliver educational programming to inspire and educate students about the value and impact of philanthropy.
• Develop, implement, and execute cultivation and solicitation strategies for a small portfolio of prospective donors, ensuring alignment with broader fundraising goals.
• Engage directly with donors through personalized outreach, stewardship meetings, and events, building strong relationships that lead to meaningful contributions.
• Provide administrative support to ensure the smooth operation of the development team, including managing schedules, coordinating meetings, and preparing materials as needed.
• Facilitate special projects and initiatives that advance the goals of the development office, ensuring timely and high-quality execution.
• Stay current on industry trends and best practices in donor stewardship, student philanthropy, and fundraising to ensure continuous improvement.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned, contributing to a collaborative, high-performing, and mission-driven development team.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:
· Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., communications, business, nonprofit management, or a similar discipline) or equivalent work experience.
· 2–4 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, stewardship, or a related nonprofit field.
· Experience with donor databases (preferably Raiser’s Edge NXT) and proficiency in data management, reporting, and analysis.
· Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to craft professional, personalized correspondence and donor communications.
· Strong organizational and time management skills, capable of managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and maintaining attention to detail.
· Demonstrated collaboration and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders, including donors, students, and team members.
· Experience in event planning and coordination, supporting events and programs with an understanding of donor engagement best practices.
· Analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to generate and interpret reports, track donor engagement metrics, and identify areas for improvement.
· Proficiency in technology, including advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and familiarity with fundraising platforms and tools.
· A commitment to philanthropy, with an understanding of and enthusiasm for fostering a culture of giving and stewardship.
· Highly detail-oriented, with meticulous attention to detail in maintaining accurate donor records and generating reports.
· Creative and strategic thinking, with the ability to design innovative donor stewardship and student fundraising initiatives.
· Professionalism and discretion, with a high degree of confidentiality when working with donor information.
· A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
COMPANY DESCRIPTION:
Olin College of Engineering seeks employees who are passionate about working collaboratively within and outside of the Olin community to support the College’s mission and vision for the future. At Olin, we are educating the next generation of engineering innovators and shifting the definition of engineering. Not only do our students ask, “Who are we designing this for, and what are their values?” They also ask questions about the impact of their work on society.
As Olin evolves under the leadership of our president, Dr. Gilda Barabino, we seek to become a more diverse and aware community, a place where everyone is a learner and where everyone is an educator. Olin will become a place where experimentation—including making and learning from mistakes—will be embraced across the institution, not just in the classroom. Collaboration is key to Olin’s curriculum and culture, and we will work intentionally to reinforce the values and culture to which we aspire. We are a community that thrives on being together; we value trust. The College supports teams to collaboratively decide how they can best do their work, and display a commitment to the community, all while providing individuals with overall work-life flexibility.
Olin College is situated on 75 acres in Needham, Massachusetts. We are approximately ten miles from Boston, one mile from the MBTA Commuter Rail train station, and approximately four miles from the Woodland Station for the MBTA Green Line. We have plenty of free parking on campus. You can find more details on our Visiting Campus page.
Take a Virtual Campus Tour: From the moment you step on campus at Olin, you feel a buzz of energy and activity—and once you experience it, you want to be a part of it.
