For more information and to apply, please visit: https://www.wsujobs.com/postings/43276

The Director will be responsible for providing leadership and a strategic vision for strengthening donor relationships through comprehensive engagement, stewardship, and recognition programs. Reporting directly to the Associate Vice President, Strategic Communications and Donor Engagement, this position will oversee strategic components of donor services throughout the lifecycle of a gift and determine the best strategies to provide an exceptional experience for prospects and donors. In addition, the Director will be responsible for driving and promoting a donor-centric culture throughout WSU Advancement, and developing key partnerships that are mutually beneficial for the donor and the University.

Job Duties

Donor Relations Leadership (40%):
In close coordination with the AVP, University Development, and the Stewardship team, the Director will develop a comprehensive plan for stewarding major gift donors. This plan will be vetted and executed by the development units across the system to ensure a level of consistency. 
Create the vision for donor relations working in collaboration with Advancement leadership to design and implement an integrated donor relations program, developing a strategic roadmap that emphasizes meaningful interactions with prospects and donors before, during and after completion of the gift.
Formulate and execute strategies and tactics that foster long-term relationships with donors and create integral high-touch engagement opportunities for donors.
Serve as the Chief Donor Relations Officer for principal giving programs, providing oversight, counsel and support for donor programs and stewarding efforts for the top tier prospects and donors.
Provide guidance and direction to college and unit donor relations officers to establish consensus and ensure consistent high quality donor experiences at all levels.
Supervise the Asst. Director of Stewardship and the Stewardship/Donor Relations Writer/Communications Consultant II positions, ensuring the planning and execution of donor-centric communications, reporting, acknowledgement and recognition, weaving in storytelling and building trust through consistent, strategic and meaningful contact.
Provide oversight and direction in the expansion of the multi-year strategic and comprehensive donor programs plan to identify and deliver coordinated and integrated baseline communications to all donors.
Coordinate and collaborate with Advancement’s Director of Events to ensure donor relations goals are met through the planning and execution of all donor-focused events, including targeted stewardship events, campaign events, and organization-wide events. 
Oversee the creation of tools, and conceptualize and develop leadership training and additional tools to aid development staff in donor programming.
Develop and assess policies and procedures across the division and university that are essential for a comprehensive donor relations program.
Work collaboratively with all Advancement departments to execute vision in alignment with overall organizational goals.
Act as an expert resource to benchmark and institutionalize comprehensive, integrated donor relations and stewardship best practices University-wide to support fundraising goals and initiatives.
Leverage data and research to understand donor needs and interests in order to deliver effective engagement opportunities and acknowledgement.
Create a quantitative and qualitative measurement system to evaluate the effectiveness and success of all stewardship, donor relations, and recognition programs in alignment with Development promoting a uniform message.
Plan and monitor the budget, using resources for best results in planning activities involving prospects, donors and volunteers
Provide vision and strategic leadership to the donor relations team and VP and campaign events team; oversight of staff in alignment with a vision to raise organizational values; uses best talent management practices; ensure the use of best practices in office systems, files and record keeping; ensure effective use of strategic tools and resources.

Donor Relations and Stewardship (30%): 
Drive a donor centric culture that promotes “wow” stewardship and creates integral touch points for stewardship and assure perpetual and mutually beneficial relationships with donors.
Provide leadership in expansion of established program supporting development staff through creating and assisting with individualized donor relations and stewardship plans for donors to their colleges/units.
Partner with AVP Strategic Communications and Donor Engagement, Legal Services for the continued improvement of best practices in gift acceptance.
Provide leadership in assuring compliance with donor intent, including monitoring, tracking and reporting status/progress internally and to the donor.
Establish donor centric best practices for services such as gift processing and receipting in partnership with AVP, Advancement Services.
Develop and manage information tracking processes regarding acknowledgement, recognition, on-going communications and continued cultivation of past and current major donors to enhance their relationship with the University and increase the likelihood of continued contributions.
Oversee the use of consistent, accurate, and appropriate information-sharing mechanisms for acknowledging, recognizing and reporting to prospects and donors.

Strategic Relations and Partnerships (25%): 
Create, document and direct highly collaborative services to provide expert consultation and strategic programming to senior leadership, faculty, and development officers to strengthen and enhance the University’s relationships with all levels of donors, including individuals, corporations and foundations.
Work in collaboration with Annual Giving, Gift Planning, and WSU Alumni Association on donor strategies to maximize donor engagement and execute creative and strategic programming.
Oversee and provide guidance on team members’ consultation with college and unit development officers on a regular basis to ensure that all prospects and donors are appropriately acknowledged in a timely manner and recognized for their contributions, and to encourage full use of individualized donor relations/stewardship plans as tools in the cultivation cycle.

Other (5%): Perform related duties as required or deemed appropriate to the accomplishment of the responsibilities and functions related to this position.