Assistant Director of Donor Experience

This position works closely with other members of the Department of Development and Alumni Relations, Clarkson faculty, staff and administration. This position plays an integral role in establishing a structured, systematic program for donor stewardship while maintaining Clarkson's reputation for integrity and fund compliance. The successful candidate will possess the ability to develop creative strategies for acknowledgment, reporting, and ongoing stewardship of donors, with the goal of increasing donor engagement and giving in support of Clarkson's fundraising efforts. An emphasis is placed on managing the stewardship program for all donor-funded scholarships, overseeing annual reports on endowed and other select funds, partnering with the Controller's office on fund audits, and event-planning.

* Manage the stewardship program for all donor-funded scholarships and awards (400+ scholarships and awards), including but not limited to
o Review all scholarship gift agreements and guidelines and partner with Admissions and the Office of Financial Aid to ensure donor-funded scholarships are dispersed annually and according to donor intent.
o Create customized annual reports for 400+ scholarship donors designed to foster and sustain long-term, meaningful relationships with the University and increase giving.
o Collect and edit thank you letters, photos, and video submissions from student scholarship award recipients.
o Oversee all donor-funded University Recognition Day awards distributed annually in April, work with faculty and Financial Aid to ensure students are notified of award, and work with awardees to craft personalized thank you messages to donors.
o Coordinate opportunities for student scholarship/award recipients to connect with donors virtually or in-person at donor-scholarship events on- and off-campus.

* Oversee personalized annual reports on endowed funds and select current use funds distributed to 450+ donors that demonstrate the impact of their philanthropy to the University
o Collaborate with Marketing Department on the design of annual report templates to ensure annual reports remain visually appealing and unique each year.
o Create, write, and edit content for each report, including statements from University leadership, that builds trusting relationships, inspires generosity, and demonstrates responsible stewardship of their gifts.
o Partner with beneficiaries of all donor-funded endowments to ensure funds are spent down and according to donor intent.
o Work with Controller's Office annually to ensure accurate financial reporting on each endowed donor fund and to obtain overall endowment performance.

* Create customized impact reports for top-tier donors.

* Collaborate with Vice President of Financial Affairs and Controller's Office to audit donor-funded accounts regularly and as needed.

* Coordinate donor events and programming on- and off-campus including, but not limited to, Dedications and Celebrations.

* Represent DAR with University Conference and Events Services on event-related matters. Work with high-level event guests to ensure their experience is of highest standards of the University.

* Interface with top-tier prospects of DAR to benchmark, create and execute upon various stewardship initiatives.
* Manage and track event budget.

* Assist gift officers in planning alumni and friend visits to campus taking the lead to work with other University departments to schedule meetings, tours, etc.

* Assist in coordinating stewardship programming including content for the Good Knights Guild donor recognition program, and all other acknowledgement mechanisms (video, social media, digital platforms, physical mailings) to ensure thoughtful, coordination experiences and satisfaction across the donor journey.

* Other duties as assigned.

Education:
Minimal Qualifications: Associate's or Bachelor's degree required in related/relevant field.

Experience:
Minimal Experience: One to three years of experience in donor relations, community relations or related field and event planning required.

Preferred Experience: Prior experience planning leadership events in a higher education setting and prior experience working with Slate and InDesign or similar programs.

* Adaptability/Multi-Tasking: Ability to effectively and quickly adjust to changes in work tasks or work environment.

* Autonomy: Ability to operate independently with a high degree of autonomy.

* Exceptional Communication, both written and oral: Ability to convey information and ideas effectively.

* High Stress Tolerance: Ability to maintain strong performance and positive relations with others while under pressure.

* Organization: High level of organizational skills; detail-oriented.

* Problem Solving/Decision Making: Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing solutions, often under pressure and with little or no notice.

* Computer/Database: Ability to utilize InDesign, Slate, and the MS Office Suite of programs efficiently.

The physical demands characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Health & Safety: All staff has a statutory responsibility to take reasonable care of themselves, others and the environment and to prevent harm by their acts or omissions. All staff is therefore required to adhere to the University's Health, Safety, and Environmental Policy & Procedures.

DISCLAIMER: The above statements are designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, skills, and qualifications required of personnel so classified.

Special Instructions to Applicants: An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, Clarkson actively seeks and encourages applications from veterans and people with disabilities.

All offers of employment are subject to the applicant successfully passing a background check (including, but not limited to, employment verification, educational and other credential verification, and criminal records