at University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Assistant Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations- HybridCollege of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
WE TRANSFORM LIVES.
Everything we do is designed to improve the quality of life of the people in the state of Illinois, across the nation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminate knowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of experts and leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science to higher levels of understanding.
Be a part of our story. Within the College of ACES, you will join a team of 190 tenure-system faculty members; nearly 1,400 academic professionals, civil service staff, and assistants; 2,800 undergraduates; and 750 graduate students. The Assistant Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations position is housed within the Office of Advancement, which includes frontline fundraising, advancement communications, corporate and alumni engagement, and stewardship and donor relations.
You will be part of a remarkable community of faculty, staff and students within the College of ACES who are striving to meet the critical challenges of our time. We're proud to report our four-year graduation rate (74%) is the highest in the nation among comparable programs, according to US News & World Report, and is more than double the national average for public universities (33%, according to the U.S. Department of Education).
We have nearly 40,000 living alumni and raise approximately $20 million annually in private support from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Our annual expenditures from all sources are more than $160 million. ACES plays a key role in national and international research initiatives in bioenergy, biotechnology, integrated landscapes, environmental sustainability, food and agricultural systems, global climate change, family resiliency, public policy, and much more.
In 2024, the ACES Advancement team will launch an exciting $100 million capital priority fundraising campaign to prepare the college to continue its mission for the next 100 years.
Organizational Relationship
This position, as an integral part of the College of ACES Advancement Team, reports to the Director of Advancement Operations. This position provides leadership, administration, and strategic direction for Stewardship and Donor Relations, including developing methods to measure the effectiveness of Stewardship and Donor Relations strategies and activities. Major areas of responsibility will include oversight of governing documents and fund creation processes, fund management, and other major gift Stewardship and Donor Relations.
Duties and Responsibilities
Donor Relations and Engagement
• Oversee strategy to ensure donors have access to experiences and communications that enhance affinity toward ACES and cultivates philanthropy
• In collaboration with Advancement Operations: develop recognition initiatives; maintain high-level engagement, cultivation, and stewardship events; and contribute to stewardship publications illustrating gift impact to donors.
• Collaborate with Stewardship professionals at the University level and across campus to determine the best strategies for effective stewardship of donors
• Serve as the main contact for stewardship processes with UIF and OVCIA (i.e., pledge audit, endowment recipient updates)
• Maintain portfolio of donor relations resources for use by college and departmental staff
Donor Qualification and Cultivation
• Participate in College of ACES and Office of Advancement strategy meetings, and assist colleagues and provide support for all ongoing programs and operations as needed to help meet the College's annual fundraising goals
• Assist gift officers by confirming annual gift renewals with scholarship donors.
Major Gift Stewardship
• Ensure that major gift donors have comprehensive stewardship plans by developing and maintaining high-level Stewardship Guidelines for Donors at the major gift level, with emphasis on donors with endowed funds
• Create and monitor Stewardship Plans in TED to ensure that the steps are appropriately completed and revised as needed, and provide assistance in implementing changes or modifying plans when challenges arise
• Collaborate with the Assistant Dean for Advancement and the College's Director of Advancement Operations to design, create, and facilitate donor materials, report templates, and donor plans
• Identify ways to involve others, (i.e. Deans, Faculty, Students, Alumni, Volunteers, etc.) in Stewardship efforts
• Ensure that major gift prospects and donors receive, at minimum, an annual report regarding the use and impact of the funds they have contributed to, including interactions with the students or faculty benefiting from their philanthropy, when appropriate
• Collaborate with ACES Units to ensure that the awarding of scholarships, fellowships, named faculty positions, and usage of private funds meet the criteria in the established fund agreements; oversee responsibilities of annual college scholarship process assigned to advancement team, including scholarship profiles
• Coordinate with UIF Donor Relations, as well as with College and Unit Colleagues, Communications, and Constituent Engagement to ensure appropriate donor recognition and appreciation opportunities are leveraged for major gift prospects and Donors
• Design and implement a comprehensive, multi-tiered plan to acknowledge annual and major gifts to the College of ACES and its Units, as well as to recognize donors in order to enhance the donor relationship with the College or Unit, and increase the likelihood of continued contributions
• Create and Manage Stewardship and recognition systems associated with the College's fundraising campaigns
•Ensure that Stewardship and Engagement activity is recorded in TED and stewardship plans are updated, as needed
Fund Creation and Management
• Manage new fund governing document and fund creation in collaboration with university and foundation colleagues
• Serve as resource for gift officers and departmental contacts regarding governing document requirements and standards
• Respond to specific donor inquiries arising from campaign activity, which requires knowledge of sensitive University issues and the appropriate responses
• Manage responses to inquiries regarding gift funds from Major Gift Officers (MGOs), Unit leadership and staff, and donors
• Act as a liaison for the College's financial operations regarding the initiation of new UIF funds, fund agreements, statements of understanding, and other relevant documentation related to the stewardship of gifts to ACES and its Units
• Conduct an annual account review of College and Unit gift funds in collaboration with College and Business Officers, to ensure adherence to fund guidelines and compliance with University and College policies
Other Duties
• Participate in campus-level meetings related to Stewardship and Donor Relations
• Maintain confidential alumni and donor records
• Work with UIF Research and other campus contacts to generate fundraising reports and prospect lists
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position.
- Two (2) years of professional business, financial, and/or managerial work experience.
- Demonstrated experience implementing and executing Stewardship Programs.
- A Master's Degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year (12 months) of work experience.
- Stewardship experience within a higher education environment
- Understand principles of Donor Engagement and Stewardship
- Basic understanding of major Donor prospect qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and Stewardship
- Demonstrate excellent professionalism, and the ability to communicate with College of ACES Disciplines Donors, and the ability to organize multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously • Demonstrate excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills
- Recognize and adhere to the Donor Bill of Rights as prescribed by the Association of Fundraising Professionals
This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5010 - Business/Administrative Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible. Salary is commensurate with experience.
For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx .
Application Procedures & Deadline Information
Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on June 24, 2024. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Amanda Shoemaker at amandajs@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.
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. 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 .
Requisition ID: 1024903
Job Category: Administrative
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu
