Assistant Director, Donor Stewardship & Engagement Programs

Assistant Director, Donor Stewardship & Engagement Programs
Development

Summary of Job Details

Reporting to the Senior Director for Donor Relations and Gift Services (DRS), the Assistant Director of Donor Reporting, Stewardship and Engagement Programs oversees centralized stewardship planning, customized reporting, and complex data management for the unit. This role provides expert analytical, strategic planning, and project management support, ensuring compliance with University policies and the application of Advance in a capital fundraising environment. The Assistant Director partners with Senior Development staff and development officers to influence stewardship planning across the intersection of donors, development officers, and gifts administration. In collaboration with the Senior Director, the position enhances stewardship programs by managing year-long reporting cycles—including endowed funds, fellowships, scholarships, and impact reports—along with tracking metrics and integrated timelines. By collaborating regularly with campus colleagues, Development Communications, UCSB faculty, and business officers, the individual derives key metrics, compiles sophisticated reports, and makes data-driven strategic decisions to ensure tailored donor stewardship.

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

• 40% Strategic Planning & Project Management – STRATEGIC PLANNING: • Develops stewardship strategies for key donors and gifts to the University, working collaboratively with Senior Development Leadership on their respective area program plans. • Develops a central, comprehensive stewardship plan for key donor constituencies. • Performs regular analyses to assess the effectiveness of overall strategies. • Develops innovative, unique and personalized donor relations/stewardship communications and engagement experiences for major donors. • Stays abreast of current and emerging trends in donor stewardship, philanthropy, fundraising, and higher educatio. PROJECT MANAGEMENT: • Manages the endowed fund reporting cycles • Manages annual stewardship portfolios and cycles • Develops and drives stewardship reporting cycles, follow-up and seeing projects through to their completion.

• 40% Complex Analysis & Reporting – REPORTING: • Produces reports for unit-based and central fundraising programs, reviewing current and past stewardship trends; makes recommendations for future stewardship programs accordingly. • Takes the lead on researching endowed and current-use funds, probing for fund expenditures, market values, etc. in order to enhance our endowed fund reporting process and communication. • Partners with Development Officers to obtain stewardship letters from faculty, deans, students and campus administrators for the purposes of impact reporting. • Develops, reviews, evaluates and modifies reports and reporting procedures to enhance donor relations and stewardship functions. • Provides expert internal consultation for development staff related to stewardship reporting and donor experiences. • Performs complex and high-level data analysis to inform and support data-driven decision making within the development community. DATA ANALYTICS: • Develops & analyzes key donor metrics and provides insight and recommendations to inform and expand donor stewardship and engagement programs. • Reviews data for the purposes of developing strategic donor stewardship, evaluating a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. • Generates and analyzes broad data sets, searches for explanations and underlying causes, draws conclusions and develops actionable recommendations. • Frequently collaborates with the Offices of Prospect Management and Research (PMATS) and Advancement Services, including Gift Administration, to trouble-shoot and resolve data-related issues and policies.

• 20% Supervisory Responsibility & Operations Support – • Trains and supervises support staff and/or student assistants, as and when needed, to support major DRS processes around stewardship reporting and analysis. • Serves as liaison between DRS and key administrators, faculty and staff with regard to donor stewardship, including the management of monthly meetings for a DRS liaison group. • Implements policies around donor stewardship and reporting protocols.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in related area
• 1-3 years of experience demonstrating strong analytic and project management skills, as well as excellent interpersonal skills.
• 1-3 years of experience in communicating exceptionally well through verbal and written mediums, paying close attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in reporting as well as management of key processes.
• 1-3 years of demonstrated expertise in writing, including excellent grammar, composition and proof-reading skills.
• Ability to analyze problems/issues of diverse scope and determine solutions.
• Ability to multi-task successfully in a fast-paced and evolving environment with demanding timeframes.
• Must think critically, make informed decisions and demonstrate sound judgement.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 1-3 years of demonstrated expertise in analysis, problem solving, working with detail while applying and understanding broader contexts as they affect a diverse customer base: faculty, staff, students and donors.
• Experienced professional with an in-depth understanding of Development, prospect management, development research and donor relations practices, policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of common organization- or research-specific and other computer application programs.

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Occasional evenings and weekends at various Development Office, Institutional Advancement or campus-wide events.
• Satisfactory criminal history background check

Budgeted Salary Range:  $75,180 to $84,000/ yr.
 (full Salary Range for this position is: $75,180 to $133,770/ yr.)

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. To review detailed job description and apply online, please visit:  jobs.ucsb.edu, Job # 87778.

Assistant Director, Donor Reporting, Stewardship & Engagement Programs