Assistant Director, Donor Relations Position Available In Madison, Alabama

Assistant Director, Donor Relations
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Position Information
Position Information (Default Section) EEO Statement Wright State University is an equal opportunity employer. Faculty Rank or Job Title Assistant Director, Donor Relations

Job Category:

Administrative (exempt/non-exempt)
Department VP-University Advancement Admin
EEO number: 25P158
Position FTE 100% Minimum Annual or Hourly Rate $50,000

Salary Band:

UC S04

Job Summary/Basic Function:

This position manages the University’s scholarship application and award process; stewards our donors through the reporting and compliance function; manages the agreement process between donors, University Advancement, and the Foundation; serves as the liaison with the Office of Financial Aid, donors, and the campus community regarding fund management, scholarship agreements, award processing, and stewardship. Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree
Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in higher education
Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Exceptional organizational and time-management skills
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
Proficiency in MS Office Suite and Internet-based collaboration tools
Must be detail-oriented and organized
Effective problem solving and project management skills
Ability to think and act independently and work in a fast-paced environment
Ability to create and sustain a professional and collaborative work environment
Ability to manage multiple priorities with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail Preferred Qualifications Experience in advancement, fundraising or non-profit work
Prior work experience within student financial aid
Knowledge of the Scholarship Manager (Next Gen) software
Knowledge of Banner Advancement and Student Financial Aid modules Essential Functions and percent of time:

Stewardship:

Gift Management and Acceptance (35%)
Develop written gift agreement templates and manages the process of implementation for each unit, including:
review and edit to ensure the agreement meets Foundation policies
distribute final agreement to all stakeholders and captures final agreements into official recordkeeping systems
audit documentation of existing Foundation funds to ensure all donor agreements conform to policy Approve scholarship award requests from Financial Aid and campus departments
Oversee and manage fund policies and procedures
Manage the use and maintenance of the Scholarship Manager (SM) software program, which includes:
determine the amount of Foundation scholarship awards by evaluating account balances and fund sustainability
manage, review, and approve all scholarship awards that require special processing outside the SM system for donor-intent compliance and available funding
Review and monitor:
gift processing to ensure compliance with donors’ intentions (and correct if necessary)
the distribution of endowed funds to ensure that the funds are being used in accordance with the donors’ wishes
active scholarship accounts to ensure that scholarships are awarded within established guidelines
expenditures of gifts and endowments
oversee the preparation of fund frameworks and gift agreements
Manage the stewardship of named funds
Review hundreds of student scholarship applications for funds sitting in Advancement, and additional campus committees needing reviewers Scholarship Platform and Stakeholder Relationships (30%)
Develop and maintain strong relationships with campus offices, including the Office of Financial Aid (OFA), Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, major gift officers, deans, and academic departments, through frequent communication and regular meetings to ensure donor-established scholarship and fund criteria are met and donor dollars are properly and routinely expended
Serve as a visible, primary liaison to OFA, and between Advancement, Foundation, OFA, and scholarship committees across campus by:
maintaining an accurate list of all scholarship committees on campus
working with OFA concerning student awards and scholarships
facilitating the flow of financial information to campus scholarship coordinators prior to awards
Manage the use and maintenance of the Scholarship Manager (SM) software program, which includes:
annually designing and updating the scholarship applications
entering new scholarship funds, updating award parameters and scholarship profiles
liaison with CATS to ensure student uploads are accurate and timely
coordinate and provide training on the scholarship process and the SM software for designated staff in the OFA, Advancement staff, and scholarship committee members in the academic and non-academic units
Provide internal support and collaboration, including:
project support and reporting to upper management
provide expertise in navigating donor database regarding fund management, financial aid, and student modules
provide appropriate and accurate donor information to development staff to ensure successful visit and/or solicitations
Conduct regularly scheduled scholarship review meetings with central office staff members
Oversee and manage external community stakeholder relationships and community scholarship providers
Donor advocate and university liaison
Address donor/constituent concerns regarding stewardship issues through “best of class” customer service both internally and in interactions with donors
Maintain professional connections and interactions with donor relations and scholarship colleagues through NSPA and ADRP Essential Functions and percent of time (cont’d):

Stewardship:

Reporting (20%)
Oversee donor reporting for over 800 endowed and specified current funds, including financial reports and how funds are used
Interpret raw data provided by the Foundation to prepare personalized financial reports
Endowment reports – develop and produce content, manage printer and design.

Manages and checks fund data, endowment contacts, and student recipients and merges all fund and student recipient thank you letters, including the process to collect, remind, and design these personalized pieces
prepare annual reports to donors and liaisons of named funds
prepare annual student recipient reports to donors and liaisons of named funds Manage the use and maintenance of the Scholarship Manager (SM) software program, which includes:
create reports, committees, and search features, monitor usage, and update user access accounts in SM
design and implement scholarship surveys to ensure students’ needs are being met

Donor Relations:

Acknowledgment (10%)
Manage scholarship recipient thank you program
coordinate the scholarship notification and donor thank you processes
notifying students by email of the thank you letter process
coordinating receipt and review of thank you letters from students
mailing thank you letters to donors

Donor Relations:

Recognition and Engagement (5%)
Identify opportunities to connect and engage donors and fund recipients as much as possible
Assist with research and data analysis to measure donor satisfaction with stewardship and recognition activities Non-Essential Functions and percent of time: Working Conditions Some nights and weekends. To preserve the safety and security of the campus community and to maintain the integrity of university operations, it is the policy of Wright State University making an employment offer contingent on various background checks, such as a criminal record, credit history when job related and/or education verifications. Additionally, an administrative review shall be conducted whenever the university learns that an employee is charged with or convicted of a crime (except for minor vehicle violations). Frequently asked questions related to background checks may be found on the Human resources website at http://www.wright.edu/human-resources. Effective July 1, 2017, per Policy 7230 Wright State University is tobacco-free. Tobacco use, including the sale, advertising sampling and distribution of tobacco products and tobacco related items is prohibited in all university facilities, on all university owned or leased grounds, university owned or operated residence halls and apartments, and at all university sponsored events regardless of location. Tobacco use is also prohibited in all university vehicles or on any equipment owned, leased or operated by Wright State University. This policy applies to anyone on campus including students, faculty, staff, visitors, consultants, vendors, patients, volunteers, and contractor employees. Special Instructions to Applicants Posting Date 04/03/2025

First Consideration Date:

04/17/2025
Closing Date Open Until Filled Yes