Associate Director of Donor Relations

Amherst College does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs and activities on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex or gender (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity), age, disability, genetic information, military service, or any other characteristic or class protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Amherst College complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Equal Pay Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Inquiries should be addressed to the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Amherst College, P.O. Box 5000, Amherst, MA 01002-5000. Amherst College's policy is to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Office of Human Resources at hr@amherst.edu. Amherst College, one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the nation, is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, a town of approximately 35,000 residents in the western part of the state. The college’s community is composed of about 1,800 students from 48 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and 54 countries around the world, and about 1,000 staff and faculty. The college’s scenic 1,000-acre campus includes a 500-acre wildlife sanctuary and the Book and Plow Farm; three museums: Emily Dickinson Museum, Beneski Museum of Natural History and Mead Art Museum; and multiple educational and cultural venues and resources through the Five College Consortium. Click here for information about Title IX at Amherst. Inquiries may be directed to: Laurie Frankl Title IX Coordinator Amherst College 105 E Converse Hall Amherst, MA 01002 413-542-5707 lfrankl@amherst.edu Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff. Job Description: Amherst College invites applications for the Associate Director of Donor Relations position. The Associate Director of Donor Relations is a full-time, year-round position, starting at $65,000 and will be commensurate with experience. Given Amherst’s distinction as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ways in which they bring value to and will work towards supporting a broadly diverse community. The Associate Director of Donor Relations, working closely with the Director of Donor Relations, designs, implements, and manages strategic programs and processes to thank and steward Amherst’s constituents and donors. The Associate Director is primarily responsible for strategy, implementation, and management in three of the department’s key areas: the systematic fund management and reporting programs for endowed and expendable funds; the gift acknowledgment program; and the data, systems, and operations activities for the Donor Relations team. The individual will play a significant role in the efforts of Donor Relations and Advancement to foster long-term, meaningful relations between the College and its diverse array of donors through organized, effective, and inclusive stewardship, and as such, will serve as a highly valued member. The person in this role is expected to work as part of a collaborative and inclusive team including taking appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participating in the College’s efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment. In addition, all Advancement staff members are required to support and staff key events such as Reunion, Homecoming, and Family Weekend. These events may require occasional evening and weekend hours. Summary of Responsibilities: Stewardship Reporting Strategize and direct regular stewardship reporting activities to provide substantive reporting to donors that demonstrates the impact of their gifts. Implement and refine the process for efficient production of annual financial and impact reports for all endowed funds (nearly 700). Obtain, prepare, edit, and process financial data and impact information for scholarship, prizes, fellowship, internship, research, summer study, lectureship, and other categories of funds. In partnership with the Director, plan and gather materials to accompany these reports, such as information about the endowment and other College updates as well as individualized fund materials, that are appropriate and personalized to a wide array of donors and audiences while reflecting the College’s values of diversity and inclusivity. Manage the report production, rollout, and delivery process, including assembly of fund data and content in the digital reporting platform, setting timelines and liaising with internal and external partners for production and delivery, and tracking donor and report data. Identify new areas for targeted stewardship and reporting and assist the department in developing those plans. Fund Management Manage and serve as point-person for fund data and records. This involves auditing information contained in fund records and partnering with faculty, staff, academic and other college departments to ensure funds are spent in accordance with donor intent and in a timely manner. Manage the new fund establishment and fund amendment process; coordinate with relevant offices and personnel, and ensure that records and processes are properly tracked and that all notifications regarding fund establishment and amendment are communicated through the proper channels. Develop projects to ensure that fund records are complete and fully support the department’s stewardship activities, identifying and addressing needs and inconsistencies. Gift Acknowledgments Direct the department’s gift acknowledgment program to assure accuracy of data, timeliness of response, and a high level of personalization of acknowledgement letters signed by the President, Chief Advancement Officer, gift officers and other Advancement staff. In collaboration with the Director of Donor Relations, develop the strategy and framework for the overall program and the processes that maximize its efficiency and effectiveness. Manage writing and revising of acknowledgment templates that speak to and celebrate Amherst’s diverse constituents and donors, and propose additional templates as needed. Review, recommend and implement improvements to all aspects of the College’s response when donors make their gifts to align with the College’s priorities for representation and inclusion, including but not limited to department notifications, the giving form, digital receipts, honor/memorial tributes and other special circumstances, and targeted acknowledgments and giving follow-ups. Ensure that acknowledgments are properly tracked. Work with donors and families directly to address giving- and stewardship-related questions. Stewardship Operations, Data, and Systems Lead the department in strategizing data processes and systems for the donor relations program, and in addressing data needs for the department and in support of Advancement and campus partners. This will entail the development of program reports, as well as specialized ad hoc reports using MS Access and Excel that generate information shared with gift officers, campus partners, and donors. Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of internal stewardship processes and operations. Identify and implement improvements and enhancements to stewardship data and reporting systems. Serve as point-person and department representative on Advancement’s conversion to Slate. Collaborate with the Advancement reporting team to troubleshoot problems and suggest improvements to the stewardship areas of the Advancement applications and reporting interface. All employees are expected to participate in the College’s efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment. Qualifications: Required: Bachelor's Degree Three to five years of related experience. Excellent organizational, project management, interpersonal, customer service, and verbal and written communication skills, with a capacity to thrive in a fast-paced environment, to be both self-reliant and independent yet also a team player and highly collegial and collaborative. Familiarity with and commitment to understanding the needs and preferences of a highly diverse group of constituents. Demonstrated expertise using relational databases and reporting software. Excellent skills in MS Outlook, Word, Excel, and web-based interfaces. Ability to learn new software programs. Ability to manage confidential information with discretion and tact. Attention to detail. Strong time management skills and effective, efficient decision-making skills. Occasional evening and weekend work is required, as per the nature of Donor Relations work. Cultural competence and the ability to excel in a diverse environment. Preferred: Advanced Degree Professional experience in higher education, donor relations, or academic or comparable non-profit organization. Knowledge of fundraising databases. Amherst College offers many opportunities for professional growth and development, continued learning, and career advancement. Amherst College requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (medical and religious exemptions may apply). Amherst College is pleased to provide a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and faculty and their families. Benefits are an important part of our overall compensation, so it is critical that you review all of the options to ensure it meets your total compensation requirements. Click here for Benefits Information. Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume and cover letter online at https://amherst.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/Amherst_Jobs . Please be sure to upload all requested documents prior to clicking Submit. Applications cannot be revised once submitted. (Current employees and students should apply by clicking on the Career icon from their Workday home screen) Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. To find information about job group and level (JGL) follow this link.