AD Officer 3-Stewardship

Position Overview

The Associate Director of Stewardship is a newly created role and an essential member of the advancement team. They shape the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) stewardship strategy and develop, implement, and support policies and processes for stewarding donors for life. They oversee and administer stewardship activities, bringing vision and creativity to CLA's acknowledgement, recognition, and reporting functions. They implement strategies and systems to ensure high-quality and meaningful recognition of CLA's top donors and appropriate stewardship of donated funds. They work effectively and collaboratively with senior management of CLA, fellow CLA advancement staff, and the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF). They function independently and exercise discretion in determining sophisticated and varied activities designed to celebrate the impact of philanthropy while motivating donors to continue and increase giving.

Job Responsibilities

Engagement and Communication (40%)

• Creates meaningful, industry-leading experiences that bring together donors with faculty, staff, and students of the college. This includes program design, timelines, project deliverables, and outcomes to ensure a positive experience for donors.
• Envisions and plans all stewardship engagement activities on campus and in the communities where donors live. Examples include annual scholarship & fellowship recognition events, endowed lectures and VIP pre-receptions, campaign recognition events, etc.
• Represents CLA and Institutional Advancement at stewardship and development events.
• Ensures donors hear about scholarship recipients through one or more methods (e.g.: written communication, custom videos, and in-person meetings.) In partnership with UMF, manages the collection of student bios. Because direct contact between recipients and donors is a key component of stewardship, and because scholarship administration is diffused throughout our college, this is a vital part of the Associate Director of Stewardship's role.
• Proactively identifies opportunities to communicate with donors and alumni. Writes personalized/customized correspondence to donors from the dean, chief advancement officer, department chairs, major gift officers, and others as needed.
• Produces videos and other collateral materials to demonstrate the impact of philanthropy, bringing to life the difference donors make in the lives of our students, faculty, and communities.
• Writes gift announcements, donor stories, and student stories to demonstrate impact and share campaign progress. Collaborates with communications staff in CLA and UMF.
• Develops and manages stewardship related content for CLA website.

Reporting and Recognition (35%)

• In collaboration with UMF, manage the stewardship of scholarship and fellowship donors.
• Executes CLA's fund reporting program for our highest-level donors. Creates and distributes custom stewardship reports and impact reports for high-value donors.
• Collaborates with the UMF Office of Donor Relations in the creation of stewardship reports for major donors.
• In collaboration with UMF, manages the Report on Endowments process for CLA.
• Writes special reports and produces video content for fund anniversaries and other milestones.
• Conducts research necessary to create donor reports for endowed and specified demand funds including faculty chairs and professorships, fellowships, scholarships, awards, research funds, etc.
• Develops new approaches to reporting that go beyond printed statements, to include video and web updates and other experiences designed to showcase the impact of philanthropy.
• Provides progress reports on stewardship goals. Evaluate stewardship success and identify efficiencies and improvements, as needed.
• Oversees recognition of major donors and annual donors.
• Partners with UMF on the enrollment of CLA donors in the Presidents Club.
• Partners with the Director of Annual Giving & Stewardship on leadership giving recognition, such as the CLA Dean's Circle, a recognition club for donors who donate $1,000 to CLA annually.

Project Management (25%)

• Creates and participates in new and innovative ways to build meaningful relationships with donors. Develops and implements stewardship strategies for existing donors in permanent stewardship and to complement cultivation and solicitation efforts of development colleagues towards additional gifts.
• Works with senior leaders to establish long and short term plans for stewardship initiatives.
• Partners with Senior Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship to manage gift acknowledgements - including the dean's acknowledgement correspondence - ensuring donors are thanked in timely, creative, and meaningful ways. Also serves as an expert resource for CLA's academic departments who wish to create their own gift acknowledgements.
• Ensures fellowship data is gathered from departments and creates strategy to steward fellowship gifts.
• Creates CLA's Give to the Max Day stewardship strategy, providing campaign assets and recognition moments to motivate and sustain donor participation.

Required Qualifications:

• BA or BS with at least four years of relevant/related experience.
• Strong writing and proofreading skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Experience developing plans and programs.
• Ability to work independently, with strong problem solving and decision making skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven experience in executing comprehensive and strategic donor relations and stewardship plans for both individual and corporate donors.
• Experience using a donor or customer database and demonstrated database management skills.

The Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) comprises development, marketing and communications, and alumni relations. We support the college by growing a base of committed donors, enriching CLA's engagement with alumni and the public, and enhancing the overall reputation of the college through the stories of faculty recognition, research discoveries, student experiences, and alumni success. We bring the CLA Roadmap, our strategic plan, to life through a powerful, credible, and aligned narrative and brand. We are optimistic, team-oriented, and innovative. We are committed to hiring individuals who will contribute to the cultural diversity of our work place. Our hiring decisions are guided by the principal value that diversity enriches our environment. We embrace differences, seek to eliminate racism and other forms of discrimination and strive to create a workplace in which everyone matters.

About the College of Liberal Arts

Home to the arts, social sciences and humanities disciplines and programs, the College of Liberal Arts is the largest college in the University of Minnesota and comprises 31 academic departments, and over 20 interdisciplinary research centers and administrative/support units. CLA has over 1,300 faculty and staff spanning research, teaching, advising, outreach, and administrative functions. CLA units reside in over twenty buildings on the East Bank and West Bank of the Twin Cities campus. CLA enrolls nearly 13,000 undergraduate students, over 40% of the undergraduate enrollment on the Twin Cities campus, 1,400 graduate students, and has an annual all-funds budget of $290 million.

CLA is a destination for curious, compassionate individuals who are committed to making our increasingly interdependent and diverse global community work for everyone. That . CLA is committed to increasing enrollment of underrepresented and under-resourced students, diversifying our faculty across all disciplines, recruiting, and retaining a diverse staff, and promoting the expression and exploration of diverse perspectives and viewpoints-so that we all gain the background knowledge and analytical skills we need to understand and respect differences.

Working at the University

At the University of Minnesota, you'll find a flexible work environment and supportive colleagues who are interested in lifelong learning. We prioritize work-life balance, allowing you to invest in the future of your career and in your life outside of work.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

Please visit the for more information regarding benefits.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-UOHR (8647).

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu.

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

Please note: All employees at the University of Minnesota are required to comply with the University's Administrative Policy: COVID-19 Vaccination and Safety Protocol by either providing proof of being fully vaccinated on their first day of employment, or complete a request for an exemption for medical exemption or religious reasons. To learn more please visit:

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.