Job Details

Senior Director, Donor Relations
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Position Number: 5912968
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Development and Fund Raising

Senior Director, Donor Relations

Requisition Number: 61181
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: University Staff
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 20-Jan-2025
Date Posted:

Job Summary

Advancement at CU Boulder encourages applications for a Senior Director of Donor Relations! The Senior Director is responsible for strategizing, developing, leading, implementing and managing the comprehensive donor engagement and stewardship efforts for the Office of Advancement at CU Boulder. This position is critical to the engagement initiatives for Advancement and manages a team of ten full-time staff responsible for donor engagement and events, gift administration, stewardship, and gift utilization. Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Development, this position and its team are tasked with implementing a best-in-class donor relations program for the Boulder campus that thoughtfully and proactively cultivates relationships with new donors and stewards current donors to enhance donor retention and engagement to increase overall philanthropic support for CU Boulder. This position will successfully navigate the substantial complexity of working with various internal and external constituents and balancing the needs of separate entities while still fulfilling the strategic needs of the unit and the Office of Advancement.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

CU Boulder Advancement is committed to a culture of joy, motivated by collaboration, passionate about excellence and driven by impact. These four values define the culture and drive engagement and fundraising success. The division consciously allocates time and resources to diversity, equity, and inclusion. These efforts contribute directly to the division's core values and to advancing CU Boulder's mission through impactful fundraising and engagement results. As a team and as individuals, the Advancement Division commits to learning about and challenging systems, policies, and practices that enable oppressive ideologies to recur in the CU Boulder community. Embracing the responsibility to lead and model helps promote the desired culture while supporting internal and external constituents. Accountability for the division's commitment to these values is established through specific individual and team goals that evaluate progress and growth.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Strategy and Execution

Develop, lead, and implement a comprehensive donor engagement and stewardship model that thoughtfully and proactively cultivates relationships with new donors and stewards current donors to improve donor retention and engagement at all levels of donor giving.
Lead the implementation of CU Boulder's Donor Relations Strategic Framework, shaping a thoughtful and inclusive donor experience that reflects our values of joy, excellence, collaboration, and impact. Focus on building meaningful connections that celebrate donor generosity, inspire future giving, and strengthen retention and pledge fulfillment across all giving levels.
Increase and measure donor retention, satisfaction, and engagement. Increase and measure donor alumni engagement in alignment with the CASE Engagement Metrics.
Provide vision for and support the development and implementation of significant stewardship opportunities including impact of gift reporting (endowed, current use and capital funds), stewardship engagement plans, gift acknowledgments, donor correspondence, and communications.
Provide vision for and support the development and implementation of processes for maintaining the integrity of gift funds including adherence to donor intent and timely utilization of funds.
Provide vision for and support the development and implementation of policies and procedures for gift fund setup, gift agreements, endowment status reports, chancellor match requests, etc.
Serve as a member of the alignment's unit lead team and help set strategic direction related to standard processes in fundraising and donor engagement and stewardship.
Collaborate with Advancement Marketing and Communications team as appropriate to develop comprehensive donor stewardship communication plans in support of engagement goals.
Identify, promote, and support donor and volunteer recognition and stewardship opportunities. Examples include gift announcements, donor impact stories, volunteer board nominations, alumni awards, alumni publications, honorary degrees, etc.

Team Management and Leadership

Complete all aspects of managing and leading a team of employees responsible for donor engagement and events, gift administration, stewardship, and gift utilization. Examples include:
Provide coaching and mentorship, especially to new team members.
Carry out administrative personnel actions (performance management, hiring, training, onboarding, offboarding, etc.).
Serve as a member of the Advancement Management Team. Attend scheduled meetings and collaborate with colleagues on a regular basis.
Set and supervise annual and long-range goals, plans and budgets for Donor Relations.
Serve as a subject matter expert in navigating procurement, contracts and outside partnerships.

Other Engagement Duties as Assigned

Partner with university collaborators (to include but not limited to, CU President, CU Boulder Chancellor, Vice Chancellor for Advancement, Associate/Assistant Vice Chancellors, Deans, Assistant Deans, Faculty, Financial Aid, Finance, and Program Directors) to engage, steward and manage important donors, volunteers and allies to the Office of Advancement.
Attend and be an influential member of monthly meetings with donor relations staff across campus to share information, discuss standard processes and collaboration opportunities.
Work with CU system, CU Foundation and CU Boulder Advancement staff to assist with the effective identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors to CU Boulder.

What You Should Know

This position will occasionally be required to work evenings/weekends.
This position has the ability to work a hybrid schedule with some days on campus and some days remote.
This position may require local, regional, and out-of-state travel to engage with university constituents.

What We Can Offer

The salary range is $135,000 - $145,000 annually. Relocation assistance is available within Advancement guidelines.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be strategic. Be Boulder.

What We Require

Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
5+ years of professional, job-related experience, including 1+ years of team lead or supervision experience and the following:

Experience developing, planning and rolling out strategy.
Program and event management experience.

What You Will Need

Ability to strategize plans for employee retention and satisfaction.
Ability to practice situational leadership and discover what motivates individual team members to achieve goals.
Ability to establish and enhance interpersonal relationships, including ability to coordinate and manage volunteers.
Solid knowledge of fundraising, donor relations, and alumni relations standard methodologies.
Expert communication skills including the ability to participate in public events and represent Advancement and the university in a professional manner.
Solid ability to analyze information/situations and solve problems.
Ability to exercise a high degree of tact, discretion, and collaboration in working with a diverse range of constituents including employees, students, volunteers, alumni, donors, and campus colleagues.
Solid ability to organize and manage multiple projects/tasks simultaneously; ability to work independently and collaboratively and adapt to changing priorities.
Solid understanding of current issues facing public universities and interests of assigned school, students, faculty, and alumni.
Solid knowledge of annual giving standard processes.
Strong attention to detail and to visual appeal of presentation materials.
Growth mindset, resilience and perseverance.
Ability to embrace the shared values of the Office of Advancement.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

A current resume.
A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by January 20, 2025 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Senior-Director-Donor-Relations/61181