Stewardship Officer

EXPIRED

Apply Now

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Summary

Under the direction of the Director of Development, Donor Relations, the Stewardship Officer is responsible for creating, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive stewardship program that engages and recognizes donors for their contributions. This role requires creativity, strategic thinking, and strong communication skills to effectively inform donors about the impact of their gifts and to foster lifelong relationships.

Responsibilities*

Essential Functions

• Donor Stewardship, Recognition and Reporting (75%)

Apply Now

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Summary

Under the direction of the Director of Development, Donor Relations, the Stewardship Officer is responsible for creating, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive stewardship program that engages and recognizes donors for their contributions. This role requires creativity, strategic thinking, and strong communication skills to effectively inform donors about the impact of their gifts and to foster lifelong relationships.

Responsibilities*

Essential Functions

• Donor Stewardship, Recognition and Reporting (75%)

  • C reatively and strategically engage prospects and donors by leading innovative stewardship strategies.
  • Recognize donors for their contributions and inform them about the use of their gift ensuring they feel valued and informed about the impact of their gifts.
  • Oversee the gift reporting and acknowledgement process for all giving platforms and channels, with a focus on prompt and personalized recognition.
  • Lead and manage the accurate scholarship matching process and corresponding stewardship reporting of all named athletic scholarships, in accordance with donor intent.
  • Identify and implement effective stewardship strategies that keep donors informed and aligned with the organization's vision, goals, and fundraising priorities.
  • Evaluate stewardship programming and make innovative recommendations for growth.
  • Prepare detailed and impactful reports to demonstrate the use and outcomes of donor gifts, highlighting success stories and program achievements.
  • Partner with creative services, marketing, and communications to execute mass stewardship projects, including direct mail, digital, and social media for donors of various levels.
  • Collaborate with team members to update stewardship stories on the website to enhance communication to all Michigan Athletics donors.
  • Assist the Director of Development with the launch and long-term management of all stewardship vehicles, including giving societies.
  • Create meaningful stewardship touchpoints for identified target audiences, including first-time donors, consecutive years of giving, crowdfunding campaigns, etc.
  • Oversee and manage personalized messaging through ThankView around donor milestones, such as birthdays and giving anniversaries.
  • Organize and facilitate donor gift needs, including Nike gear fulfillment through a digital system, tracking orders, shipments, and arrivals, and issuing items to various recipients through Teamworks and Gameday systems.
  • Record, track and fulfill donor intent in DART as noted in gift agreements for major and planned gifts.
  • Maintain tracking as necessary in DART for donor communications and continued stewardship of past and current donors.
  • Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of stewardship activities and programs, using donor feedback and data analysis to make improvements.
  • Monitor and report on key metrics related to donor engagement and satisfaction.

• S** tudent-Athlete Scholarship Engagement (20%)**

  • Generate engagement and storytelling opportunities with current student-athletes scholarship recipients through ThankView, the website, and other communications.
  • Manage campus relationships and foster positive relationships with our 29 sport programs and coaches through the scholarship matching program.
  • Lead the Student-Athlete Ambassador program promotion, hiring, training, and scheduling.
  • Build rapport with current scholarship recipients to increase goodwill and engagement, while disseminating the importance of philanthropy and support.
  • Lead, implement, and evaluate the semi annual student-athlete thank-a-thon, including communication with students and coaches, advising student-athletes on messaging, and tracking and sending thank you to donors.
  • Oversee the HailYeah! and MaizeDays student programming in coordination with the Office of University Development.

• Other Duties (5%)

  • Participate in Michigan Athletics events and activities as appropriate which include, but are not limited to campus activities, on and off-campus donor events, departmental-wide activities, etc.
  • Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3-5 years of professional experience with knowledge of collegiate athletics and higher education fundraising.
• Proven ability to function as a member of a team, manage subcommittee work, build effective working relationships, and demonstrate initiative.
• Exceptional interpersonal, organizational, and time management skills with a keen attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage competing tasks and deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with donors and colleagues.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google, and other team-based project management tools.
• Creative thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact with multiple patrons in a positive and productive manner while maintaining integrity and adhering to the compliance rules of the NCAA, Big Ten, and University of Michigan Athletic Department.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and effectively determine when information needs to be advanced to other decision-makers.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, with the ability to effectively adapt and be flexible.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a positive, team-oriented environment.
• Strong commitment to the student-athlete experience.
• Demonstrated ability to develop good working relationships with internal and external constituency groups and to work collaboratively with colleagues in a team environment.
• Discretion and an ability to interact with high-level donors and the ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• The on-site location for this position is an office suite in the Michigan Athletics Development Offices at 1000 South State Street. This provides free, on-site parking for staff.
• On-site work will be required during and leading up to in person activities, such as football and basketball games, signature events, and more.
• Michigan Athletics supports a culture of flexibility, and a hybrid work arrangement may be possible for this position. Onsite work will be required during and leading up to in person activities.
• Ability to work early mornings, evenings and weekends on occasion, as well as the occasional extended-hour workdays during high-volume times.

Additional Information

The University of Michigan Athletic Department is dedicated to building a department culture which demonstrates respect for all, shows compassion for others, and celebrates the differences among our staff, student-athletes, and supporters. We are committed to the hiring and development of diverse staff who contribute to an inclusive environment.

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off.
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting.
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Long-term disability coverage.
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.