Donor Relations Officer

At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. Explore how we can bring big ideas to life, together. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise. As part of our workforce, you can do what you do best, every day.

Learn more about our recruitment process.

Job Requisition ID:

Time Type:

Employee Group:

Job Category:

Employment Type:

Department:

Hiring Range:

Posting Information:

This role is being offered as a temporary contract

Term 18 Months

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

This position fosters positive and long-term donor relationships that are critical to philanthropic support. As part of the Donor Relations and Stewardship team, they help to build a culture of gratitude, inspiration and accountability by stewarding donors and by providing strategies and plans, meaningful recognition programs, impactful reports/communications, and engaging donor experiences.

In collaboration with the Associate Director, the Donor Relations Officer is responsible for the strategy, design, implementation and co-ordination of a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship system. They develop and execute a range of integrated, consistent, and scalable programs and processes that appropriately contribute to best-in-class donor experiences. The Donor Relations Officer also works in close collaboration with donors’ primary solicitors’ campus wide and/or project leads and teams in Central Advancement.

Key Accountabilities

Donor Relations and Relationship Management

• Manage a system to prioritize, prepare and track stewardship reports, as well as any special stewardship requests.

• Lead collaborative development of custom stewardship and engagement plans for major giving and top tier donors by working with central colleagues and Faculties to provide direct value-added service.

• Responsible for the creation, accuracy, timeliness, and quality of a wide variety of donor relations and stewardship communications, including personal communications, as well as custom and targeted impact reports that convey to donors the impact of their giving.

• As appropriate and agreed upon, the Donor Relations Officer may be designated as Stewardship Relationship Manager for constituents identified in permanent stewardship, as well as lead regular stewardship efforts for specifically identified UW wide pooled funds and/or donor funded awards.

• Accountable for the information gathering associated with donor stewardship and impact reporting process.

• Create new and/or enhanced impact reporting tools and suite of standardized templates with accompanying process documentation to ensure quality, accuracy and uniformity of reporting by multiple users. Utilize digital stewardship solutions and technology as part of reporting toolbox options.

• Accountable for managing and overseeing the Central DRS team Student Award Beneficiary database and associated collection, review, and dissemination of student impact messages. Supervises others who perform any associated processes. Ensures all outputs are executed with accuracy, timeliness, and a high standard of care.

• As part of DRS team, responds to donor and student beneficiary inquiries providing exceptional service. May work directly with donors as part of relationship management.

• Liaises with Student Affairs and Financial Aid (SAFA) and Graduate Studies and Post-Doctoral (GSPA) to improve process for collection of student submissions for stewardship reporting purposes.

• Routinely monitor and assess processes to improve procedures, reports, tools, and controls in accordance with established guidelines.

Donor Recognition and Engagement

• Identify and develop inspiring engagement opportunities for donors to strengthen donor engagement and prospecting.

• Ensure gift recognition and stewardship policies and procedures are followed to provide consistency and integrity system wide.

• Oversee donor recognition programs that include support and guidance for any donor lists, donor recognition plaques/fixed signage, Advancement gift recognition matrix, donor preferences etc. Assists with the development of signage standards and best practices and works in collaboration with the Senior Stewardship and Agreements Officer (Naming Opportunities lead).

• Provide counsel and support to Faculties and other teams for donor recognition plans and options that are appropriate for the type/level of donor gifts, budget, timeline and specific donor history and preferences.

• May participate in planning meetings with donor’s primary solicitors to determine appropriate individualized recognition and stewardship plan. This may include planning and executing donor visits, meetings with award recipients, campus visits, recognition gifts, reviewing announcements, award nominations, as well as other special recognition requests.

• Provides counsel and guidance to Faculties and other teams for gift announcements, ground breakings, donor visits, receptions, special performances, etc. as appropriate.

• In consultation with the Associate Director, provide planning and strategic direction for outcomes associated with all recognition, engagement, and event activity targeted to any associated DRS giving Societies (e.g. lifetime giving).

• Collaborate with other Advancement teams to ensure giving Societies/donor recognition program best practices align across other UWaterloo giving societies (i.e. Circle and Laurel) as well as coding coherence and name treatment (e.g. ‘recognition’ names)

• Lead review of lifetime giving Society (1957 Society) and oversee ongoing management and implementation of any related recommendations.

• Works closely with the Advancement Events team who lead on large scale and high-profile event execution and logistics.

• Work with other teams to leverage Advancement events, as appropriate, and proactively seek additional donor engagement opportunities.

• Participate in the emerging community of practice for virtual events.

• Budgets for, incurs, and reports on all stewardship related expenses

Project Management and Other

• Oversee, co-ordinate, and where appropriate execute special projects and initiatives that may be assigned by Associate Director. Provide project status reports on ongoing basis.

• Ensure DRS procedure manuals and process documents are current, accurate, and maintained

• Evaluate impact reports, events, projects, email and digital communications, and other key outputs via benchmarks and metrics. Ensure key standards are met. Provide recommendations as needed.

• Support the timely resolution of donor relations and stewardship-based inquiries through research, problem solving, and communication with relevant staff members and on campus partners.

• Maintain accurate, up-to-date Raiser’s Edge records of donor stewardship activity

• Work collaboratively as part of DRS team to strategically support Advancement and University goals.

• In collaboration with the Associate Director, facilitate recruiting, training and supervision of co-op student(s) and/or contract and casual workers.

• Stay abreast of industry trends in stewardship and donor relations and seek to identify new methods which can be implemented Assists in researching and benchmarking with other institutions to identify best practices in stewardship programs. Provides assistance in the implementation and institutionalization of best practices. Comply with fundraising policies, goals, and procedures.

• Other duties as assigned,

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Marketing, Business or Communications, or equivalent combination of education and experience. CFRE or fundraising certificate preferable.

Experience

• 5+ years of experience working in a fundraising environment with demonstrated emphasis on stewardship and donor relations responsibilities.

• Demonstrated experience in conceptualizing and executing donor cultivation and stewardship plans with the highest degree of care.

• Proven experience and track record in project management and execution, impact communications, event conceptualizing, and engagement strategies.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with prior experience writing and creating a variety of donor correspondence, impact reports and other stewardship collateral.

• Expertise with learning new online software platforms and packages with the ability to maximize functionality and manage/optimize workflows. High comfort level and experience with the utilization of technology and digital based solutions.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Demonstrated analytical, strategic-thinking, adaptability and relationship building skills are essential.

• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and prioritize multiple demands in a complex environment.

• Exceptional organizational skills with demonstrated ability for meticulous accuracy.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills and experience writing and producing donor communications. Demonstrated ability to create, plan and execute creative content that successfully conveys impact and inspires action.

• High comfort level with data management, including list-management and sophisticated relational databases (e.g., Raisers Edge) and preferably other emerging donor-communications platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, ThankView) High proficiency in all Microsoft Office products, particularly Excel. ‘

• Excellent interpersonal skills with a strong sense of diplomacy and professional integrity.

• Demonstrated ability to build strong, collaborative relationships within and across teams in a large, dynamic and complex environment.

• Creative, positive, team-building approach with a strong donor and client-service mindset

• Previous work in an academic environment is an asset.

• Familiarity and understanding of financial reporting procedures.

• Knowledge of federal and provincial legislation affecting charities, as well as donor relations best practices.

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.