Experience Manager

Position Summary The Experience Manager leads the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of engagement, stewardship, and recognition experiences that strengthen relationships among Fort Lewis College, the Fort Lewis College Foundation, and alumni, donors, volunteers, students, and community members. This role reports to the Director of Engagement and works with Advancement colleagues to oversee events and engagement initiatives while leading donor stewardship across Advancement. The Experience Manager designs meaningful constituent experiences that promote a culture of philanthropy, connection, and service, and develops consistent stewardship practices, donor recognition, and engagement strategies that support fundraising goals. Job Description Constituent Experience and Event Management Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of events and engagement experiences that strengthen relationships among alumni, donors, volunteers, students, and community members and advance the mission of Fort Lewis College and the Fort Lewis College Foundation. Design and implement creative engagement opportunities that deepen constituent connection, increase participation, and promote a culture of philanthropy and service. Oversee event logistics and operations, including project plans, timelines, budgets, registration, vendor coordination, venue arrangements, catering, technology, and on-site execution for in-person and virtual events. Partner with Advancement colleagues and campus stakeholders to ensure events and engagement activities are strategically aligned, well-communicated, and effectively executed. Represent Advancement and the Foundation at key events and engagement activities, troubleshoot issues as needed, and ensure a high-quality constituent experience. Evaluate events and engagement initiatives using participation data, constituent feedback, and advancement outcomes to inform future planning and continuous improvement. Donor Stewardship and Recognition Lead donor stewardship, recognition, and celebration efforts in partnership with the Director of Engagement and other Advancement colleagues. Design, implement, and maintain consistent donor stewardship practices across Fort Lewis College and the Fort Lewis College Foundation to ensure donors are thanked, recognized, informed, and connected to the impact of their giving. Evaluate and enhance current donor relations practices, including thank-you processes, acknowledgment and recognition efforts, donor events, stewardship communications, and impact reporting. Develop and manage stewardship timelines and touchpoints to support timely, strategic, and meaningful donor engagement throughout the year. Create and coordinate stewardship communications and experiences that express gratitude, demonstrate impact, and strengthen donor affinity for Fort Lewis College. Partner with Advancement colleagues, campus leadership, and campus partners to gather stories, outcomes, and impact information for use in donor stewardship materials and reports. Establish and maintain stewardship workflows, templates, and practices that support consistency, quality, and operational efficiency across donor relations activities. Identify opportunities to personalize donor recognition and stewardship based on giving level, interests, and engagement history. Operations, Data, and Assessment Work with Advancement Services to utilize CRM tools and related systems to manage event registration, track participation and stewardship activity, maintain accurate constituent records, and support data integrity. Develop and maintain systems for tracking and assessing the effectiveness of events, stewardship efforts, volunteer engagement, and constituent experience initiatives. Use data, feedback, and outcomes to evaluate performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and inform future planning and strategy. Document and maintain procedures, workflows, templates, and project materials that support operational consistency and continuity. Contribute to cross-functional planning across Advancement, the Foundation, campus departments, and leadership to support coordinated and high-impact constituent engagement. Supervision Supervise and train student workers and other assigned support staff, including assigning projects, setting expectations, monitoring progress, and ensuring timely completion of tasks. Provide guidance and oversight to student employees supporting events, stewardship projects, communications, and other Advancement initiatives. Other Maintains knowledge and awareness of digital accessibility including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 508. Produces and remediates digitally accessible materials in accordance with Fort Lewis College standards. Perform other duties as assigned. Required Education, Specialized Skills and Experience Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent experience. Minimum of four years of professional experience in advancement, donor relations, stewardship, event planning, alumni engagement, volunteer management, fundraising, communications, marketing, or a related field. Demonstrated experience managing projects, programs, events, or initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop donor-facing and stewardship communications. Demonstrated outstanding customer service, relationship-building, and interpersonal skills. Strong organizational skills and extraordinary attention to detail. Experience working with CRM systems or customer-focused databases and using data to support planning, communication, and evaluation. Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and improve processes, procedures, and operational standards. Ability to travel regularly and work evenings and weekends as needed for events and engagement activities. Preferred Qualifications Experience in donor relations, donor stewardship, advancement services, or fundraising in higher education or nonprofit settings. Working knowledge of fundraising strategy and donor stewardship best practices. Experience designing and implementing donor recognition, stewardship communications, or impact reporting. Experience creating and implementing standard operating procedures, workflows, or protocols. Experience coordinating volunteer engagement programs. Familiarity with Fort Lewis College’s culture, mission, and/or alumni network. Reports To This position reports to the Director of Engagement. This position supervises student workers. #J-18808-Ljbffr