Coordinator, Donor Engagement & Stewardship

Coordinator, Donor Engagement & Stewardship

The Coordinator, Donor Engagement & Stewardship plays a central role in advancing the Sharks Foundation's fundraising mission by building and maintaining meaningful relationships with donors, partners, and supporters. This position is responsible for managing donor follow-up, pipeline development, stewardship activities, and auction procurement strategy across the Foundation's fundraising programs ensuring that events, auctions, and donor experiences translate into sustained, long-term philanthropic support. Reporting to the Director of Development, the Coordinator works in close partnership with the Senior Coordinator, Development Operations to ensure that operational delivery is matched by equally strong donor strategy, communication, and follow-through. This role also collaborates with internal teams, corporate partners, and Sharks and Barracuda players, coaches, and their families to deepen donor engagement and grow the Foundation's supporter base. This is a growth-oriented role for a motivated fundraising professional eager to develop their career within a dynamic professional sports philanthropy environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Donor Stewardship & Pipeline Development:

• Execute structured post-event and post-auction follow-up, including personalized thank-you outreach, acknowledgment letters, and pledge recovery.
• Maintain and grow donor records, segmentation, and engagement tracking in CRM to ensure accurate pipeline visibility.
• Identify and elevate high-potential donors for further cultivation, surfacing opportunities for the Director of Development.
• Support the development and execution of donor journeys, engagement strategies, and stewardship plans that deepen long-term relationships.
• Assist in cultivating and stewarding a diverse portfolio of donors through consistent, personalized communication and meaningful touchpoints.

Event-to-Donor Conversion & Fundraising Support:

• Track event and auction attendance, bidder participation, and engagement data to identify follow-up priorities and conversion opportunities.
• Ensure timely, consistent, and high-quality donor communication following all fundraising events and activations.
• Lead audience development and donor engagement strategy for fundraising events including donor receptions, game day activations, and galas ensuring strong attendance, relationship cultivation, and long-term conversion opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Coordinator, Community Impact Communications to develop and promote compelling donor-facing materials across digital and traditional media platforms, including invitations, auction promotions, and stewardship content.

Auction Strategy & Donor Insights:

• Lead auction item procurement by cultivating and maintaining relationships with donors, corporate partners, and in-kind sponsors to secure high-value items aligned with donor interests and revenue goals.
• Develop and coordinate auction promotional strategy in partnership with the Coordinator, Community Impact Communications, ensuring strong pre-event bidder engagement and awareness.
• Coordinate with the Senior Coordinator, Development Operations on auction catalog production, ensuring all item details, descriptions, and donor recognition elements are accurate and compelling.
• Conduct post-auction analysis of participation, bidder behavior, and giving trends, delivering strategic recommendations to the Director of Development to inform future auction and fundraising initiatives.
• Identify high-value bidder engagement opportunities and surface insights to support ongoing donor cultivation efforts.

Donor & Partner Engagement:

• Cultivate relationships with local businesses, community partners, and in-kind sponsors to expand the Foundation's network of supporters and auction contributors.
• Support the engagement of Sharks and Barracuda players, coaches, and significant others in donor-facing events, auctions, and fundraising initiatives, ensuring meaningful and seamless involvement.
• Assist in the development and implementation of new strategies to engage donors and expand the Foundation's supporter base.
• Represent the Foundation at fundraising events, networking opportunities, Sharks and Barracuda games, and donor activations.

Volunteer & Emerging Donor Engagement:

• Lead coordination of the Foundation's mission-driven volunteer community comprised of passionate Sharks fans and community members who support fundraising initiatives and serve as ambassadors for the Foundation's work.
• Manage volunteer communication, scheduling, and deployment across fundraising events, game day activations, and donor-facing opportunities, ensuring volunteers are well-prepared and positioned for success.
• Cultivate a strong volunteer culture rooted in team pride, community impact, and long-term engagement, while identifying opportunities to develop highly engaged volunteers into future donors, advocates, and Foundation ambassadors.

CRM & Data Management:

• Own CRM data integrity, reporting, and workflow maintenance to support accurate donor tracking and pipeline management.
• Manage donor follow-up workflows and stewardship processes, continuously identifying improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Provide reporting support and donor insights that help inform fundraising strategy, pipeline development, and long-term relationship growth.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative spirit, with a genuine enthusiasm for building relationships across diverse audiences.
• 12 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, nonprofit coordination, or a related field required.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• A growth mindset with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach to donor engagement and fundraising.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, and willingness to learn CRM systems, and event or auction management tools.
• Passion for philanthropy and the power of professional sports to drive community impact.
• Experience with donor stewardship, CRM management, or auction support in a nonprofit or fundraising setting preferred.
• Experience working in sports philanthropy, entertainment, or corporate social responsibility (CSR).
• Knowledge of donor stewardship best practices and event ROI evaluation.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit, stand and utilize a computer for extended periods of time
• Communicate via phone and email with a variety of individuals
• Ability to bend at the waist, reach overhead and lift up to 15 lbs with or without accommodation
• Physically navigate stairs and catwalks at SSE facilities during normal work hours and events with or without accommodation
• Ability to work occasional extended hours including nights, weekends, holidays (all with advance notice)
• May be required to travel to other company locations
• May be required to attend conference, events, and training sessions within Bay Area or in- or out-of-state locations.

What We Offer:

• Competitive compensation (base salary and variable incentive plan)
• Medical/Dental/Vision/Flexible Spending Accounts (all LGBTQ+ friendly)
• Pretax Transportation Benefit
• 401K (pre-tax and Roth options)
• Generous Paid Time Off Policy
• Minimum of 10 Paid Holidays and Wellness Days per year
• Complimentary or discounted sports and concert tickets
• Other League & partner discounts
• Central office location in downtown San Jose at the heart of Silicon Valley; convenient access to Caltrain, VTA, major freeways and free parking
• An inclusive culture which values diversity of background and a passion to improve our SSE's commitment to change with impact on our community and industry
• Potential for flexible scheduling and telework opportunities
• Access to on-site EV charging stations on non-event days

This position is not eligible for U.S. work authorization sponsorship.

Summary:

Born in 1991, Sharks Sports and Entertainment ("SSE") has grown into a multi-faceted organization that includes the SAP Center, the NHL San Jose Sharks, the AHL San Jose Barracuda, the Tech CU Arena, three Sharks Ice facilities, and the non-profit Sharks Foundation. Additionally, we are growing our organization through expansion in the Bay Area and surrounding communities in Northern California. We work and play in the Bay Area, and are deeply influenced by the technology, innovation, diversity, and commitment to excellence that surrounds us. Our culture is transforming to reflect those values, with an eye towards a pioneering, forward-thinking, and inclusive environment in sports and entertainment. We live, work, and innovate by a set of Pioneering Principles:

T

Team success is more important than individual success

E

Exceptional experience is non-negotiable in everything we do

A

Appreciate others for their diversity and opinions

M