Director of Stewardship

Director of Stewardship Posting Number: S15117P. Department: DAR-Donor Engage & Steward. Location: Athens Area. Employment: Full Time employee. Compensation: base salary $88,000+ commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits: eligible. Position Summary The Director of Stewardship serves as the senior leader for the stewardship function within Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) and acts as the primary strategic partner to the Senior Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship. This role provides vision, leadership, and execution for all stewardship and recognition efforts, ensuring donors at every level experience meaningful, personalized, and high-quality stewardship that reflects the impact of their philanthropy. With broad autonomy and minimal oversight, the Director of Stewardship is responsible for leading and advancing a comprehensive stewardship program that supports the University’s fundraising priorities, strengthens donor trust, and deepens long‑term relationships. The position supervises a team, manages complex initiatives, and collaborates extensively across campus to ensure stewardship efforts are timely, accurate, innovative, and aligned with institutional goals and priorities. Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent plus 10 years of professional experience including 3 years of supervisory experience. Preferred Qualifications Advanced degree preferred or bachelor’s degree and 10 years of related higher education experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience related to sales, marketing, development, business administration, higher education, project management, or relationship management. Experience in higher education donor relations preferred. Ability to establish the trust of colleagues and build strong relationships with key faculty/staff. Ability to respond to donors’ needs and concerns in a kind and professional way. Ability to generate creative ideas and solutions for donor stewardship, recognition, and acknowledgements, as well as to maintain positive relationships with donors. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies Self‑starter and highly motivated. Personnel management skills. Collaborative style combined with the ability and desire to work in a team‑based environment. Excellent writing skills with extreme attention to detail and confident, strong verbal communication. Problem solver who can take initiative and set priorities while being flexible. Team‑oriented strategist able to effectively manage complex situations. Highly organized and able to handle multiple projects. Analytical, with adherence to self‑guided goals and deadlines. Adept at navigating complex environments with evolving priorities. Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and responsibility regarding information related to university business and confidential donor and prospect information. Skilled in using Microsoft Office products such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Creative thinker with the ability to receive constructive feedback on ideas. Leadership and Management Serve as the senior leader for all stewardship initiatives, providing strategic direction and operational oversight with limited day‑to‑day supervision. Act as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the Senior Director, helping shape overall donor engagement strategy and priorities. Supervise, mentor, and develop stewardship staff, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration, and innovation. Oversee stewardship workflows, timelines, and quality control to ensure consistent execution across multiple programs and audiences. Identify opportunities to modernize, streamline, and elevate stewardship practices using data, technology, and best practices. Oversee stewardship efforts, including, but not limited to: Presidents Club Stewardship Presidential Acknowledgements Tribute Notifications Impact Reporting Financial endowment reports Endowed faculty impact reports Scholarship gratitude and impact reports Cumulative impact books and special recognition Annual Giving and Alumni Stewardship Scholarship Stewardship Percentage of time: 60% Team Stewardship and Collaboration Provide leadership for Team Stewardship, convening and engaging stewardship professionals across campus. In conjunction with the Stewardship Coordinator, execute quarterly Team Stewardship meetings. Facilitate collaboration, idea sharing, and alignment of stewardship practices university‑wide. Strengthen cross‑campus partnerships to ensure consistent messaging, shared standards, and collective success. Percentage of time: 15% Cumulative Giving Societies Leadership (CGS) Serve as the primary leader for all Cumulative Giving Societies programs and recognition. Enhance and expand CGS stewardship by: Broadening recognition strategies Elevating donor experiences Identifying new engagement and appreciation opportunities Ensuring CGS recognition reflects donors’ lifetime commitment and reinforces long‑term loyalty. Partner with DAR colleagues to align CGS stewardship with fundraising and engagement goals. Percentage of time: N/A (included within overall) Support and Administration Foster a collaborative fundraising culture campus-wide by coordinating logistics for quarterly meetings. Represent the Senior Director in their absence with supervisory responsibility and provide direction and response from the Office of Donor Relations and Stewardship. Provide additional support to donor relations and stewardship opportunities where needed. Percentage of time: 10% Additional Division Expectations Through open, honest, and respectful communication, all staff, supervisors, and colleagues of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations are expected to interact with fairness, compassion, and decency. All employees will be held accountable for meeting the expectation of promoting a stable, productive, and healthy work environment. Adherence to CASE standards and commonly accepted industry standards relating to fundraising reporting is expected of all fundraisers. Physical Demands and Other Job Duties Work in a standard office environment. Work evenings and weekends as necessary. Travel in and out of state as necessary. Sit and work at a computer workstation for extended periods of time. Work using electronic mail, telephone, face‑to‑face discussions, paper form correspondence. Communicate effectively in writing, speaking, and listening. Organize and establish priorities; remember detail; multitask. Lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Walk, stand, stoop, lift, kneel, climb. Benefits Benefits eligible. Compensation base salary $88,000+ commensurate with qualifications and experience. Eligible for HSA, group medical, vision and dental, 401(k) matching, PTO, and other university benefits as per policy. Equal Opportunity Employment The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ( View email address on click.appcast.io ). Contact Details For questions concerning this position or recruitment progression, please refer to the Recruitment Contact listed below. Recruitment Contact Name: Development & Alumni Relations’ Office of Talent Management Recruitment Contact Email: View email address on click.appcast.io #J-18808-Ljbffr