Director of Donor Relations - Harvey Mudd College

Director of Donor Relations Harvey Mudd College – Hybrid: 3 days onsite, 2 days remote. About the Role Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Advancement Operations and Campaigns, the Director of Donor Relations leads the design and execution of a world‑class donor experience, bridging operations and front‑facing engagement to support the college’s capital campaign and growth initiatives. Key Responsibilities Principal Donor Stewardship & Relationship Management Develop and execute individualized stewardship plans for donors at the $1M+ level. Manage a portfolio of principal, major, and legacy donors through stewardship phases via visits, campus meetings, virtual briefings, and strategic outreach. Serve as the institutional relationship manager for donors whose commitments have been fulfilled or are active. Design customized stewardship experiences connecting donors to the impact of their giving through faculty engagement, student interactions, research updates, campus visits, and special programs. Partner closely with Philanthropic Advisors to ensure seamless transitions between cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and renewal. Coordinate personalized engagement for select principal donors and families across the College. Strategic Stewardship Planning & Donor Experience Lead the comprehensive stewardship strategy across all donor levels. Develop individualized stewardship roadmaps in collaboration with academic departments, leadership, trustees, students, and alumni. Create signature stewardship experiences that showcase the College’s culture and impact. Evaluate and enhance donor recognition programs, giving societies, and engagement opportunities. Oversee acknowledgment strategies that ensure timely, personalized recognition. Lead stewardship events and donor experiences that deepen long‑term engagement. Campaign, Capital Projects & Naming Strategy Partner with Advancement leadership on stewardship and recognition strategies supporting campaigns, endowed programs, capital projects, and transformational gifts. Develop stewardship frameworks, naming opportunity guidelines, and donor recognition strategies. Oversee stewardship commitments associated with naming agreements and major gifts. Collaborate with campus partners on dedication ceremonies, milestone celebrations, donor briefings, and campaign‑related engagement opportunities. Principal Gift Strategy & Pipeline Development Serve on the College’s prospect strategy team, providing stewardship insights that support fundraising priorities. Monitor donor engagement to identify opportunities for renewed giving, increased investment, planned gifts, and campaign participation. Develop stewardship‑to‑cultivation transition plans positioning donors for future solicitations. Advise Advancement leadership on donor retention, donor lifetime value, and principal donor engagement strategies. Endowment, Scholarship & Impact Stewardship Lead the endowment and fund stewardship program. Oversee annual stewardship reporting for endowed funds, scholarships, faculty positions, programs, and special initiatives. Partner with Advancement Services, Finance, Academic Affairs, and stakeholders to honor donor intent. Utilize stewardship systems to monitor engagement, reporting, and fund utilization. Oversee scholarship stewardship, including student engagement opportunities and signature donor events. Memorial, Tribute & Legacy Stewardship Provide strategic oversight of memorial, tribute, and legacy stewardship programs. Develop stewardship plans for memorial funds, tribute scholarships, and endowed funds. Guide institutional strategies that celebrate donor and alumni legacies. Partner with Academic Affairs, Alumni, and Family Engagement to ensure coordinated stewardship. Advise leadership on deepening relationships with families and donors for future engagement. Stewardship Analytics, Compliance & Leadership Develop and manage stewardship frameworks supporting donor engagement, retention, accountability, and campaign readiness. Partner with Advancement Services to oversee stewardship systems, reporting infrastructure, analytics, and donor relations technologies. Establish KPIs and dashboards measuring stewardship effectiveness. Monitor stewardship obligations related to restricted gifts, naming agreements, scholarships, faculty positions, and campaign commitments. Evaluate emerging stewardship practices and recommend innovations. Develop engagement strategies for President, Vice President for Advancement, trustees, faculty leaders, and institutional partners. Prepare customized donor briefings, stewardship plans, impact reports, and strategic communications. Build a campus‑wide culture of stewardship through collaboration with faculty, administrators, and frontline fundraisers. Serve as a strategic advisor to Philanthropic Advisors and College leadership. Supervise and mentor the Assistant Director of Donor Relations. Represent the College at donor meetings, campaign events, and stewardship gatherings. Culture of Philanthropy Support the Office of College Advancement’s objective to cultivate and sustain a robust culture of philanthropy. Reinforce that every gift supports people and programs across campus while promoting hospitality, generosity, and donor engagement. Campus Collaboration Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with the President's Office, Dean of Faculty Office, Admission, Financial Aid, Student Affairs, Financial Affairs, academic departments, and Career Services. Minimum Qualifications 7–10+ years of progressive advancement experience, including at least five years in a leadership role focused on donor relations, advancement operations, or high‑level stewardship. Proven success scaling stewardship programs from manual processes to sophisticated, system‑driven donor journeys. Deep experience with CRM systems such as Salesforce, Blackbaud, FundMiner, or similar platforms, including endowment tracking and reporting. Appreciation for the College’s rigorous academic environment and ability to communicate the value of a liberal arts‑based STEM education. Exceptional writing, presentation, and donor communication skills. Another Source works with their clients on a retained project basis. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools. If you feel you do not meet every qualification, please do not self‑select out – we encourage you to apply and share your story with us. #J-18808-Ljbffr Another Source