Senior Director/Director of Donor Relations

The Division of University Advancement (UA) exists to energize and rally the private sector to partner with the NIU community, harnessing crucial resources for our collective future. Our mission is all about empowering these connections to drive NIU's growth and innovation. Our focus includes amplifying our students' influence locally, nationally, and globally, fostering a world where their ideas and actions make a real difference. Northern Illinois University is in the Leadership Phase of a Comprehensive Campaign focused on student success, faculty excellence and elevating the innovative, entrepreneurial, and creative ecosystem of the institution. Position Summary The Director of Donor Relations is responsible for the design, development, implementation and administration of a high performing, comprehensive campus-wide donor relations program, in collaboration with the Senior Director of Strategic Communications/Marketing and Senior Leadership. The position will focus on executing a comprehensive Donor Relations program designed to drive fundraising growth, ensuring every donor is appropriately thanked, aware of their impact, and inspired to give more. The Director serves as a key leader in the strategic communication elements of the Campaign in support of messaging, storytelling, stewardship, and partnership with the campus community. As an integral part of the Division of Advancement, the Director of Donor Relations works to foster lasting relationships between the University and its benefactors, promoting positive attitudes toward giving among current and prospective major and planned gift donors. Some travel is required and a professional commitment to a variable schedule is required. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Strategic Planning & Execution Design, implement and direct a comprehensive integrated donor-centric stewardship plan to build donor trust and fulfillment through strategic and meaningful contact, experiences, and outstanding donor service. Develop, implement, and manage institution-wide stewardship plan that includes continuous outreach to faculty and staff to ensure funds utilization compliance with donor intent; creating a centralized information hub to assist with crafting, deployment and tracking of donor acknowledgments; and customize donor events based on established cultivation and stewardship plans. Work closely and collaboratively with the Gift Planning team to develop and implement an annual engagement plan for major and annual fund donors. Manage all inventory of naming opportunities related to new and existing facilities, including oversight and project management related to the execution of donor communications and the installation of physical elements of donor recognition. Develop and coordinate the timely delivery of comprehensive and engaging stewardship reports to donors, ensuring accurate reflection of the impact of their contributions. This includes gathering data, crafting personalized narratives, overseeing the production of supporting multimedia elements, in partnership with UA Communications Team, and maintaining ongoing communication to foster strong, trusting donor relationships. Create a quantitative and qualitative measurement system to evaluate the effectiveness and success of all stewardship and recognition programs utilizing the data to improve standards and further the success of fundraising goals. Conducts routine analyses of applicable inter/intra departmental processes, policies, and related materials through the deployment of donor surveys and/or focus groups to understand and improve the donor experience, increase retention, and increased giving. Develops annual departmental goals, objectives, key performance metrics and associated budget which support the advancement of the Division's mission. Maintains working knowledge of industry best practices and standards to promote departmental longevity and divisional efficacy. Donor Stewardship & Communication The Director must create and maintain a positive and professional relationship between the university and its donors, alumni, and constituents; collaborate with various UA units to determine effective donor stewardship strategies; and elevate the overall philanthropic experience to support donor cultivation at NIU. Serves as subject matter expert on donor guideline agreement process and implementation, in collaboration with the Gift Planning team, provides collaboration and training to division and university collaborators. Utilizes qualitative and quantitative inputs from a wide range of leaders across campus to inform and develop highly customized stewardship plans for lead and major gift donors, lifetime and deferred/bequest giving societies, and annual fund donors. Collaborate with UA Communications/Marketing and identify areas of integrated marketing opportunities to tell donor impact stories and emotionally connect donors to NIU. Serves as primary stewardship portfolio manager for major donors assigned to Executive- and Senior-level gift officers. Facilitate and execute stewardship efforts for annual fund donors, lifetime donors and donors of deferred/bequest gifts. Manages and maintains regular stewardship interactions and communications to demonstrate donor impact, foster meaningful relationships and cultivate donors to their highest level of philanthropy. Leads the development and execution of strategic recognition and stewardship events, and programs for key donors and giving societies, in collaboration with UA Events Team and other necessary departments. May serve on scholarship review committee, as needed. Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service) N/A Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service) N/A Specialty Factors (Civil Service) N/A Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service) N/A Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS) Bachelor's degree. Three (3) or more years of Donor Relations in a nonprofit or university advancement environment. Three (3) or more years of experience managing teams. Proficient with Microsoft Office programs such as Excel, SharePoint, Teams, etc. Additional Requirements (SPS) N/A Preferred Qualifications (SPS) Two (2) or more years of experience interacting with donors in live, virtual, and phone settings. Familiar with digital stewardship and engagement platforms such as ThankView, MailChimp, etc. Proficient with constituent resource management tools such as Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, etc. Experience working in a higher education environment. Experience working as part of a comprehensive campaign effort. Membership and/or previous involvement with professional development organizations such as Association of Donor Relations Professionals, Donor Relations Guru, etc. Physical demands/requirements While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. There is a high level of keyboarding and virtual meeting use. The employee may be required to walk; use fingers and hands to feel, grasp, operate or handle objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. Must be able to lift and carry 20 lbs. regularly. Some travel is required and a professional commitment to a variable schedule is required.