Assistant Director of Stewardship, Foundation Relations

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Job Summary

The purpose of Advancement and Alumni Relations (AAR) is to foster a thriving and engaged community of support for Caltech. By connecting the people who share and support Caltech’s mission and values, we will ensure the Institute receives the necessary resources to achieve Caltech’s aspirations and sustain its excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship in perpetuity.

Within AAR, the Office of Foundation Relations (OFR) facilitates engagement between private foundations and Caltech, fostering partnerships and securing resources to advance Caltech's research and educational mission.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Foundation Relations, the

To enable this work, the Assistant Director of Stewardship will cultivate relationships with internal stakeholders, including those within AAR, faculty, professional and support staff.

This position requires a strong working knowledge of AAR processes and Institute policies and procedures, along with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. The successful candidate will demonstrate the capacity to anticipate needs, take initiative, and manage projects and assignments independently, while also contributing effectively as a collaborative team member. Exceptional writing, editing, and workflow management skills are essential, as is the ability to communicate complex scientific concepts clearly and engagingly for nontechnical audiences. A proven track record of applying these skills in a professional setting is required.

Essential Job Duties

• Collect information from appropriate internal stakeholders including faculty, deans, program leads, fund accounting, and, in collaboration with prospect managers within OFR, conceptualize, design, and prepare compelling stewardship materials, including digital content, to private foundations for endowed and current-use professorships, scholarships, fellowships, and campus programs and centers.
• Produce well-written, cogent, and persuasive letters, emails, narratives and other materials for both internal and external audiences; provide thoughtful and well-considered comments and edits to report narratives and communications drafted by others.
• Manage relevant narrative and financial reporting schedule, including development and tracking of annual endowment financial report requests.
• Ensure compliance with foundation agreements and requirements in both narrative and financial reporting, working with institute personnel on issues requiring further review or follow-up.
• Develop familiarity and understanding of key campus programs and priorities to respond both to donors’ interests and campus needs.
• Collaborate with the AAR Stewardship and Advancement Communications teams to identify high-quality stewardship materials developed for individual donors and thoughtfully adapt them for foundation audiences.
  
  

General

• Develop and apply specialized knowledge and expertise to perform Advance (CRM database) data entry and maintain information in Advance as appropriate.
• Demonstrate excellent judgment and interpersonal skills in responding to inquiries and needs from within AAR and the Caltech community, including from faculty, grant managers, fund accounting, and, if needed, from donors and other external constituents.
• Exercise independent thinking and ownership of projects.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
  
  

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• Two years of experience writing in a nonprofit or higher education setting.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating with Foundation Relations team members, campus partners, and leadership.
• Excellent communication skills—verbal, written, interpersonal—with strong demonstrated proofreading and editing capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise good judgment and discretion when working with sensitive or confidential information.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks under pressure and with frequent interruptions.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• High standards of integrity, accountability, and personal responsibility.
• Demonstrated commitment to organizational values and professionalism.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Creative Cloud applications, including, in particular InDesign.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a higher education advancement/development setting.
• Familiarity with digital platforms for donor engagement and content development.
  
  

Required Documents

• Resume.
• Cover Letter.
  
  

Hiring Range

$34.00 - $46.75 per hour

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Non-benefit eligible employees will have access to some benefits such as onsite counseling and sick time. Learn more about our

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Caltech is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

To read more Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) go to eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf.

Disability Accommodations

Caltech complies with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We consider reasonable accommodation measures that may be necessary for eligible applicants and employees to perform the essential functions of a position.

If you would like to request an accommodation to complete this application, interview, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please contact Caltech Recruiting at

Additionally, if you do not meet the basic qualifications of a role but believe you can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, please reach out to Caltech Recruiting at