Director of Stewardship & Events

The Director of Stewardship and Events reports to the Assistant Vice President of Advancement and is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive stewardship program that fosters meaningful relationships with donors and alumni. This role ensures donors and key constituents feel informed, valued, and engaged through thoughtful communication, strategic events, and personalized recognition efforts.

Additionally, in partnership with the Alumni Engagement team, the Director provides hands on support for the execution of key alumni events, recognizing alumni engagement as a critical component of donor cultivation, stewardship, and long-term philanthropic relationships.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Stewardship

• Develop, implement, and oversee a comprehensive stewardship program, including gift acknowledgments, endowment and impact reports, recognition societies, and named giving opportunities.
• Lead donor recognition programs, including naming opportunities, giving societies, and personalized engagement touchpoints.
• Collaborate with frontline fundraisers to support tailored stewardship plans for major gift donors.
• Analyze stewardship data to evaluate the effectiveness of activities and refine approaches accordingly.
• Partner with program, development, and executive teams to tailor site visits that align with donor interests and organizational priorities.
• Manage all logistics for site visits, including space reservations, catering, student or faculty participation, and follow up communications.

Event Planning and Execution

• Plan, coordinate, and execute high impact stewardship events, including donor recognition events, campaign celebrations, presidential receptions, and volunteer appreciation events.
• Partner with Alumni Engagement staff to align alumni events with broader stewardship and donor engagement strategies, strengthening pathways from alumni participation to philanthropic involvement.
• Support the execution of select alumni engagement events in collaboration with the Alumni Engagement team, contributing planning, logistics, and onsite support to ensure a high quality constituent experience.
• Develop detailed event timelines, run-of-show documents, and contingency plans to ensure seamless execution.
• Facilitate event planning meetings, brainstorming sessions, and post-event debriefs to support continuous improvement in event execution and donor engagement.

Writing and Communications

• Write general use acknowledgment letters and refresh them every quarter for the Advancement Operations team to use.
• Draft personalized, timely, and meaningful acknowledgment letters for leadership, ensuring accuracy, tone, and alignment with donor intent.
• Produce stewardship communications such as donor spotlights, annual impact reports, and endowment reports in collaboration with the Advancement Operations and Marketing teams.
• Write compelling and customized content for a variety of stewardship and event related communications, including:
  • Event scripts and remarks for senior leaders, board members, and key speakers.
  • Talking points for the Vice President for Advancement and other stakeholders.
  • Invitations, event follow up communications, and promotional materials.
• Ensure a consistent, professional tone and alignment with institutional messaging across all materials.
• Partner with the communications team to ensure proper branding and visual storytelling in all stewardship pieces and event collateral

Additional Responsibilities

• Provide support from the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement for cross collaborative campus events, including, but not limited to, the Rikard Lecture Series, Oglethorpe Day, and Commencement.
• Provide support to the Office of the President for the execution of day-of logistics for Board of Trustees meetings and President’s Advisory Council meetings. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, marketing, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in donor relations, development, and event planning.
• Proven success in developing and executing stewardship strategies and events.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities; attention to detail is a must.
• Proficiency in CRM systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce) and event management platforms.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed for events.
• Appreciation of, a sensitivity to, and respect for a diverse academic environment, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of many social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. 
• Strong initiative, creativity, and attention to detail. 
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team-oriented environment.