Senior Director, Stewardship & Donor Relations
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
Job Title
Senior Director, Stewardship & Donor Relations
Location Worcester
Department Development & Communications Strategy
Division Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI
Job Description Summary The Senior Director, Stewardship and Donor Relations leads WPI's comprehensive donor stewardship strategy, ensuring every philanthropic investor experiences exceptional recognition, impact reporting, and ongoing engagement that deepens their connection to the university and inspires continued support. This senior leader designs and executes stewardship programs that demonstrate gratitude, communicate impact, and build lasting relationships with donors across all giving levels—from first-time annual fund supporters to principal gift investors. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President, Development Communications and Strategy, the Senior Director ensures stewardship is strategic, personalized, and seamlessly integrated with broader advancement communications and fundraising efforts. This role is critical to completing the Beyond These Towers campaign with strong donor retention and positioning WPI for sustained philanthropic success.
Job Description Stewardship Strategy & Leadership (35%)
Develop and implement comprehensive donor stewardship strategy aligned with fundraising goals, campaign priorities, and donor lifecycle engagement
Design differentiated stewardship approaches by donor segment (major/principal gifts, leadership annual giving, planned gifts, corporate/foundation, first-time donors)
Create personalized stewardship plans for top donors in partnership with gift officers, ensuring consistent touchpoints and meaningful impact reporting
Establish stewardship standards, timelines, and accountability measures across advancement division
Lead stewardship planning for campaign completion and transition to post-campaign donor retention strategies
Partner with gift officers to ensure stewardship supports donor cultivation, retention, and upgrade pathways
Donor Recognition & Gratitude (25%)
Oversee all donor recognition programs including gift acknowledgments, donor societies, naming opportunities, and public recognition
Manage donor society programs (e.g., legacy society, campaign donor recognition) including membership criteria, benefits, events, and communications
Ensure timely, personalized, and accurate gift acknowledgments that reflect donor intent and demonstrate genuine gratitude
Coordinate presidential and leadership engagement in donor stewardship including thank-you calls, personal notes, and recognition events
Design and execute donor recognition events that celebrate philanthropy and showcase impact
Manage donor recognition spaces, plaques, digital displays, and physical recognition on campus
Partner with Communications on donor honor rolls, annual reports, and public recognition platforms
Impact Reporting & Communications (25%)
Create compelling impact reports that demonstrate how donor investments advance WPI's mission, support students, enable research, and transform lives
Develop endowment fund reports providing financial updates and programmatic impact for endowed gift holders
Produce customized impact communications for major and principal gift donors showing specific outcomes of their investments
Partner with academic and administrative units to gather impact stories, data, and outcomes for donor reporting
Oversee stewardship communications including newsletters, videos, impact stories, and digital content
Ensure stewardship messaging is authentic, donor-centered, and demonstrates tangible results
Track and report restricted gift spending and impact to ensure donor intent fulfillment
Cross-Functional Collaboration (10%)
Serve as primary stewardship resource and partner to all gift officers, providing tools, templates, and support
Collaborate with AVP, Development Communications and Strategy on integrated communications strategy
Partner with Advancement Operations on gift processing, database tracking of stewardship activities, and reporting
Work with Events team on donor recognition events and stewardship experiences
Coordinate with Finance on endowment reporting, fund spending, and restricted gift compliance
Engage faculty, students, and program leaders in stewardship through scholarship recipient letters, facility tours, and research presentations
Participate in divisional planning and cross-functional initiatives
Compensation Salary Grade 10: $95,000 – $110,000 per year (depending on experience). Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.
FLSA Status United States of America (Exempt)
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.
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Location Worcester
Department Development & Communications Strategy
Division Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI
Job Description Summary The Senior Director, Stewardship and Donor Relations leads WPI's comprehensive donor stewardship strategy, ensuring every philanthropic investor experiences exceptional recognition, impact reporting, and ongoing engagement that deepens their connection to the university and inspires continued support. This senior leader designs and executes stewardship programs that demonstrate gratitude, communicate impact, and build lasting relationships with donors across all giving levels—from first-time annual fund supporters to principal gift investors. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President, Development Communications and Strategy, the Senior Director ensures stewardship is strategic, personalized, and seamlessly integrated with broader advancement communications and fundraising efforts. This role is critical to completing the Beyond These Towers campaign with strong donor retention and positioning WPI for sustained philanthropic success.
Job Description Stewardship Strategy & Leadership (35%)
Develop and implement comprehensive donor stewardship strategy aligned with fundraising goals, campaign priorities, and donor lifecycle engagement
Design differentiated stewardship approaches by donor segment (major/principal gifts, leadership annual giving, planned gifts, corporate/foundation, first-time donors)
Create personalized stewardship plans for top donors in partnership with gift officers, ensuring consistent touchpoints and meaningful impact reporting
Establish stewardship standards, timelines, and accountability measures across advancement division
Lead stewardship planning for campaign completion and transition to post-campaign donor retention strategies
Partner with gift officers to ensure stewardship supports donor cultivation, retention, and upgrade pathways
Donor Recognition & Gratitude (25%)
Oversee all donor recognition programs including gift acknowledgments, donor societies, naming opportunities, and public recognition
Manage donor society programs (e.g., legacy society, campaign donor recognition) including membership criteria, benefits, events, and communications
Ensure timely, personalized, and accurate gift acknowledgments that reflect donor intent and demonstrate genuine gratitude
Coordinate presidential and leadership engagement in donor stewardship including thank-you calls, personal notes, and recognition events
Design and execute donor recognition events that celebrate philanthropy and showcase impact
Manage donor recognition spaces, plaques, digital displays, and physical recognition on campus
Partner with Communications on donor honor rolls, annual reports, and public recognition platforms
Impact Reporting & Communications (25%)
Create compelling impact reports that demonstrate how donor investments advance WPI's mission, support students, enable research, and transform lives
Develop endowment fund reports providing financial updates and programmatic impact for endowed gift holders
Produce customized impact communications for major and principal gift donors showing specific outcomes of their investments
Partner with academic and administrative units to gather impact stories, data, and outcomes for donor reporting
Oversee stewardship communications including newsletters, videos, impact stories, and digital content
Ensure stewardship messaging is authentic, donor-centered, and demonstrates tangible results
Track and report restricted gift spending and impact to ensure donor intent fulfillment
Cross-Functional Collaboration (10%)
Serve as primary stewardship resource and partner to all gift officers, providing tools, templates, and support
Collaborate with AVP, Development Communications and Strategy on integrated communications strategy
Partner with Advancement Operations on gift processing, database tracking of stewardship activities, and reporting
Work with Events team on donor recognition events and stewardship experiences
Coordinate with Finance on endowment reporting, fund spending, and restricted gift compliance
Engage faculty, students, and program leaders in stewardship through scholarship recipient letters, facility tours, and research presentations
Participate in divisional planning and cross-functional initiatives
Compensation Salary Grade 10: $95,000 – $110,000 per year (depending on experience). Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.
FLSA Status United States of America (Exempt)
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.
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