Senior Associate Director of Stewardship

stewardship plans for major and principal donors and foundations. This role manages day-to-day stewardship operations and ensures that the College’s most significant supporters experience highly professional, narrative-driven touchpoints that clearly demonstrate the profound impact of their philanthropy.

Primary Position Responsibilities:

Comprehensive Donor Stewardship & Execution:

Bespoke Stewardship Management: Implement and manage individualized, high-touch stewardship plans for the College’s most significant individual and institutional donors, providing responsive, discreet, and deeply professional service.

Foundation Alignment: Partner closely with the Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) staff and Office of Sponsored Research to ensure foundation grant reporting seamlessly aligns with institutional timelines and serves as an effective baseline for grant renewals and re-solicitation.

Institutional & Academic Liaison: Act as a key liaison to faculty, department chairs, the Provost's office, and Career Education to gather complex metrics. Coordinate the stewardship and impact-reporting plans for major donors, tracking and sharing the full arc of the student experience, from landmark affordability initiatives and academic/research milestones to post-graduation career placement and outcomes.

Recognition & Societies: Provide leadership and strategy for the College's signature recognition societies, and develop new giving societies to broaden donor engagement. Manage and maintain a cohesive system of donor recognition vehicles across all gift levels, including public announcements.

Capital & Naming Stewardship: Manage naming opportunities, physical recognition signage, and milestone events associated with major capital projects and campus revitalization initiatives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner across the Development office and the broader campus to ensure seamless, coordinated, and timely donor engagement.

Impact Reporting & Communications:

Narrative & Metrics-Driven Reporting: Oversee the production of compelling, multi-channel stewardship communications, ranging from creative print/digital impact stories for individual donors to rigorous, metrics-driven grant impact reports for institutional foundations.

Fund Stewardship: Monitor and support the strategic stewardship of philanthropic assets—including annual, major, principal, endowed, and restricted funds from both individuals and foundations.

Compliance Coordination: Partner with finance, academic units, and legal/grants teams to ensure all endowed, restricted, and foundation grant funds are tracked and reported in strict compliance with donor intent, grant agreements, institutional policies, and CASE standards.

Gift Documentation Support: Work with campus partners to review and ensure that gift documentation aligns with the gift acceptance policy and is executed properly.

Data, Systems & Operational Excellence:

Team Supervision: Directly supervise, mentor, and evaluate the Assistant Director of Donor Relations and the Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, actively aligning their individual goals and professional development with the office's strategic priorities.

Assessment & Analytics: Utilize donor data and analytics to evaluate the effectiveness of stewardship efforts, tracking metrics such as donor retention, reporting accuracy, and donor satisfaction to make data-driven recommendations for improvement.

Process Optimization: Maintain and strengthen processes, workflows, and tracking mechanisms related to principal gift management, foundation reporting schedules, and overall campaign execution to ensure compliance deadlines are met.

General Administration: Supervise designated team members or project workflows, and perform other duties as assigned to support the overarching goals of the Development office.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Assistant Director of Donor Relations

Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in donor relations or stewardship, preferably in higher education or a comparable nonprofit setting.

Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive information with the highest level of confidentiality and professional discretion.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer’s sponsorship now or in the future

Skills and Abilities:

Supervisory experience, with the ability to provide day-to-day direction, coaching, and performance support to professional staff.

Demonstrated success managing high-touch stewardship for major and principal donors, with sound judgment in handling confidential and sensitive donor information.

Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to produce narrative-driven, donor-facing impact communications as well as metrics-based reports for institutional funders.

Working knowledge of endowed, restricted, and grant-funded reporting requirements, including donor intent, gift agreements, and CASE standards.

Ability to collaborate across academic and administrative units to gather impact data and student-outcome information.

Proficiency with CRM and donor database systems (Salesforce/Affinaquest or comparable), and comfort using donor data to assess and strengthen stewardship activity.

Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple reporting timelines and competing deadlines.

A collaborative, service-oriented approach and the discretion appropriate to the College's most significant donor relationships.

Flexibility & Schedule:
We value a collaborative hybrid environment. Our standard schedule includes three days on campus to connect with the team, with two days of remote work. *Please note: This hybrid schedule is subject to business needs. As this role involves essential in-person commitments, a degree of flexibility is required.

Salary:
The pay range for this role is $100,000.00 - $105,000.00

Company Description and Benefits:
Wellesley’s mission is to provide an excellent liberal arts education to women who will make a difference in the world. We advance our mission by working together as a community—faculty, students, staff, and alumnae.
Embark on a fulfilling career journey at Wellesley College, where we prioritize your well-being and professional growth. As a valued member of our team, you'll enjoy a comprehensive array of benefits and resources designed to enhance both your work-life balance and long-term success.

Competitive Compensation: Experience competitive wages ensuring your dedication is recognized and rewarded.

Exceptional Benefits Package: Access a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision and pre-tax saving  benefits, life insurance, disability coverage, and more to safeguard your health and that of your loved ones.

Commuting and Transportation: Enjoy the convenience of free parking on our picturesque campus, easily accessible from major roadways. We are also accessible via the MBTA commuter rail.

Paid Time Off: Take advantage of paid vacations, personal days, sick time, and holidays to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life harmony.

Retirement Savings: Plan for the future with our retirement savings plan. Wellesley College contributes up to 10.5% towards your 403(b) plan for eligible employees

Work/Life and Wellness: A hybrid work environment for select positions (additional details will be provided during the interview process), caregiving support through Wellthy, legal plan insurance, pet insurance discount and a variety of other resources including retirement planning, and access to cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Professional Development: Enhance your skills and explore growth opportunities through continuing training and pathways for growth within our supportive environment.

Tuition and Education Benefits: Invest in your education with tuition benefits, and access resources to navigate student loan forgiveness, reinforcing our commitment to your ongoing learning.

Campus Privileges: Enjoy free use of our state-of-the-art athletic and fitness facilities with onsite fitness classes, Library resources, and seize opportunities to attend diverse campus events that contribute to a vibrant community.

Apply today and take your first step toward a rewarding career with Wellesley College – where your unique strengths and success are celebrated as part of our shared commitment to inclusivity!