Director Of Donor Relations

Job title: Director of Donor Relations

Reports to: Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships

Status: Exempt; Full-time position with benefits

Compensation: $81,172

Start date: Open until filled.

Position Purpose

The mission of Ashesi University is to educate ethical, entrepreneurial leaders in Africa. Since its founding in Ghana in 2002, Ashesi has established a reputation as a leader in undergraduate education in Africa, with an educational experience that fosters ethical leadership, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to solve complex problems. These qualities are what set Ashesi students and alumni apart.

Based in Seattle, Ashesi University Foundation (AUF) amplifies the University’s impact by raising funds and building a global community of supporters dedicated to contributing to an African renaissance. AUF works within a global advancement team that also includes the Toronto-based Ashesi University Foundation Canada (AUFC). With their dynamic international boards, highly engaged staff, and broad community of advocates, Ashesi University, AUF and AUFC work together to raise the bar for educational outcomes in Africa.

Description

This role will work with development and university colleagues, and a small stewardship team, to understand and deliver on our most important contributors’ information needs, and to share donor and partner stories in creative and strategic ways.They will also coordinate events and manage a small annual giving program. As the first person to fill this new role, the Director of Donor Relations will professionalize and systematize the way we steward donor partnerships. Working in collaboration with the global Advancement team, faculty, students, and Ashesi University leadership, this individual will support donor engagement with thoughtful, personalized updates on the impact of giving while developing and implementing strategies to enhance connection to Ashesi. Reporting to the Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships in Seattle, Washington, this individual will play an important role in Beyond the Horizon, a newly launched fundraising campaign to boost Ashesi’s impact in its third decade.

Ashesi University Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment in which all team members can excel irrespective of race, national origin, age, gender, faith, or sexual orientation. A positive work environment, flexible hours, and an organizational value of work-life balance underscore our interest in attracting outstanding candidates. We offer a competitive salary and full benefits (health, dental, and vision insurance, and 401k with employer match).

Ashesi University Foundation is based in Seattle, but remote candidates within the US will be considered for this position. Candidates must have U.S. residency and work authorization.

What You’ll Do

• Support coordination of recognition and cultivation events including Ashesi’s annual Deep Dive, online events, and a new annual scholarship event.
• Identify and implement best practices for continued growth of Ashesi’s stewardship operation including partnering with the Director of Advancement Services to use data to inform strategy and support meaningful reporting on stewardship efforts.
• Work with the global advancement team to develop custom stewardship strategies to strengthen long-term relationships with key donors, volunteers, and partners as well as the overall Ashesi community.
• Manage a Ghana-based Donor Communications Officer (DCO) and a student ambassador program to enhance connections between Ashesi students and Ashesi’s international community of donors, partners, and prospects.
• Lead a team effort to develop stewardship plans for donors at various recognition levels within the major, annual, and planned gifts programs and ensure implementation is consistent across audiences.
• Serve as a central member of a cohesive and dynamic global Advancement team.
• Lead the creation of timely and meaningful impact reports including the Annual Report, annual scholarship letters, annual endowment reports, and project-specific reports.
• Create a stewardship calendar that draws on the communications produced by the DCO and campus Communications teams to curate and disseminate Ashesi content for key audiences with a goal to increase donor engagement.Ensure all contacts are recorded .
• Lead Ashesi’s annual giving program, including its Giving Day.
• Create and run reports from the database to support stewardship, annual giving, and event activities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Enthusiasm for, and ability to compellingly communicate about, the mission of Ashesi University and our programs.
• Highly organized, with the ability to prioritize, multi-task, set and meet goals and deadlines.
• Experience with constituent relationship management databases, especially Salesforce.Ability to create and run reports.
• Strong decision-making skills, tactful, good listener, willingness to search out answers, ability to recognize when others need to be involved in activities or decisions.
• Creativity, curiosity, high energy level, and an enthusiasm for meeting and working with a wide range of individuals.
• Capacity to understand and respond to individual international donors’/partners’ needs and perceptions.Experience managing a team in a cross-cultural context preferred.
• Energetic and enthusiastic self-starter
• 3-5 years or more of successful fundraising or similar relationship-management experience
• U.S. residency and work authorization.
• Impeccable written and oral communication skills
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative and entrepreneurial small team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to travel occasionally
• Some graphic design experience or familiarity with basic design tools
• Knowledge of principles and techniques relevant to major gift fundraising and stewardship
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Experience planning and/or staffing small- to medium-sized events (virtual and in person)

To Apply

Please send your cover letter and resume to [email protected] with subject line: "Director of Donor Relations. This position will remain open until filled but applications submitted by June 26 will be given priority.