Assistant Director, Donor Experience

Assistant Director, Donor Experience 🔍Office of Development, Stanford, California, United States 📁Development📅Nov 24, 2025 Post Date📅107808 Requisition #

Main Work Location : Stanford historic campus

Schedule : Hybrid (at least 3 days per week on site)

Note : Not all unique aspects of the job are covered by this job description

The Department of Athletics development team seeks an Assistant Director, Donor Experience. This individual will partner with donor relations and events colleagues to produce compelling and consistent experiences that strengthen donor ties to the athletics department and inspire philanthropic support for Stanford’s student athletes.The Assistant Director, Donor Experience, will be the primary point of contact for a portfolio of activities, including acknowledgments, impact reporting, fund and data management, and special recognition projects. This is a great opportunity to strengthen ties between Stanford and its donors and alumni, and to begin or further a career in donor relations.

The Assistant Director, Donor Experience, reports to the Assistant Athletics Director of Donor Relations. This is a highly collaborative team looking for a colleague who is motivated, positive, and passionate about college athletics.

About Stanford Athletics

Stanford’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (“DAPER”) is the premier intercollegiate athletics program in the country. We are the proud Home of Champions! We lead the nation with 137 NCAA team championships, have won the Women’s Capital One Cup four of the last five years, and have brought home the Learfield Directors’ Cup for 26 of the possible 31 seasons. We support nearly 900 student-athletes who compete on 36 intercollegiate athletics teams, as well as the university’s physical education, recreation, and wellness initiatives. Our dedicated staff embodies a culture of excellence, embraces our mission of scholar-athleticism, and exemplifies a relentless championship spirit. To learn more about Stanford Athletics, please visit gostanford.com.

Housed within Stanford Athletics, the development team is a part of the Office of Development (OOD), which advances Stanford’s mission by raising philanthropic support from alumni, parents, families, friends, and institutional funders. Working in concert with volunteers and university leaders, OOD staff members strive to accelerate Stanford’s purposeful impact in the world. Stanford is committed to a donor-centric approach to development. Every member of the Office of Development staff plays a role in providing the university’s donors with the service and attention that ensures an exceptionally positive and fulfilling philanthropic experience.

Your responsibilities include :

Coordinate with athletics staff and gift officers to research, develop, write, produce, and distribute key donor experience deliverables, including written (hard copy, email, or online) content, video, and events.

Responsible for the implementation of creative, consistent, and donor-centric donor acknowledgment, reporting, engagement, and recognition programs. Establish and execute project plans, timelines, tasks, and objectives.

Assist in writing and production of general donor correspondence.

Support the Assistant Athletics Director, Donor Relations, as needed, with fundraising communications projects, including priority papers, proposals, and gift announcements.

Compile and manage data using multiple financial and reporting systems.

Assist with the scholarship matching process each summer and fall.

Work closely with the Data Analyst and the central Donor Relations team to ensure the scholarship reporting timeline remains on schedule.

Communicate regularly with colleagues in the Financial Aid Office, DAPER Compliance, and DAPER Finance teams to resolve questions about student-athlete aid.

Consult memos related to scholarship awarding to ensure that donor intent is honored in the scholarship matching process.

Proactively monitor the donor relations needs, with an eye toward creating unique experiences that enable donors to engage with coaching staff and student-athletes.

Assist with an annual audit of donor stewardship to ensure that all related documents, funds, stewardee, and beneficiary information are accurate and complete. Identify and resolve any inaccuracies.

Maintain the Donor Relations Application (DR App) in CARD, including updating activity assignments, recipients, stewardees, and other relevant details, after each project and in conjunction with the monthly new funds dashboard update.

Work with non-development colleagues to ensure that gifts are awarded and utilized in accordance with donor expectations and university policies in a timely manner. Escalate discrepancies when needed.

Support Athletics Development events as needed.

Maintain relationships with gift officers and donors. Develop and cultivate open channels of communication with colleagues across athletics and the university.

Assess and track trends and opportunities in donor relations. Recommend improvements based on findings.

Other duties as assigned.

To be successful in this position, you will bring :

Bachelor’s degree and three years of relevant experience or a combination of education and relevant experience.

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to edit high-level correspondence and articulate progress and impact in a way that is understandable and meaningful to various constituencies.

Demonstrated strong project management and fund compliance skills.

Demonstrated experience using multiple data management systems to pull information to create coherent reports.

Strong client service orientation and attention to detail. Ability to quickly understand and remember details about donors and projects.

Excellent interpersonal skills and professionalism to interact with a wide range of people at different levels of an organization, both within and outside the Office of Development.

Proven ability to effectively and efficiently manage multiple priorities, with competing deadlines.

Demonstrated sound judgment in situations requiring independent decision-making and in handling confidential and sensitive material.

Additional preferred skills include :

Familiarity with email, design, and digital donor reporting tools such as InDesign, Qwilr, Thankview, or Marketo preferred.

Experience with relationship or prospect management systems.

Experience with project management software.

Working Conditions :

May require working flexible hours, including nights and weekends.

The expected pay range for this position is $90,876 – $101,963 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website ( https : / / cardinalatwork.stanford.edu / benefits-rewards ) provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Frequently perform desk-based computer tasks, stand / walk, sit, use a telephone.

Occasionally light / fine grasping, lift / carry / push / pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds, writing by hand.

Ability to drive day or night, if applicable.

• Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

WORKING CONDITIONS :

May require working flexible hours, including nights and weekends.

WORK STANDARDS :

When conducting university business, must comply with the California Vehicle Code and Stanford University driving requirements, if applicable.

Interpersonal Skills : Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.

Promote Culture of Safety : Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.

Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University’s Administrative Guide, http : / / adminguide.stanford.edu .

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting a contact form .

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

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