Assistant Director of Donor Relations

Office of Institutional Advancement

UMBC's Office of Institutional Advancement supports the University's mission and strategic priorities in a variety of ways, including telling the UMBC story through brand, stories and design; building partnerships with community stakeholders; and fundraising to support students, faculty, alumni and programs.

Reporting to and working closely with the Director of Donor Relations, the Assistant Director of Donor Relations is responsible for ensuring that endowed scholarship and student award funds are properly administered according to guidelines, recipient expectations, and donor intent. This position represents the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) and the university with some of our most generous donors.

This position, in collaboration with the Director of Donor Relations, must implement and streamline current processes, and identify, plan, and implement programs and reporting that strengthen relationships with our donors, campus units, and our students to help to build and sustain a culture of philanthropy. This role will

• serve as primary liaison to scholarship recipients in gathering donor acknowledgements and impact statements;
• coordinate student participation in stewardship events designed to support OIA goals, and
• be responsible for both stewardship tracking and reporting for scholarship funds and student awards.

This position works with both a broad range of university colleagues and external constituents and is highly service-oriented. The  staff person will partner with colleagues in Institutional Advancement, Financial Aid and Scholarships, and representatives of various campus units setting standards for dissemination and accountability of donor funds, and ensuring all named funds are being administered according to donor intent, university guidelines, and processes.

UMBC offers competitive compensation.  This role starts at $65,000 and has over 4 weeks of vacation for regular full time roles. Tuition remission is also available.

What is it like to work at UMBC?  Check out Glassdoor or Indeed. And read about our recent award, UMBC is a 2023 Great College to Work for…. In every category .

A hybrid telework schedule may be available. 

Specific responsibilities include:

• In coordination with the Director, develop and maintain UMBC’s scholarship stewardship philosophy
• Work with campus units and the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships team to manage the private donor scholarship process and ensure that endowment income spending is timely and in accordance with the donor’s wishes as expressed in written agreements
• Manage stewardship for scholarships, internships, and summer research, including collecting student stories; tracking responses, and ensuring timely delivery of impact reporting to donors
• Liaise with students whenever donor/student meetings are requested
• Conduct research for scholarship updates when students do not write thank-you letters and maintain the hygiene of stewardship data
• Plan, manage, and collaborate with university staff on the Endowed Scholarship & Fellowship Lunch and other Donor Relations events, such activities with the Meyerhoff Scholars Program and the Linehan Artists Program
• Develop stewardship activities as appropriate
• Support other stewardship activities, and/or Institutional Advancement activities and events
• Other duties as assigned

• Bachelor's Degree
• Two years experience required in donor relations, stewardship, development, or related field.
• Experience with constituent databases
• Must be an outstanding communicator, possessing excellent written and verbal communication skills; interpersonal skills; and the ability to work collegially and interact effectively with a diverse constituency
• The ability to work independently on multiple projects while communicating progress to colleagues and stakeholders
• Must demonstrate good judgment, discretion, and problem-solving skills

• At least three years in a comprehensive stewardship/donor relations
• Experience in a university or college setting.
• Knowledge of and experience with a scholarship management program (i.e. ScholarshipUniverse or AcademicWorks)
• High attention to detail and a proactive work ethic

A background check will be required.  

Upload a cover letter and a resume 

UMBC offers a rich benefits package.

Regular and grant funded regular positions (Full benefits summary click here ):

Generous Leave which includes accruing:

• 22 Days of Annual Leave  
• 15 Days of Sick Leave  
• 15 Holidays
• 3 Personal Days

Tuition Remission :

• 8 credit hours per semester
• Tuition remission at UMBC for eligible dependents after two years of FT employment

Additional Benefits:

• Life and disability insurance
• Retirement plans (including the choice of joining the pension plan)
• Professional development opportunities
• Wellness opportunities
• & Much more

Contingent II positions may include some benefits . 

Benefits offered align with type (Regular, Contingent II, etc.) of position. 

If you require a reasonable accommodation for a disability for any part of the employment process, please contact the Human Resources Department at 410-455-2337 or MD TTY Relay Service 1-800-735-2258 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.