Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Development Communications, Stanford Law School

Stanford Law School’s External Relations Office is a collaborative joint department composed of a field fundraising group, an alumni relations group, and an operations group, which work together to build and maintain relationships with Stanford Law School alumni, parents, and friends to advance the school’s mission. As one of several new positions this year, the team is growing to enhance the school’s engagement with our alumni and donors and to support the evolving needs of the alumni community. This moment of evolution is an opportunity for the right candidate to help establish new and dynamic ways of working in a hybrid work environment on projects critical to the school’s future.

Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Development Communications

The Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Development Communications plays an integral role in delivering on and continuously enhancing Stanford Law School’s commitment to the outstanding stewardship of its donors. Reporting to the Director of Donor Relations and Development Communications, this individual’s work will focus on developing, writing, and managing the content for a portfolio of annual reports for law school supporters. In addition, this individual will help support the team’s broader responsibilities including composing and distributing gift acknowledgements, managing stewardship event registration and communications, requesting fund use details from partners across the law school, and working closely with team members on other communications tools including slide decks for internal and external constituencies. This role will have the opportunity to innovate in creating new engagement tools in collaboration with gift officers, furthering donors’ engagement with SLS. In addition, you will develop knowledge of the Donor Relations & Development Communications area at the Law School, as well as an understanding of how it relates to schools and departments around the university.

This role is a great opportunity for a team player, an organized planner, and thoughtful writer who thrives in a fast-paced environment.

CORE DUTIES*:

• Manage a portfolio of annual reporting and donor engagement activities on behalf of the university by establishing and executing project plans, timelines, tasks, and objectives.

• Develop and provide recommendations on best methodologies to engage individual donors by analyzing past trends, researching donor profiles and collaborating with colleagues to identify and produce key donor relations deliverables including donor correspondence, written hard copy, email, or online content, videos, or events.  

• Work with non-development colleagues inthe process of executing stewardshipactivities and to ensure funds are spent inalignment with donors' wishes.

• Participate in the process of requesting giftusage information from beneficiaries,(such as students, faculty). May draft,edit, rewrite, and exercise judgement todetermine appropriateness of content.  Create reports of funds awarded and ensure timely delivery to donors using appropriate messaging.

• May initiate the gift entry process bysetting up donor relations information insystem. Perform an annual audit ofassigned portfolios against the
  development database to ensure that allrelated documents, fund, stewardee, andbeneficiary information is accurate andcomplete. Identify and resolve anyinaccuracies

• May assist with creating and executing stewardship and external relations events, and staffing for programs hosted by the Development Communications team

• Independently project manage donor recognition projects, including creating communications with donors, colleagues, and vendors which may include: creating donor appeals, white papers, proposals, slide decks and other fundraising materials as needed.  Participate in special projects as assigned.

* - Other administrative and event support as assigned

To be successful in this position, you will bring:

• Bachelor’s degree and three years of relevant experience, or combination of education and relevant experience. Experience with fundraising in an academic environment is preferable

• Superior organizational skills.

• Excellent writing, research and editorial skills; ability to synthesize information and compose clear and effective materials.

• Ability to listen and respond with diplomacy and tact.

• Demonstrated experience managing and coordinating multiple complex projects with competing deadlines.

• Strong attention to detail and ability to quickly understand and remember details about donors and projects to which they are assigned.

• Strong customer service focus; excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

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

• Proficient in MS Office Suite and database applications.

• Demonstrated project management skills.

* - 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.