VISION: Transform the university through the power of generosity.
MISSION: Unite donor passions with university priorities to elevate the impact of Oklahoma State University.
DEPARTMENT PURPOSE: The Advancement Operations team contributes to the mission by translating and operationalizing high level strategy to ensure consistency, clarity, and accountability through intentional partnership with all OSU Foundation departments.
PRIMARY PURPOSE: Develop and implement comprehensive stewardship strategies that strengthen donor relationships, enhance donor engagement and recognition, and support philanthropic growth through personalized stewardship activities, events, communications, and donor-centered initiatives.
KEY AREAS OF FOCUS:
Donor Stewardship & Relationship Management-
- Manage and steward a portfolio of up to 100 donor households through personalized engagement, relationship-building, and stewardship activities designed to strengthen donor connection and long-term philanthropic support.
- Coordinate stewardship efforts related to gifts, ensuring timely donor recognition, follow-up communication, and meaningful stewardship touchpoints that enhance donor engagement.
- Prepare and manage designation anniversary reports that communicate donor impact and reinforce continued donor affinity and investment.
Strategic Stewardship & Donor Engagement-
- Develop and execute unit-wide stewardship and engagement strategies for unmanaged donors to strengthen donor retention, increase donor connection, and create meaningful touchpoints across broader donor populations.
- Support stewardship initiatives designed to enhance donor understanding of philanthropic impact and deepen long-term engagement with the organization.
Donor Experiences & Appreciation Initiatives-
- Coordinate student-donor appreciation initiatives and related stewardship activities that foster meaningful connections between donors and student beneficiaries.
- Coordinate donor hospitality and engagement opportunities related to athletics, including football ticket invitations and suite hosting, to create personalized donor experiences and strengthen donor relationships.
Advisory Board & Volunteer Engagement-
- Assist with planning and execution of advisory board and volunteer group events in collaboration with the Development Operations Coordinator (DOC) and internal partners.
- Support donor-facing events and engagement opportunities that strengthen volunteer involvement, enhance donor relationships, and advance overall stewardship strategy.
Other duties as assigned.
JOB COMPETENCIES AND EXPERIENCE:
Education & Certifications-
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing and communications, nonprofit management, humanities, or related fields required.
Experience-
- Minimum of 2-4 years of professional experience.
- Experience in fundraising, stewardship, or donor relations preferred.
- Experience with Microsoft Office suite.
- Sense of humor and experience having fun!
Organizational Competencies-
- Effective Communication: Proactively ensures effective communication throughout the organization; makes relevant contributions to discussions and meetings, giving clear and concise explanations and sticking to the point; chooses language and communication method to suit the audience, reframes and articulates to help others understand; asks questions to check understanding when disseminating information.
- Execution & Initiative: Motivates self and others to achieve the best results, displaying energy, drive and a desire to succeed; enlists the support of others as necessary to overcome resistance; supervises cross-functional project team execution on tasks to meet stated objectives; helps other employees’ gain the skills and experience they need to contribute; proactively outlines milestones, outcomes and deliverables and effectively communicates them to internal and external stakeholders.
- Teamwork/Interpersonal Skills: Develops and nurtures formal & informal relationships with a wide circle of people beyond those involved in current activities, including potential donors, stakeholders, and information links; encourages collaboration among colleagues, departments and entire organization to achieve results; compromises, handles conflicts, seeks common ground, articulates own and others goals; stays focused on positive win-win outcomes; seeks input on how to leverage existing processes to improve the donor experience; translates ideas into action.
- Problem Solving/Judgment: Gains understanding of how to apply approved policies and procedures; when and why escalation of issues is needed and to whom and communicates decisions and desired outcomes to others; anticipates the outcome of a single decision; recognizes problems in advance, systematically gathers information to define the root cause, breaks down complex information into component parts, develops alternatives, seeks input from others, selects and recommends the best solution.
- Adaptability/Flexibility: Embraces complex or first-time problems as opportunities to learn and incorporate new skills; flexes style based on immediate needs; accepts responsibility for implementing change; evaluates and manages resources needed to implement change; personally supports (in words and actions) organizational direction and change agenda.
- Courage & Conviction: Takes responsibility for individual & project outcomes regardless of success and learns from all results; encourages candid responses, feedback, new ideas and conflicting opinions.
- Donor Centered: Takes time to actively learn about the stated needs by asking questions, exploring how to unite the donors and university’s passions and priorities; anticipates customer needs and proactively makes recommendations.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Ability to communicate effectively in person, by phone, and via video conferencing. Requires frequent repetitive motions when operating computers, telephones, and standard office equipment. Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while working at a computer, attending meetings, or participating in events. This role includes traveling locally for meetings, and university events, which may include walking on campus and navigating varied environments. Requires a valid driver's license. Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends to support fundraising events and donor engagement activities. Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull materials weighing up to approximately 20 pounds.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
