Posted: 19-May-23
Location: Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Type: Full Time
Required Education:
Mercersburg Academy is a private, college-prep boarding school located in south-central Pennsylvania, about 90 minutes from the Baltimore/Washington DC metro area. The school’s mission and core values guide our vision and direction. At Mercersburg, we value diversity and believe in cultivating a safe community where everyone is encouraged to be their authentic selves.
Job Classification:
Full-Time, 12 Month, Exempt, Staff
Reports To:
Director of Leadership Giving
Summary
The manager of donor relations (“MDR”) is a member of the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations (AAR) and reports to the Director of Leadership Giving. The MDR is instrumental to sustaining positive and mutually rewarding relations between Mercersburg Academy and its donors. The MDR provides direct stewardship and engagement support for a comprehensive program and works effectively throughout AAR to mutually set policies and procedures.
Responsibilities and Duties
- Designs, documents, and implements a systematic, integrated, and comprehensive stewardship and donor relations program—inclusive of policy, quality control, guidelines, and standards.
- In coordination with the CAO, CDO, and Director of Leadership Giving, manages all components, programs, events and activities related to stewardship and donor recognition.
- In coordination with Advancement Services, establishes and maintains protocols to record, monitor, and track stewardship/engagement activities as well as gift documentation for various donor populations.
- Works closely with the Director of Annual Giving to annually recognize key leadership annual giving societies (Torchbearer Society, The William Mann Irvine Society, and The 1983 Club).
- Works with the CDO and Director of Leadership Giving to develop annual plans to recognize and communicate with key lifetime giving societies (McDowell Society, Via Lucis, and Marshall and Irving Alliance) on an ongoing basis.
- Coordinate volunteer recognition (citations, departing member gifts, alumni awards, etc.) with the CAO and Director of Alumni and Parent Relations for key volunteers such as, but not limited, to the Board of Regents, Alumni Council, White Key Executive Council, Class Agents, and Reunion Committees.
- Maintain an inventory of appropriate stewardship items for gift officer visits, constituent recognition (e.g. births, marriage, etc.), event give-aways, etc.
- Manage Annual Endowment Reporting by creating special stories that relay the impact of the donors generosity (e.g. video, updates, etc.)
- Manage documentation and tracking of named spaces and reporting to donors where appropriate.
- Devise appropriate donor recognition in anticipation of a major comprehensive campaign
- Collaborate with all divisions/schools within the institution to ensure full donor funded activities, spaces, and stories are tracked and relayed to donors.
- Coordination with Advancement Services for creation of a suite of annual acknowledgement letters, including the head of school thank you letters for gifts of a certain level.
- In partnership with the leadership giving team, design and manage individualized stewardship and recognition for leadership giving donors and prospects.
- In partnership with the CAO, creatively think and design stewardship touch points for the head of school and the school’s top prospects, especially those in the McDowell Society or those capable gifts at that level.
- In conjunction with the CAO, CDO, and DLG, establish an ongoing and repeatable stewardship program for all those in the Via Lucis Society and higher giving level.
- May include supervisory/management responsibilities.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Demonstrate integrity, initiative, energy, enthusiasm, and the ability to establish trust and credibility.
- Plan, organize, and accurately execute duties while remaining accountable for actions.
- Naturally curious and creative.
- Ability to think creatively and critically to solve problems and build meaningful relationships.
- Service oriented with a passion for Mercersburg’s mission, traditions and long-term success with the capacity to clearly and consistently advocate for the support of its priorities.
- Excellent technical and analytical skills, familiarity with databases, and knowledgeable about pulling queries and sorting data.
- Ability to compose inspiring and professional level correspondence with excellent proofreading skills and command of language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Highly organized and able to adeptly manage multiple projects and timelines.
- Drive to complete projects on time and with an extreme eye to detail and a level of thoroughness that inspires donors.
- Ability to appropriately manage highly-confidential information and uphold the highest ethical and professional standards.
- Outstanding written, verbal and interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrated skills, knowledge and experience in the design and execution of stewardship and donor relations activities.
- Ability to meet deadlines.
Physical Demands:
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Environment: Work is performed in an indoor office environment where the noise level ranges from quiet to moderate.
Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to walk, stand, and sit for prolonged periods of time; sufficient manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination to operate office machinery; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.
Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction.
Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.
- Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in direct and varied areas of stewardship, development or alumni relations.
- Proficiency in project management, prioritization of work and organizational skills.
- Previous experience working with donors and volunteers.
- Professional experience in education is preferred.
- Technologically adept with the ability to master data querying and sorting; preference for experience with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT software.
- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and some travel may be required.
