Associate Director of Donor Services and Stewardship

Job DetailsLevel: ExperiencedJob Location: Fisk University - Nashville, TN 37208Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: 4 Year DegreePosition Summary: The Associate Director of Donor Services and Stewardship plays a critical role in the success of the university’s fundraising efforts by overseeing the integrity and strategic use of the Raiser’s Edge donor database, managing donor recognition and stewardship programs, and ensuring high-quality, personalized stewardship for annual and endowed scholarship donors. This role serves as a key partner to frontline fundraisers, finance staff, and academic units to maintain strong, trust-based relationships with donors. The Associate Director reports directly to the Senior Director of Development and will eventually supervise direct reports within the sphere of Development Operations. This position sits on the Development and Alumni Affairs team. Key Responsibilities: Database Management & Data Integrity (Raiser’s Edge) Oversee the accurate and timely entry of all fundraising gifts for the university. Oversee the ongoing management, maintenance, and accuracy of the Raiser’s Edge database. Develop and enforce protocols for data entry, record maintenance, and data hygiene to ensure consistency and quality. Monitor data integrity through regular audits, reports, and data clean-up processes. Train and support team members and colleagues on effective use of Raiser’s Edge. Constantly assessing systems and software to ensure they are serving the university to their best ability. Donor Stewardship & Scholarship Management Ensure timely acknowledgments, impact reports, scholarship donor reporting, and stewardship touchpoints are delivered with excellence and personalization. Oversee the design and creation of donor publications (e.g. the annual Report on Philanthropy). Maintain accurate records of donor preferences, agreements, and communications. Manage the intake, tracking, and stewardship of all endowed and annual scholarships in partnership with Financial Aid and related departments. Develop and implement comprehensive donor recognition and stewardship plans for scholarship and other major donors in partnership with front line fundraisers. Development Operations Strategy & Data/Donor Reporting Provide strategic insights using donor data to support campaign planning and fundraising priorities. Create accurate donor reports and lists for internal and external consumption. Oversee periodic distribution of gift reports and quarterly distribution pledge reminders. Establish and implement best practices in data management for prospect management, donor relations, and legacy gifts. Oversee high-priority projects such as global data updates, data imports (e.g. wealth screening, address finder, deceased finder), and data analysis/support for front line fundraisers Serve as the primary contact with the business office in monthly and annual gift reconciliation, setting up new funds, troubleshooting gift entry adjustments, and providing appropriate documentation for auditors. Establish performance metrics, provide training and mentorship, and foster a culture of accuracy and responsiveness. Serve as a collaborative and strategic partner across the Development team and with campus stakeholders.   QualificationsRequired Bachelor’s degree required Minimum of 5–7 years of experience in donor relations, development operations, or advancement services, preferably in higher education. Demonstrated proficiency with Raiser’s Edge (or comparable CRM systems). Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy. Strong understanding of the donor cycle and the critical role of stewardship in donor retention. Proven experience in managing donor-funded scholarships or similar donor-designated programs. Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and the ability to work collaboratively across departments. Preferred Raiser’s Edge “super user” Experience supervising or mentoring staff. Familiarity with scholarship awarding processes in a university setting. Strong Excel and data reporting skills. Experience developing donor stewardship plans or communications. Core Competencies: Strategic thinking and problem solving High degree of accuracy and organization Professionalism and discretion Collaborative and service-oriented mindset Initiative and follow-through on complex tasks   Location Detail The Associate Director is required to work on campus five days a week.