Donor Experience Officer - Institutional Advancement

 

Grand Rapids, MI (Pew Campus)

 

Full Time

 

R103852

 

This position provides a first-class philanthropic experience for all donors by leveraging personalized digital engagement to effectively build relationships based on what truly matters to each prospect. This role manages a large portfolio of alumni and donors with clear weekly, monthly, and annual goals. This position collaborates with other departments both internally at the university (including University Development, Alumni Relations, and Donor Relations) and externally, to effectively execute 1:1 outreach campaigns using technology resources including DXO software, social media, and virtual communications software. Comfort with making personalized solicitations, daily use of video, phone, and email, and use of CRM and virtual communication technology is critical to success in this role. The primary goals of this position are to assist with donor pipeline development and identify leadership annual and major gift leads for development officers.

Salary & Benefits:

 

• Minimum starting salary of $54,000, commensurate with experience.

 

• http://teams.microsoft.com/l/message/19:566c9e6d-5c52-4acb-8605-b5edd27bf9a2_ea36aad7-662b-461d-969a-5f00f1f16f30@unq.gbl.spaces/1763493425941?context=%7B%22contextType%22%3A%22chat%22%7D including medical, vision, dental, life insurance, generous employer retirement contributions, wellness resources and tuition waiver effective on date of hire.

 

Primary Duties

 

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 1,000 current, lapsed, and prospective annual giving donors. Cultivate relationships with these donors via email, phone, social media, video conferencing, texting, and EverTrue's cloud platform. Perform 50+ outbound touchpoints per day.

 

• Execute monthly and quarterly touchpoint cadences (averaging 50+ outbound touchpoints per day) across portfolio to ensure consistent and relevant donor communication.

 

• Demonstrate to donors the impact of their giving. Provide information on university developments and programs relative to their interests. Share upcoming opportunities to attend events, volunteer, participate in alumni association activities/services, or otherwise deepen their engagement with the university.

 

• Solicit donors to make new gifts, renew or upgrade. Promote philanthropic opportunities, such as university and college giving priorities, crowdfunding projects, GVSU Day of Giving.

 

• Develop and maintain broad knowledge of the university, such as admissions, athletics, colleges, and continuing education. Develop network of contacts throughout the university to access for additional information. Build out resource hub of relevant content to share with donors.

 

• Collaborate effectively with other members of the Annual Giving, Advancement Communications, and Athletics teams as part of a comprehensive multi-channel marketing program, including direct mail, email, and social media channels.

 

• Identify and troubleshoot challenges to donors' giving and engagement experience and work with appropriate colleagues to address.

 

• Partner with the development staff serving as college liaisons to strategically move donors up to leadership annual and major gifts levels. Actively hand-off prospects to gift officers in accordance with the donor's interests, capacity, and propensity.

 

• Perform other duties as required/assigned by leadership.

 

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

 

• Bachelor's degree.

 

• Minimum of one to two (1-2) years of experience in fundraising, sales, or related field.

 

• Self-motivated and goal-oriented professional, with superior organizational skills, the ability to manage multiple tasks with absolute deadlines.

 

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills across mediums, especially email, video, and video conferencing.

 

• Ability to manage your work between multiple cloud-based platforms and databases in a fast-paced environment.

 

• Possess sound judgment and experience handling confidential information.

 

• Ability to act with strong initiative, creativity, and attention to detail.

 

• Exceptional ability to think strategically and analytically.

 

• Ability to practice and adhere to organizational values of respect, integrity, self-motivation, and collaboration.

 

• Ability to work evening/weekends as needed.

 

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

 

• Knowledge of DXO/pipeline software (ex. EverTrue) and other fundraising computer applications and CRM software (ex. Raiser's Edge NXT).

 

• Prior fundraising experience, preferably within a higher education setting either as a student or professional.

 

• Ability to forecast and project activity to meet goals.

 

• Higher education experience, ideally with direct exposure to and a comprehensive understanding of Grand Valley State University academic offerings, programs, and institutional culture.

 

Working Conditions

 

• Normal office environment

 

How to apply:

 

A cover letter and resume are required for this application. The system will allow you to attach these documents electronically. If you have questions about the position or the posting, please contact Institutional Advancement at mailto:advancement@gvsu.edu. If you need technical assistance, please contact Human Resources at mailto:hro@gvsu.edu.

 

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

 

Application Deadline:

 

Application closes January 4, 2026. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University.

 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. GVSU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. See http://www.gvsu.edu/equalopportunity/. TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State).

 

Grand Valley State University is an Antidiscrimination/Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. University policy extends protections to additional identities.

 

To apply, visit https://apptrkr.com/6746768

 

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