Job Summary

The stewardship officer intermediate is responsible for developing and implementing strategies and processes supporting gift acknowledgements and other forms of recognition, and donor stewardship. Reporting to the director of annual giving and donor relations, this position also will help with implementation of a robust donor stewardship plan to ensure timely and periodic touches and contact with annual and major donors. The primary responsibility of the stewardship officer will be writing high quality donor communications and reports.

Who We Are

Founded in 1859, Michigan Law School is one of the world's leading institutions of legal education and enjoys a reputation for academic excellence characterized by a powerful commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Michigan is consistently ranked among the top law schools in the nation and enjoys international renown for its intellectual rigor, stunning physical surroundings, preeminent faculty scholarship, and a community noted for collegiality and warmth. Michigan Law has an exceptional and cooperative community of talented and interesting students, with approximately 1000 in the J.D. program and 40 in the LL.M. program. Our commitments to collegiality, constructive and challenging debate, and enabling our students to pursue a wide range of options explain why the Law School has long been committed to diversity along many dimensions. Our graduates serve with distinction in the private, public, non-profit, and academic sectors, in large numbers in every major market in the nation, as well as internationally. The University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is considered among the best places in the United States to live and work.

At Michigan Law, we view our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as central to our mission as an educational institution and we seek to ensure that each member of our community has full opportunity to thrive in our environment. We believe that diversity is key to individual flourishing, educational excellence, and the advancement of knowledge and we maintain a deep commitment to fostering a diverse community in which all students, staff, and faculty learn and work in an atmosphere of inclusion and respect.

Responsibilities*

Gift Acknowledgements/Donor communication - coordinate gift acknowledgement process for all giving channels, with a focus on personalized, meaningful, and timely acknowledgement letters.

Draft personal acknowledgement letters for the Dean of the Law School and Assistant Dean of Development and Alumni Relations:
Manage monthly acknowledgement process of Law School Fund donors.
Coordinate processes for condolence letters, tribute letters, congratulatory letters, etc.
Update letter templates as needed.

Impact Reporting - conceptualize, draft and design engaging and informative impact reports for donors:.

Produce customized reports for donor groups - legacy, annual, lead annual, programmatic, consecutive years of giving, etc.
In collaboration with director of annual giving and stewardship, develop a plan to create annual stewardship reports for individual donors.
Develop and implement a multi-pronged plan for using ThankView, a video email-marketing platform, for stewardship purposes. (Milestone birthdays, first-time donors, donors completing their pledge, etc.).

Student focused and recent alumni philanthropic education/initiatives:

Annual Thank-A-Thon event
Michigan Law-specific strategy for Giving Blueday and Giving Tuesday
Philanthropy Awareness Day
Nannes 3L Challenge fulfillment

Communication and Collaboration:

Support other projects as assigned.
Communicate with development colleagues and Michigan Law colleagues in a clear, consistent, and effective manner.
Collaborate with team members to continuously improve stewardship programs that creatively and strategically engage donors.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications*

Bachelor's degree or 5 or more years of experience in donor stewardship, fundraising, or a similar role within a nonprofit or educational environment.
Demonstrated strength in writing, including ability to convey gratitude clearly and effectively.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships.
Strong attention to detail.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively, as well as part of a team in partnership with colleagues and other key stakeholders.
Strong organization, planning, and problem-solving skills.
Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, take initiative while keeping others informed, and meet challenging and changing deadlines.
Occasional evening and weekend work.

Desired Qualifications*

Experience with DART or other similar donor management system.
Knowledge of the University of Michigan organization, policies, and procedures.
Dedication to outstanding customer service.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.