Rice University · 3 months ago
Executive Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship
Cambridge 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005, US
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
5+ years expRice University is a prestigious institution ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities, seeking an Executive Director for Donor Relations and Stewardship within its Development and Alumni Relations Division. This role is responsible for fostering long-lasting relationships with donors, enhancing donor satisfaction, and leading a comprehensive donor relations program to drive fundraising growth.
EducationHigher EducationService IndustryUniversities
Responsibilities
Develop strategies to improve the donor experience, increase retention, and promote giving to Rice
Conceptualize and implement a quantitative and qualitative measurement system to evaluate the effectiveness and success of all donor relations programs, utilizing the data to improve standards, increase donor retention, and further the success of fundraising goals
Collect and utilize qualitative and quantitative inputs from a wide range of collaborators across campus to inform and develop highly customized engagement plans for principal and major gift donors
Provide leadership to gift stewardship and donor recognition initiatives for all donors, with an emphasis on effective management of existing recognition societies and the implementation of behavior-based donor programs
Collaborate with DAR Marketing and Communications to identify and activate areas of integrated opportunities to tell donor impact stories and emotionally connect donors
Lead the development and execution of strategic donor recognition and impact events, in collaboration with the Public Affairs Events team and other departments as necessary to ensure success
Develop annual department goals, objectives, key performance metrics, and associated budget which support the progression of the DAR mission
Build and strengthen a network for donor relations and stewardship practitioners throughout central DAR, schools, and units at Rice. Communicate a vision for the team that aligns with and affirms the overarching goals of DAR, and provide resources, education, and support to help achieve it
Maintain working knowledge of industry best practices and standards to promote departmental longevity and divisional efficacy
Design, implement, and direct a comprehensive, integrated, and donor-centric donor relations and stewardship plan to build trust and fulfillment through strategic and meaningful contact, experiences, and outstanding hospitality and service
Work closely and collaboratively with the senior fundraisers to provide resources, direction, and operations support for their donor relations and stewardship coordinators to create and implement short-term and long-term strategies in alignment with overarching DAR donor relations and stewardship programs, plans, and goals
In partnership with the Principal Gifts team, develop and execute thoughtful and highly customized strategies for engaging principal gift donors
Represent DAR at functions and work with donors and other constituents to strengthen connections and build trust in Rice
Supervise the Donor Relations and Stewardship team, including but not limited to gift stewardship, impact reporting, donor programs, individual engagement plans, and acknowledgments
Develop and implement strategies that will support the DAR engagement team vision. Build strategic partnerships and influence with colleagues across DAR and the University to help the Donor Relations and Stewardship team achieve its goals
Set clear direction and priorities for staff of professionals and administrative support personnel. Promote excellence through well-defined and measurable goals. Inspire and motivate staff through transparency, placing staff members’ work within the context of donor relations strategic priorities as well as within the mission of Rice, consistent with DAR goals, policies, and procedures
Lead by example; foster a work environment that recognizes and rewards cross-functional collaboration and team-based efforts. Celebrate current achievements and set clear expectations for future success
Actively mentor and train staff, providing frequent opportunities for professional learning and growth and emphasizing retention as a means of increasing capacity and expertise of the team. Fully leverage human and financial resources and promote greater efficiency
Provide the structure and guidance necessary to promote a high-performance, innovative culture
Interact with Rice University alumni, individuals, and community members to acknowledge status as a current donor and engage as potential donors; handle their requests and ensure a hospitable donor experience
Interact with Faculty – with a focus on expressing philanthropic impact to donors
Interact with Staff – to train and oversee their work and to establish priorities
Interact with Rice University Executive Management – to consult with and coordinate work within the university structure to aid in the identification of tools and processes that support impact reporting and the overall donor experience
Interact with Rice University fundraising colleagues – to provide support and partnership in the cultivation, solicitation and retention of all donors
Interact with Peers/professional organizations – to obtain advice and counsel on options being considered for programs
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's Degree with a major in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, and/or Business
5+ years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in professional and higher education fundraising, public relations, marketing, development of budgets, preparation and presentation of case statements, and analysis of operations
Leadership and strategic management skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to lead and motivate others
Ability to manage a large number of project activities simultaneously
Ability to engage and motivate groups of diverse individuals
Strong ability to understand customer needs and show good judgment and diplomacy
Strong attention to detail
Advanced problem-solving skills
Strong organizational and time management skills
Ability to work well under pressure and manage projects simultaneously
Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedules
Adept at problem solving, creating contingency plans, and handling issues when necessary
Preferred
6+ years of the experience specified above, preferably with an institution of higher education
Fundraising and donor relations experience, including a proven track record of stewarding gifts of $1M or more
Proven track record of effectively working and leading in a large, complex, dynamic, and sophisticated organization
Well-developed project management skills, including experience initiating and implementing a new program or project
Wide-ranging knowledge of academic units, current affairs in higher education, and research, as well as genuine interest in the ongoing affairs at the university and intellectual curiosity
Ability to set a vision and to influence and inspire others to action, as well as a willingness to dig in and understand the work being done at a more granular level
Working knowledge of the 4 Pillars of Donor Relations and experience applying the principles to initiatives in an annual, major, and principal gift fundraising environment
Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
Proficiency with a fundraising CRM and strong data-driven orientation
Company
Rice University
Rice University is a private research university that focuses on providing undergraduate education services.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Rice University has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (113)
2024 (81)
2023 (71)
2022 (65)
2021 (82)
2020 (86)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$80.9MKey Investors
National Heart, Lung and Blood InstituteAdvanced Research Projects Agency for HealthUS Department of Energy
2024-09-19Grant
2024-08-13Grant· $18M
2023-07-27Grant
Leadership Team
Ken Medlock
James A Baker III and Susan G Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics
Kyle Judah
Executive Director, Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Lilie)
Recent News
2025-12-16
2025-12-16
2025-11-23
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