Donor Relations Officer, Annual Giving

The Donor Relations Officer, Annual Giving develops impact communications and donor experiences that demonstrate the impact of philanthropy, strengthen donor engagement, and support retention. The office plays a vital role in nurturing the relationship between the College and its annual donors. The position is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing a stewardship program that acknowledges, recognizes and celebrates annual donors, including first-time donors and loyal consecutive-year donors.
With support from the Manager of Donor Communications and Stewardship, create and distribute compelling impact reports highlighting financial aid/scholarships, Life and Career Design (Experiential Learning Opportunities), Athletics, and other key annual college priorities.
Manage logistics, communications and benefits for the College’s annual giving societies and loyalty programs, including the 1834 Society and Mary Lyon Leadership Society. Collaborate with Advancement Marketing and Communications to draft inspiring stewardship content, including newsletters, impact videos, web features, and social media spotlight pieces
Coordinate student scholarship recipient testimonials in conjunction with the Donor Relations Officer, Leadership Giving. Monitor donor retention and engagement trends to evaluate stewardship effectiveness and identify opportunities to strengthen donor loyalty
Plan and execute small to mid-sized donor appreciation events for key donors as part of the College’s broader campaign priorities. Produce financial activity reports in conjuction with the Donor Relations Officer, Leadership Giving

Bachelor’s Degree and 1-3 years related experience experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
General understanding of the donor lifecycle, annual giving societies, loyalty programs, and higher education campaign priorities.Proficiency in advancement databases (e.g., Raiser’s Edge) to track donor activity, query data, and monitor retention metrics. Knowledge of endowment fund structures, restricted vs. unrestricted funds, financial activity statements, and scholarship administration.
End-to-end knowledge of event planning, catering logistics, vendor contracts, and VIP donor protocol for small to mid-sized events.

Exceptional written and visual storytelling skills across various mediums, including impact reports, newsletters, video scripts, web copy, and social media.

Ability to evaluate stewardship program effectiveness, calculate donor retention rates, interpret financial activity, and present actionable quarterly reports to leadership.

Strong organizational ability to handle multiple overlapping publication schedules, student testimonial collections, and donor events simultaneously.

Skill in interviewing student scholarship recipients to draw out compelling testimonials, and collaborating effectively across teams (Advancement Marketing, Leadership Giving, Annual Giving).

Ability to work seamlessly with cross-departmental partners (e.g., Student Support Services/Financial Aid, Athletics, the Life and Career Design Institute) to gather impact data.

High degree of tact when handling sensitive financial data, donor records, and student information.

Meticulous accuracy in donor recognition lists, society benefits fulfillment, and individual financial reporting.

Ability to work with limited supervision to improve stewardship workflows and anticipate leadership reporting needs.
Expected Travel: 1 – 3 times per year

Performs all other duties and responsibilities as assigned or directed by the supervisor. This may include attendance of and participation in required training for role.

Intermediate level of proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite including InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop and also with the following Communications Platforms – MyEmma and Advancement Systems (e.g. Raiser’s Edge NXT).

To attract and retain the most talented individuals, Wheaton College maintains a flexible and competitive staff compensation and benefits program.
When determining and establishing hiring rates or recruitment ranges for a position, the College considers a number of factors including the budget for the position, the range of the grade, the external market for the position or similar positions, level and scope of responsibilities, required education, skills and relevant experience as well as internal equity. All salary offers must have the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources.
The anticipated hiring or recruitment range for this position is $60-$65K. The actual salary offered will be commensurate with the qualifications, education and experience of the candidate hired.

Sitting, repetitive hand motion (such as typing), hearing, listening, talking and standing.Office environment/no specific or unusual physical or environmental demands.

Wheaton College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, or disability. In a continuing effort to maintain and enrich an intellectually diverse learning environment, the Department and the College actively encourages applications from women and members of underrepresented groups.
Wheaton’s core belief is that valuing diversity is pivotal to personal development, intellectual expansion, and societal equity. Our community is united by a shared dedication to equity and access that is essential to providing a transformative education in the Liberal Arts and Sciences.