Donor and Legacies Officer

Working Arrangements

Hybrid. The standard requirement across the University is that at least three days per week(based on 1

FTE) will be spent working on-site (with flexibility as appropriate).

Learning and Teaching Building, 49 Richmond Street, Glasgow

Are you passionate about building meaningful relationships and creating lasting impact through philanthropy? The University of Strathclyde is seeking a dynamic and experienced Donor Experience and Legacies Officer to lead stewardship and engagement for our major donors, scholarship supporters, and legacy pledgers.

This is a unique opportunity to shape donor journeys across multiple giving areas - from transformative scholarships and legacy gifts to major donations supporting research and teaching. You’ll work closely with inspiring students, academics, and colleagues across the University to deliver compelling donor communications, events, and impact reports that celebrate generosity and deepen engagement.

If you’re a creative communicator, strategic thinker, and relationship builder with a flair for storytelling and donor cultivation, we’d love to hear from you.

• To lead and deliver donor stewardship and engagement strategies for major gifts (donor gifts of £100k+), scholarships(UG and PG), and legacy giving. This includes creating compelling donor communications, managing cultivation events, and developing stewardship plans that support repeat giving and long-term relationships.
• Major Gifts:
  Support the cultivation and stewardship of donors giving £100k–£1M+, including designing and delivering bespoke impact reports for major donors, organizing donor meetings, campus visits and events in collaboration with the Major Gifts team.
• Scholarships:
  Support the development of and delivery of our scholarship fundraising strategy, including producing promotional materials and annual donor reports. Liaise with colleagues across the University to ensure effective scholarship delivery and reporting.
• Legacy Giving:
  Lead the development of a new legacy stewardship strategy, including the introduction of a new giving circle for legacy pledgers, conducting face-to-face meetings with potential legacy donors and creating promotional content and opportunities.
• Alumni Fund:
  Contributing to Giving Day and Alumni Fund Board activities. Support mass donor communications and stewardship initiatives.
• Team Leadership:
  Line management of the Development Assistant and deputising for the Individual Giving Manager when required.

1. Support the development of the scholarships and legacies fundraising strategy, working closely with the Individual Giving Manager to deliver agreed goals.

2. Work closely with the Major Gifts team to account manage high-quality, personalized donor stewardship plans for the University’s most significant major donors (£100k+ level) that demonstrate to donors the real difference their support makes, fostering meaningful, long-term relationships.

3. Create engaging, bespoke donor impact reports, particularly for scholarships and major gift campaigns; researching and collating project information and working closely with academic colleagues, students, and the fundraising team.

4. Implement and develop a robust legacy giving strategy, including the creation of a legacy giving circle and delivering a proactive programme of events, promotional activities (across social media, website platforms and direct mail) and through donor visits and meetings.

5. Conduct face-to-face meetings which result in asks for legacy gifts to the University (raising on average c £300k from new pledges annually) and conduct meetings to steward current legacy pledgers.

6. Organise events (campus visits, meetings, small lunches, receptions and dinners) to involve legacy pledgers, scholarship donors and major donors in the work of the University and their donor-supported programmes.

7. Support Alumni Fund activities for regular donors, stewarding donors to the student telethon, Giving Day, online and direct mail appeals through annual donor impact reporting.

8. Negotiating formal gift agreements between the University and legacy pledgers when necessary, ensuring donors’ wishes can be met and the University’s responsibilities are clearly defined.

9. Manage the Development Assistant post, which provides administrative support across the Individual Giving and Major Gift fundraising teams.

10. Represent the Alumni & Development Office professionally across the University and beyond. You’ll contribute to team planning, attend meetings, and support wider departmental goals.

11. Any other duties as may be required, and which are appropriate to the grade and role of the post holder. This is a varied and rewarding role in donor stewardship and legacy fundraising.

Donor Experience and Legacies Officer (769215)