Director of Donor Relations

Job Overview

The George Washington University's Division of University Advancement (UA) is seeking a strategic and experienced Director of Donor Relations. This role plays a pivotal part in fostering a culture of philanthropy and supporting GW's mission of excellence in education, research, scholarship, and patient care. University Advancement leads the university's fundraising and alumni engagement efforts. Our work focuses on cultivating meaningful connections with alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff, corporations, foundations, patients, and friends of GW.

The Director of Donor Relations will lead the execution of a comprehensive, university-wide donor relations program that enhances donors' engagement and long-term support at all levels of giving. Donor Relations is an umbrella term encompassing four main pillars: acknowledgment, stewardship, recognition, and engagement.

The Director of Donor Relations will play a key role in developing and executing strategic activities across all four pillars, with a special emphasis on stewardship and reporting on the impact of philanthropic support. This position serves as a team leader dedicated to building strong relationships between donors and GW, ensuring that every donor feels valued, informed, and inspired to continue their support.

This position provides trusted leadership and direction to university-wide stewardship and donor relations activities in service of a best‑in‑class donor experience.

• Strategic Leadership
  • Lead a comprehensive donor reporting program for the university that communicates the impact of philanthropic support and provides critical operational support to acknowledgments, recognition, and engagement activities as directed and required.
• Operational Leadership
  • Develop and execute timely, accurate, and meaningful donor relations activities, including customized impact reports, endowed faculty installations, and donor recognition and engagement events that demonstrate the value and impact of philanthropic contributions.
• Data‑Driven Decision Making
  • Develop an annual donor reporting plan using data‑driven decision‑making and employ metrics and data analysis to allocate team resources strategically.
• Campus‑Wide Coordination
  • Oversee implementation and development of university‑wide stewardship policies and procedures.
• Team Management
  • Directly manage and mentor a team of donor relations professionals. Provide coaching and performance feedback, and oversee hiring and training to ensure a high‑performing and collaborative team environment.
• Collaboration and Compliance
  • Partner with stakeholders across the university, such as AVPs, deans, faculty, financial aid offices, and program leaders to gather data and refine input provided into donor‑optimized formats while maintaining collegial and professional working relationships with all colleagues.
• System Oversight
  • Oversee financial aid stewardship activities via the Blackbaud Award Management system GWay and work closely with the Director of Donor Fund Compliance and the Office of the Executive Vice President and Treasurer EVPT to maximize donor fund utilization in accordance with donor intent.
  • Oversee all donor impact report production and communications using the Mythos platform online survey tool to deliver a digital‑first experience for donors and fund contacts.
• Additional Duties
  • Perform other related duties as assigned. Flexibility is required as duties may evolve in response to organizational needs.

• Hold a Bachelor's degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 6 years of relevant professional experience, or a Master's degree in a relevant area of study plus 4 years of relevant experience. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

• Advanced proficiency with fundraising software, donor databases, and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel).
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi‑phase projects and successfully meet tight deadlines.
• High degree of discretion and sensitivity when handling…