Special Instructions to Applicants: Rice University has retained Lindauer, an executive search firm, to assist in this search. Consideration of candidates will continue until the position is filled. Candidates should submit, in confidence, a resume and cover letter. Communications, nominations, applications, and inquiries concerning this search should be directed to Raegan Harvey, Senior Consultant, rharvey@lindauerglobal.com, and Alex Barber, Senior Consultant, abarber@lindauerglobal.com.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name -- RICE -- Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

The Development and Alumni Relations Division (DAR) at Rice University seeks an experienced and creative leader for the position of Executive Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship. As an integral part of DAR, the Executive Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship works to foster lasting relationships between the university and its benefactors, promoting positive attitudes toward giving among current and prospective donors.

This position is responsible for the strategic development and implementation of a high performing, comprehensive, campus-wide donor relations program, in collaboration with the DAR Working Group and Leadership Teams. The position will focus on executing a comprehensive donor relations program designed to increase donor satisfaction and retention to drive fundraising growth; creating and maintaining a positive and professional relationship between the university and its donors, alumni, and constituents; collaborating with various DAR units to determine effective gift stewardship strategies; and elevating the overall giving experience.

The Executive Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship manages a staff of professionals with responsibilities for acknowledgments, impact and scholarship reporting, donor recognition, and principal gift donor engagement. This position provides recommendations to DAR and University leadership on stewardship and donor relations to develop strategic direction, determine priorities, and initiate and monitor the performance of efforts consistent with those priorities. The Executive Director, Donor Relations will provide data-informed recommendations to leadership and fundraisers about donor recognition and experiences, develop collaborative reporting approaches with fundraising teams, and work to ensure all donors experience gratitude and understand the impact of their giving. This position also has responsibility for conceptualizing and overseeing execution of initiatives that reach principal gift prospects and helps to elevate Rice's reputation among potential and existing donors.

The ideal candidate is a highly collaborative leader and strategic thinker with a demonstrated track record and the proven ability to create and implement a successful and effective large-scale program.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree with a major in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, and/or Business
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis
• 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
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis

Skills:

• 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

Preferences:

• 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

Essential Functions:

• Drives Donor Relations and Stewardship strategies for DAR:
  • 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.
• Donor Experience:
  • 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.
• Personnel Management:
  • 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.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Additional Functions:

• 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.
  • Faculty - with a focus on expressing philanthropic impact to donors.
  • Staff - to train and oversee their work and to establish priorities.
  • 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.
  • Rice University fundraising colleagues - to provide support and partnership in the cultivation, solicitation and retention of all donors.
  • Peers/professional organizations - to obtain advice and counsel on options being considered for programs.

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University's Human Resources Office via email at facstaffada@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.