Association Director – Development and Stakeholder Engagement

Role Overview

• Assist in the development and execution of fundraising and stakeholder engagement strategies that support Division priorities.
• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors and develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans.
• Conduct donor visits and stakeholder meetings independently and in partnership with Division leadership, the Director, and Unit Heads.
• Identify, research, qualify, and cultivate prospective donors, foundations, corporations, and other funding partners.
• Participate directly in fundraising solicitations and gift discussions.
• Prepare proposals, gift agreements, briefing materials, presentations, donor correspondence, and reports.
• Coordinate donor stewardship activities, including acknowledgments, impact reporting, donor recognition, and ongoing engagement.
• Schedule and coordinate donor meetings, cultivation activities, travel, and related logistics.
• Plan and support fundraising events, donor recognition programs, and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Maintain accurate records of donor interactions, fundraising activities, and prospect management within the Division's constituent relationship management systems.
• Collaborate with Division leadership, faculty, and staff to identify funding opportunities and develop compelling cases for support.
• Respond to inquiries regarding philanthropic opportunities and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
• Assist with capital campaigns, strategic fundraising initiatives, and special projects as assigned.
• Represent the Division professionally with donors, elected officials, industry leaders, foundations, alumni, and other external stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
• Three years of professional experience in fundraising, development, external relations, sales, customer service, stakeholder engagement, or a closely related field.
• Experience cultivating and maintaining relationships with donors, stakeholders, clients, or external partners.
• Experience working with advisory boards or stakeholder groups.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite applications.
• Understanding of fundraising principles, donor engagement strategies, and development operations.
• Three years of experience in higher education, nonprofit, or advancement fundraising (preferred).
• Three years of experience managing donor, customer, or stakeholder relationships (preferred).
• Three years of experience writing professional correspondence, proposals, reports, or donor communications (preferred).
• Three years of experience planning, coordinating, or supporting special events (preferred).
• Three years of experience working with a constituent relationship management (CRM) platform or donor database (preferred).
• Experience using Workday Enterprise Management Cloud (preferred).
• Experience working in fundraising, development, or external relations within Arkansas (preferred).

Tech Stack

• Cloud

Benefits

• Health insurance
• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off
• Professional development opportunities