Job Details

Director, Donor Relations & Experiences

Position Number: 6504526
Location: Orlando, FL
Position Type: Development and Fund Raising

Director, Donor Relations & Experiences

Position Number: SE1644.00000
Job Type: Staff
FT/PT: Full Time
Employee Class Description: P1-Staff exempt

General Position Description:
This position is responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of a donor relations program, including gift acknowledgment, gift stewardship, donor recognition and donor engagement to advance the foundation's fundraising goals.
The Director will develop and implement strategies to sustain and deepen donor relationships. Exercises discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance daily.

Grade: 2038
Exemption Status: Exempt
Posting Number: S3475P
Primary Work Location:
If multiple locations, what are the other locations:
Proposed Work Schedule (please note hours subject to change based on business needs):
Number of Vacancies: 1
Posting Start Date: 08/22/2025
Posting End Date: 9/16/2025
Open Until Filled: No
Temporary Position (Temp or Grant Funded Details):
Salary Range: $79,726 - $100,454

Essential Job Functions:

1. Provides leadership and expertise to create, implement, and assess a comprehensive donor relations plan in support of fundraising goals for the college.

2. Creates and oversees a donor relations matrix that includes a communications and recognition plan to illustrate the impact of donors gifts: endowment reports, impact reports, personalized messages, and content that supports donor retention and growth.

3. Develops and maintains an annual calendar of communications and reporting activities to ensure regular and meaningful touchpoints with donors to maintain their engagement over time.

4. Utilizes donor database system to stay informed on gift agreements and ensure that the donor philanthropy follows college policy. Serves as a point of contact to ensure the college also remains in compliance with donor intention.

5. Plans and executes donor recognition events, such as the Presidents Circle reception, scholarship recipient luncheons/dinners, campus tours, milestone celebrations, and small donor cultivation/stewardship events.

6. Works closely with the finance team, scholarship team, and other college departments to collect and compile relevant data and student stories to demonstrate the outcomes of donor investments.

7. Leads all gift acknowledgment processes according to best practices, including receipts, thank you letters, pledge statements and stewardship reports.

8. Collaborates with foundation leadership to identify stewardship priorities, goals, and activities. Oversees the implementation and evaluation of stewardship initiatives.

9. Leads special donor experiences that highlight the impact of their giving, such as invitation to college and campus events, meetings with college leadership and student scholarship recipients.

10. Collaborates with the marketing team to develop compelling collateral and digital materials (videos, newsletters, emails, etc.) that demonstrate impactful giving.

11. Hires, supervises, and trains assigned employees ensuring compliance with applicable rules, laws, and guidelines. Completes annual performance development process according to college policy. Supports and encourages professional development and growth of the teams skills and performance.

12. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Minimum Education:
Bachelor's Degree from a regionally accredited institution, or any equivalent combination of related education, training, and/or experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Field of Study:

Other Required Qualifications:
Four years of experience in donor relations, stewardship, or a related role.

Required License/Certification:

Preferred Education & Field of Study:
Nonprofit management, Communications, Marketing, or a related field.

Preferred Type of Experience:
Experience in higher education or nonprofit sector.

Experience with executing donor recognition events.

Preferred Licenses/Certification:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Ability to build meaningful relationships with donors, students, faculty, and Foundation leadership.

Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a talent for storytelling and making complex information accessible and engaging.

Strong attention to detail in event planning, donor recognition, and reporting.

Ability to work independently and in a collaborative environment.

Commitment to advancing Valencia College's mission through impactful donor stewardship and engagement.

Ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, budgets plan events with attention to detail.

Knowledge in CRM systems and donor databases.

General Working Conditions:
This job primarily operates in a professional office environment. The employee will routinely operate standard office equipment including but not limited to computers, keyboards, mouse, phones, photocopiers, printers, scanners, filing cabinets and fax machines. While performing the duties of this job, the noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.

Typical physical competencies include but are not limited to frequently remaining stationary, moving, reaching, positioning self and occasionally ascending/descending, lifting/moving objects weighing between 5-15 pounds. This job also entails frequently communicating, discerning and exchanging information, detecting and perceiving objects up close, at a distance, and the ability to adjust focus. Cognitive abilities include but are not limited to frequently using discretion, judgment, reasoning, memory, learning, maintaining confidentiality, comprehension, problem solving, and decision-making.

The typical work environment, physical and cognitive demands listed above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The College has a process to identify and make available reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Job Specific Working Conditions:
Must be able to travel locally on a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, as needed.

Diversity Statement:

To apply, visit https://valenciacollege.peopleadmin.com/postings/40297