Assistant/Associate Director Of Stewardship

Covid Vaccination is a requirement for employment at Jefferson for employees working at Jefferson’s clinical entities or at the University. If you are not currently vaccinated you will be required to receive the vaccination prior to hire date if you are offered employment, unless you request and receive an approved medical or religious exemption from Jefferson.

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

The Assistant/Associate Director of Stewardship assists with implementing donor-centric stewardship activities in support of the goals of the Office of Institutional Advancement at Jefferson. The Stewardship team manages high volume reporting and communication in a fast-paced environment. Joining a team of five members, the Assistant/Associate Director of Stewardship reports to the Director of Stewardship and is responsible for overseeing Jefferson’s scholarship stewardship program. This individual will have writing and project management responsibilities with primary focus on creating personalized reports and acknowledgement letters to strengthen donor confidence, ensure donors feel connected to Jefferson, and increase donor satisfaction and retention. The Assistant/Associate Director will be a highly organized and collaborative individual who is quintessential to the team’s relationships with donors, students, and colleagues throughout Jefferson. The Assistant/Associate Director will prioritize the impact of scholarships and think innovatively to maximize the program’s effectiveness.

Level at hire is flexible based on candidate experience. We will consider candidates both at the Assistant Director and Associate Director levels.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Using keen attention to detail, develop, implement, and oversee a strategic scholarship stewardship program focusing on financial aid, to ensure that donors are recognized and thanked for their support on a consistent basis, with meaningful connection to their impact.
• With superior writing and storytelling skills, write and produce personalized reports and acknowledgement letters in a timely manner.
• Experience and interest in leveraging technology in various aspects of stewardship with a focus on donor-centric practices.
• Serve as the primary liaison with Jefferson’s Office of Financial Aid and other relevant departments, partnering to ensure scholarships are awarded and stewarded in a way that aligns with the donors’ requests.
• Build relationships and processes with Jefferson’s Office of Financial Aid to track and troubleshoot awarding and identify areas of improvement.
• Help identify students to participate in donor-related events and reports, and prepare students appropriately for their participation.
• Work collaboratively with Gift Officers and Clinical/Research Partners to write and produce reports for gifts supporting Jefferson’s clinical, educational, and research initiatives and programs via endowment, current use, and capital gifts.
• Work to ensure scholarship stewardship procedures are appropriately documented and shared.
• Interacts with co-workers, visitors, and other staff consistent with the values of Jefferson.

2-4+ years of development, communications, and/or stewardship and donor relations experience, preferably in higher education, at a research university, or in healthcare. 3-5+ years of direct or related experience required for Associate Director level.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups including senior-level executives, students, faculty, clinicians, administrators, and other colleagues throughout Jefferson.
• Strong initiative and problem-solving skills to work effectively in a large, complex and growing organization, and a strong desire to create a “best-in-class” stewardship program.
• Proven ability to manage multiple deadlines and projects successfully.
• Highly motivated to learn and grow, and flexible to change.
• Adept at analyzing and applying technology to projects to streamline processes and a commitment to continuous process improvements. Direct experience implementing new technology or with technology-related projects highly desirable.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications and database management (Raiser’s Edge or a comparable relationship management system)
• Data management experience and skills.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Highest standards of confidentiality of information regarding donors, students, and patients.
• Understanding of fundraising principles, including both gift and endowed fund accounting principles.
• Superior writing, editing, proofreading and oral communication skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• This position is approved for a hybrid schedule with the opportunity for some work from home, but interested candidates must be able and willing to work onsite at our Center City office as needed.
• Candidates must be able and willing to work occasional nights and weekends to attend key events.
• Cover letter and one writing sample required with application.

Jefferson includes Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, a dynamic university and health system with broad reach across the Delaware Valley. Jefferson is the second largest employer in Philadelphia and the largest health system in Philadelphia based on total licensed beds.

Through the merger of Thomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia University in 2017, our University includes ten colleges and four schools. We are an NCAA Division II university and an R2 national doctoral university offering undergraduate and graduate-level programs that provide students with a forward-thinking education in architecture, business, design, engineering, fashion and textiles, health, medicine and social science.

Jefferson Health, the clinical arm of Thomas Jefferson University, has grown from a three-hospital academic health center in 2015, to an 18-hospital health system through mergers and combinations that include hospitals at Abington Health, Aria Health, Kennedy Health, Magee Rehabilitation and Einstein Healthcare Network. We have over 50 outpatient and urgent care centers; ten Magnet®-designated hospitals (recognized by the ANCC for nursing excellence); the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (one of only 70 in the country and one of only two in the region); and one of the largest faculty-based telehealth networks in the country. In 2021, Jefferson Health became the sole owner of HealthPartners Plan, a not-for-profit health maintenance organization in Southeastern Pennsylvania. We are the first health system regionally to create an aligned payer-provider partnership.

Jefferson’s mission, vision and values create an organization that attracts the best and the brightest students, faculty, staff, and healthcare professionals, as well as the most visionary leaders to drive exceptional results.

• OUR MISSION: We improve lives.
• OUR VISION: Reimagining health, education and discovery to create unparalleled value
• OUR VALUES: Put People First, Be Bold & Think Differently and Do the Right Thing

As an employer, Jefferson maintains a commitment to provide equal access to employment. Jefferson values diversity and encourages applications from women, members of minority groups, LGBTQ individuals, disabled individuals, and veterans.