The OSU Foundation leads fundraising and engagement efforts for Oregon State University. The goal of the stewardship team is to delight donors at all levels and inspire their increased commitment and giving to OSU over their lifetimes. The team is responsible for effectively acknowledging and recognizing donor gifts and for demonstrating the impact of giving. The team balances standardized and segmented activities with more customized stewardship for higher-level donors.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Stewardship, the Coordinator for Stewardship works collaboratively across the Foundation and university to demonstrate appreciation to donors and illustrate the impact of their gifts. Responsibilities include executing a broad range of stewardship activities, including coordinating and executing the OSU Foundation’s donor acknowledgment process and providing administrative support to the Foundation’s stewardship team.

Work Location

The work location for this position is the OSU Foundation Office in Corvallis, Oregon.

Key Partners – The key working relationships for this position include:

• Writers in the Marketing and Communications department
• Development officers and other administrative assistants in the Foundation
• Finance, Gift Administration, and Advancement Services staff
• OSU administrative staff who support university leaders and program directors

Measures of Success

• Produces timely and accurate acknowledgments (thank-you letters) to donors
• Provide prompt administrative support to help the Stewardship team achieve its goals
• Proactively refines, improves, and takes ownership of complex business processes

Major Duties

Stewardship Activities

Coordinate the OSU Foundation’s donor acknowledgment system. This includes maintaining the accuracy and timeliness of thank-you letters to all donors; drafting letters to donors acknowledging their support of OSU; updating thank-you letter templates every quarter; analyzing daily gift reports and monthly transaction journals; conducting research into donors’ gifts and university affiliations; preparing customized mailings to groups of donors with significant variable data; and conducting training sessions and supporting administrative assistants at the Foundation and across campus using the acknowledgment letter report available in CRM.

Execute the OSU Foundation’s weekly In Memory of and In Honor of process, notifying the appropriate contact of gifts made in memory or honor of an individual.

Review gift reports to ensure records are accurate and up to date,

Prepare and send quarterly communication, i.e., Thank you letters and other acknowledgments for the CEO to selected donors in the 1868 and Harris Society gift club,

Support the Director of Stewardship with the gift agreement tracking process.

Collect meaningful information and messages of gratitude from campus partners and beneficiaries about the impact of donor-funded programs and the impact of philanthropy at the university and organize into the appropriate templated formats to share with donors.

Monitor contact and other standing reports for key donors' milestone life events (birthdays, anniversaries, donor wellness) and provide support to efforts for appropriate outreach from Foundation and university leaders by ordering flowers or food and sending other mementos,

Project Management & Administrative Support

Provide exceptional and courteous customer service to key partners, colleagues, and internal/external customers of the Foundation, including donors, volunteers, campus partners, etc.

Share ideas and implement changes for streamlining processes and increasing efficiencies.

Enter contact reports and other updates into the Foundation’s alumni/donor database.

Request donor lists and routine gift reports, verify and reformat data for presentation.

Serve as the first point of contact for donors and campus colleagues seeking assistance from the stewardship team.

Schedule meetings, draft meeting agendas, take notes and assign follow-up tasks.

Support Foundation-hosted stewardship activities and events, as well as university opportunities for engaging donors by attending and tracking RSVPs, greeting guests at check-in, shuttling donors, etc.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Comprehensive knowledge of:

• Microsoft Office products, especially Excel, for the generation of merge letters with complex variable data and the analysis and presentation of data
• Project management, organizational skills, and implementing efficient business systems
• Data management
• The rules of syntax and grammar and other standards of business communication

Demonstrated skills in:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for both internal and to external audiences
• Exceptional organizational skills in planning and prioritizing multiple deadline-driven projects
• Excellent phone and email skills for communicating the purpose and details of requests to internal and external partners
• Learning new software programs

Demonstrated ability to:

• Work in a high-paced deadline-driven environment
• Complete tasks independently, in a timely and accurate fashion
• Pay attention to detail
• Extend exceptional and courteous customer service to all internal and external constituents
• Handle interpersonal relationships maturely, thoughtfully, and empathetically, including the ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Eagerly learn and master new software, databases, and digital technologies
• Maintain the highest level of discretion and confidentiality at all times

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and three years of experience as an administrative assistant or related administrative experience using similar knowledge, skills, or abilities. Education and experience equivalencies will be considered. Candidates must possess a valid driver’s license as this position is expected to travel to off-site locations during some evenings and weekends to assist with events and other donor activities.

Core Values

We strive to be one of the best places to work in the country. We know that the success of the Foundation depends, in large part, on the people who carry out our mission. It’s what we do―and how we do it―that makes the difference. The Foundation’s core values reflect our approach to work and to each another, and we are committed to conduct consistent with these values:

collaborative · responsible · respectful · inclusive · innovative