Assistant Director for Donor Relations

Job Description

POSITION PURPOSE

UW Medicine Advancement has an excellent opportunity for an Assistant Director for Donor Relations to join their team

At UW Medicine, we work to improve health for all people through excellence in clinical, research, and education and training programs. As the only comprehensive clinical, research and learning health system in the five-state WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) region, UW Medicine provides the most up-to-date care for each individual patient, leads one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive medical research programs, and provides innovative learning programs for students, trainees, and practitioners in the health professions.

The passionate, 95-person team at UW Medicine Advancement works collaboratively to connect donors with meaningful opportunities to enhance patient care, expand educational opportunities and advance research at UW Medicine. UW Medicine Advancement also engages alumni of the UW School of Medicine to foster lifelong connections to the School’s mission. This inspiring, challenging and rewarding work provides team members an opportunity to grow their careers, while making a difference in people’s lives, in our community and around the world. In the 2025 fiscal year, UW Medicine Advancement raised nearly $382 million in gifts and private grants (44 percent of the University of Washington’s total) from over 30,000 donors to support the mission of UW Medicine. You can find out more about UW Medicine Advancement’s priorities and office culture on our career website: https://give.uwmedicine.org/careers/

The Assistant Director for Donor Relations (Assistant Director) is a member of the donor relations team at UW Medicine Advancement. The Donor Relations team is responsible for delivering creative and inspiring stewardship offerings to UW Medicine’s donors at all levels to illustrate how gifts have impacted the work of UW Medicine and to convey appreciation and gratitude. Team responsibilities include cultivating and stewarding long-term relationships with annual and major donors, gift acknowledgment, donor recognition, impact reporting, broad-based stewardship, coordination of faculty endowed appointments, membership management of giving clubs and stewarding donors that use UW Medicine’s health system. This position reports to the Director for Donor Relations and does not have any direct reports. 

The Assistant Director is responsible for identifying and coordinating impact reporting for areas of broad-based stewardship, ensuring donors clearly see the difference their philanthropy makes. This includes creatively showcasing the outcomes and stories that demonstrate how donor support advances UW Medicine’s mission. This role also supports management and workflow improvement of tracking endowed faculty appointments, helping to maintain accuracy and support transparency across departments. There is a strong emphasis on innovation, creativity and quality in the work of the Assistant Director.

POSITION COMPLEXITIES

• Matrixed stakeholder coordination: Navigates relationships across faculty, advancement colleague, and central University Advancement teams to align stewardship and compliance.  
• Balancing creativity with compliance: Develops compelling, donor-centered stewardship reporting while ensuring accuracy, adherence to donor intent, and institutional guidelines.
• Ambiguity in data and reporting systems: Identifies gaps in stewardship reporting and builds new efficient processes and strategies, often without fully established frameworks.
• Balancing detail and impact: Manages detailed tracking processes (e.g., endowed appointments) while ensuring the work contributes to high-quality, meaningful donor stewardship.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Partner with UW Medicine Front-Line Fundraisers (50%)

• Provide strategic leadership to front-line fundraiser teams, including regular one-on-one meetings, to strengthen donor engagement and stewardship.
• Serve as the primary liaison between fundraising staff and UW Central Advancement to ensure the creation of compliant, high-quality donor gift agreements.
• Develop and implement innovative stewardship strategies, including annual and ad hoc impact reports by coordinating content collection, copy editing, and report design.

Broad-Based Stewardship (20%)

• Develop and implement strategies for broad-based stewardship initiatives that thank, engage and report back to donors.
• Coordinate the creation and distribution of impact reports, stories, and multimedia content that creatively showcase the outcomes made possible by donor contributions.
• Assessing reporting gaps and use data to create a mid-level donor strategy for stewardship, starting with priority funds and expanding beyond.
• Partner with UW Medicine Advancement colleagues in our communications and annual philanthropy teams to enhance creation and distribution of donor stewardship.
• Collaborate with faculty, clinicians, and program leaders to gather compelling updates and results to share with donors.
• Track and assess the effectiveness of stewardship outreach, making recommendations for enhancements

Support Faculty Appointment Tracking and Stewardship (15%)

• Maintain accurate records for all named endowed and term faculty appointments, ensuring alignment with donor intent and institutional guidelines.
• Coordinate with the office of academic affairs, department chairs, faculty, and advancement staff to track appointment terms, renewals, and transitions.
• Assist in preparing recognition materials, announcements, and public communications celebrating endowed faculty appointments.

Coordinate with Central Donor Relations and Institutional Partners (15%)

The Assistant Director plays an integral role in ensuring that UW Medicine donors are well represented and stewarded. The Assistant Director regularly coordinates with colleagues in Central Donor Relations, Endowment and Donor Services, Gift Services, Departments and Programs, and our institutional partners to ensure a unique and customized experience for Medicine donors that ensures donors have a seamless experience between UW and UW Medicine.

• Coordinate with Endowments & Donor Services and Gift Services teams on gift agreements, gift acceptance processes, and fund creation.
• Collaborate with department and division administrators to communicate compliance guidelines, clarify fund usage, and address adhoc questions.
• Partner closely with faculty members and program directors to gather content for donor impact reports.

Application Requirement

This recruitment requires a cover letter.

Your application will not be considered unless you attach a cover letter

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor of Arts or Science degree in any field and three or more years of experience in an office setting working on programs and projects.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• UW Medicine values professionalism. Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner in accordance with UW Medicine Policy on Professional Conduct. An assessment of professionalism will be a factor considered in performance reviews, salary adjustments and promotion.

• Alignment with UW’s Executive Order 81 Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct which establishes the University’s standards for preventing and responding to such conduct, including compliance with applicable federal and state laws. The University is committed to fostering an environment in which all members of its community can participate fully in University programs and activities free from discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, and retaliation.
• Experience working with a variety of stakeholders including faculty, donors, senior leadership and other colleagues.
• Demonstrated project management ability, efficiency and strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to work on a team: mindfulness of deadlines, respect for varying skill sets, ability to juggle priorities, and willingness to do a variety of tasks, including administrative ones.
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills, with the ability to communicate openly, directly, and professionally to foster dialogue and resolve differences effectively.
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills, including the ability to navigate ambiguity and perform effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidence and protect confidential information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams), with the willingness and ability to learn the UW donor CRM and other proprietary systems.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working in fundraising
• Experience in philanthropy in higher education, healthcare setting, or other complex and matrixed organization.
• Experience in working with colleagues across complex and large organizations.
• Experience with InDesign

Attitudes, Behaviors and Skills We Value AT UW MEDICINE ADVANCEMENT

• Placing team goals before individual goals
• Assuming the best of intentions from faculty and colleagues
• Embracing a spirit of continuous improvement
• Focus on the highest priorities and manage time accordingly
  • Manage and improve programs independently and build ownership over time
  • Anticipate needed next steps; think through problems
  • Approach work strategically, keeping the big picture in mind
  • Address problems proactively and present potential solutions for resolution
• Learning from each other
  • Demonstrate the desire to learn new things while also meeting current position responsibilities
  • Take the time to build fluency in ALL fundraising operations
  • Be a proactive problem-solver; show resourcefulness in anticipating and addressing issues and concerns
• Demonstrating professionalism
  • Transparency: Be honest and straightforward with colleagues and donors
  • Attitude: Work with a positive and collaborative approach
  • Humility: Share credit generously; take ownership of challenges (“be generous with credit and selfish with blame”)
  • Dedication: Consistently follow through; keep your word
• Maintaining high emotional intelligence
  • Build, maintain and recover relationships with internal and external constituents
  • Partner and communicate well with supervisor and peers
  • Hone self-awareness, including the ability to admit mistakes and knowing when to correct course

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Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

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About the UW 

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.  

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Our Commitment 

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [email protected]. 

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.