Stewardship Manager

Job Description:

Reporting to the Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations the Stewardship Manager manages essential functions of the Stewardship and Donor Relations program for Berklee . The primary objectives of the Stewardship and Donor Relations program are threefold: to express appreciation and delight on behalf of Berklee to our donors, to inform donors about their gift and its impact, and to strengthen connections among donors with the organization and with each other.
The Stewardship Manager is responsible for executing end-to-end management of donor giving through gift documentation, gift acknowledgment, and donor fund reporting, as set by the vision of the Director. This position will serve as the lead and expert on fund management, which will include oversight on fund allocation, reporting, distribution and usage where needed. The role is charged with enhancing the donor experience by ensuring that all gifts are structured, utilized, and reported upon in a timely manner that reflects the donor's intent and the needs of the organization. To achieve these objectives, the Stewardship Manager must collaborate effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders with heavy support of the Director. These stakeholders include Berklee program staff, donors, senior leaders, students, gift officers, vendors, and others. The candidate must be a highly organized and detail-oriented team player.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Stewardship Manager’s primary responsibilities include:

• Gift Agreements and Documentation

  • Oversee successful creation, review and approval process for donor agreements and statements of intent with Berklee Institutional Advancement (IA) gift officers and academic leaders as appropriate. Uphold strict guidelines set forth in Berklee’s Gift Acceptance Policy regarding acceptable restrictions of donor funds. 

  • Coach gift officers on these restrictions so that they are empowered to manage donor expectations early on in their gift conversations. 

  • Circulate agreement drafts to the appropriate parties on campus – including finance partners as well as program administrators -- who will administer the gift to obtain their buy-in and approval before the agreement is finalized. Store and organize signed agreements in shared and secure servers and are disseminated to appropriate campus partners.
     

• Acknowledgment and Receipting of Restricted Gifts

  • Partner with IA Advancement Services to oversee the receipt and acknowledgment of restricted gifts, and unrestricted gifts which qualify for specific recognition ensuring gifts are booked and acknowledged in a timely and accurate manner. 

  • Support workflows between IA and the Office of the President to ensure presidential acknowledgment letters are signed and sent in a timely manner, as determined by the Director and AVP.

  • Refresh acknowledgement letters throughout the year. Customize letters as needed. May draft donor correspondence for the President, Sr. Vice President for Institutional Advancement, and others as needed.

  • Partner with other S&DR colleagues, Annual Giving teammates, and gift officers on unified and creative ways to express donor appreciation beyond mailed or emailed letters.
     

• Reporting

  • Lead donor reporting efforts on the use, impact, and financial management of donor funds. Ensure reports are prepared and disseminated in a timely, consistent and accurate manner.

  • Collaborate with Stewardship and Donor Relations team members and institute/program managers across campus to obtain and edit narrative reports that celebrate what has been accomplished thanks to donor support.
     

• Fund Management

  • Partner with the Office of Student Financial Services, Finance, and others across campus to regularly audit donor funds and ensure they are utilized in accordance with donor intent.

  • Collaborate with a variety of stakeholders across campus, including program and budget managers, to ensure programmatic funds are deployed in accordance with donor intent.

  • Manage and implement Fundriver Impact software reporting in collaboration with S&DR team to streamline donor access to information. Field donor calls regarding communications from donors. 
     

• Data Management in Raiser’s Edge/NXT

  • Manage and maintain fund records, gift agreements, related donor relationship information and fund management activities in Raiser’s Edge. 

  • Develop effective reporting and dashboards that drive team deliverables and activity. 
     

• Partnering with Stewardship and Donor Relations team members on donor relations activities on behalf of all areas of Berklee (including Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Berklee Valencia, BerkleeOnline, and BerkleeNYC)

  • Assist as-needed with several donor-centric events per year, including the College’s Celebration of Scholarships Luncheon, and the Conservatory’s Named Scholarship Tea. 

  • Produce metrics and systems to monitor outcomes across all stewardship efforts with a particular focus on donor retention and quantifying stewardship outputs.

  • Participate as needed in the administration of the institution’s donor recognition efforts, including donor signage, giving societies, and honor rolls.

  • Creatively and authentically seek ways to welcome and engage all donors, especially those whose participation in philanthropy has not historically been centered.
     

• Other duties as assigned, including but not limited to:

  • Assembling supporting research and materials for leadership and/or gift officers as needed in advance of donor/prospect meetings. 

MINIMUM JOB QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Bachelor's degree required. 

• A minimum of 5-7 years of relevant experience in managing a complex database at an educational institution, arts organization, non-profit, or equivalent. 

• Advanced working knowledge of Raisers Edge NXT or similar fundraising database. 

• Working knowledge of Fundriver Impact fund reporting module or similar web based fund reporting platform. Working knowledge of ReceipterPro or similar receipt/acknowledgement software. 

• Must possess knowledge of fundraising principles and practices. 

• Maintains a highly professional demeanor with the ability to interact effectively with staff, board members, donors, vendors and other stakeholders. 

• Is a thoughtful and effective communicator with the ability to be extremely well-organized while balancing several tasks. 

• Must demonstrate exceptional attention to detail and the ability to work independently with minimal editorial oversight.
   

KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED:

• Understanding of the fundamentals of philanthropy and the donor lifecycle.

• Demonstrated ability to understand financial information, reports and concepts.

• Proficiency in the use and understanding of relational databases.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

The Stewardship Manager manages multiple external vendors. May supervise student employees.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
This position is “hybrid” with an expectation that the employee will typically be onsite in the office 3 days per week, and remote 2 days. Some nights and weekends may be required.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee:

We support an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance. Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to make lasting change through our actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at [email protected] or call 617-747-2375.

Berklee is committed to increasing the diversity of our institution, community, and the curriculum. Candidates who can contribute to that goal are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths in this area.

*Currently enrolled Berklee students are not permitted to apply for staff or faculty positions.*

Employee Type:Staff