Donor Relations Specialist

Join the team shaping the future of Concordia College! Concordia College invites a strategic, detail-oriented, and mission-driven professional to serve as the Donor Relations Specialist within the Office of Advancement, the office responsible for all Development work and Alumni Engagement. You will play a vital part in honoring the generosity of Concordia’s most significant donors by ensuring their gifts are stewarded with accuracy, depth, excellence, and heart. Working primarily behind the scenes, you will lead both the strategy and execution of high-touch stewardship efforts, equipping Major Gift Officers with clear and compelling materials that help individual donors clearly see the impact and legacy of their philanthropy and feel deeply connected to Concordia’s mission. You would get to spend your days ensuring gratitude is embedded in everything we do! The ideal candidate is likely a skilled project manager and impact-driven storyteller with an eye for the bigger strategic vision who thrives in a values-driven, collaborative, and joyful culture. This role is ripe for an individual with proven, transferrable skill sets from a variety of industries. As part of a high-performing Advancement team, under the leadership of a visionary, high-energy new president and new vice president for advancement, you’ll play a critical role in inspiring donors to help advance Concordia’s mission to influence the affairs of the world through our students and alumni. What You’ll Do: Lead High-Touch Stewardship Strategy and Implementation – Envision and coordinate a stewardship plan for Concordia’s most significant donors, ensuring donors are honored for their generosity and where their philanthropic impact is clearly communicated through meaningful touch points, reporting, and storytelling. Serve as a Strategic Stewardship Partner - Create curated, personalized stewardship materials, equipping Development staff to demonstrate individual donor impact and foster strong relationships and long-term philanthropy. Oversee Capital Project and Named Scholarship Recognition and Stewardship – Lead donor recognition efforts for capital building projects, including naming coordination, recognition planning, and follow-up acknowledgment aligned with donor agreements and institutional standards. Oversee the annual named scholarship thank-you process, ensuring donors see the tangible difference they make through their generosity. Direct Gift Agreements and Acknowledgements – Oversee the full gift agreement process from initial drafting through execution, partnering with the donor, Development staff, and the Business Office to ensure donor intent is clearly aligned, approved, and reflected in documentation, reporting, fund management and stewardship. Transform traditionally transactional pieces into high-quality, impact-focused stewardship communications that reinforce trust, gratitude, and confidence in Concordia’s impact. Why This Role Matters The Donor Relations Specialist ensures Concordia’s most significant gifts and donor commitments are honored and stewarded with excellence. By focusing on strategy, building repeatable processes, donor intent, and long-term trust, this role strengthens donor confidence, supports major gifts stewardship, and lays the groundwork for sustained philanthropic partnerships. Reporting to the Director of Advancement Services, the Donor Relations Specialist also works consistently and collaboratively with the Director of Development, Director of Annual Giving, and their teams. This individual is a self-starting, innovative professional with strong interpersonal skills and equally strong attention to detail with a commitment to creating touchpoints that drive and steward lifelong philanthropy, engagement, affinity and pride for Concordia College. Ideal candidates may come from a variety of backgrounds industries, such as: Donor Relations or Advancement Services – Experience stewarding major gifts, endowed or restricted funds, gift agreements, or fund reporting, with a strong appreciation for donor intent, accuracy, and long-term relationship-building. Project Management or Strategic Operations – Background managing complex workflows, ensuring consistency across processes, and supporting cross-functional partners with high-quality materials, structure, timelines and guidance. Communications, Marketing, or Storytelling – Experience developing impact-focused communications or relationship-centered content that helps audiences understand value, outcomes, and purpose. Financial Services, Trusts, or Foundations – Experience with fund stewardship, reporting, donor or client intent, and long-term relationship management. Mission-Driven Organizations – Work in higher education, nonprofit, or values-based environments where trust, stewardship, and accountability are essential. Questions: Contact Director of Advancement Services, Brent Johnson at [email protected].