The Department and role purpose:

The Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO) is responsible for coordinating philanthropy, alumni and supporter engagement, advancement services, and supporter communications on behalf of the University. DARO works with colleges, academic departments, research centres and institutes, wider student experience partners, and professional departments to engage over 200,000 alumni and supporters around the world.

The Development Team within DARO is ultimately responsible for: soliciting major and principal donations from alumni, philanthropists, corporations, trusts and foundations, and other charitable bodies; stewarding major and principal donors through reports, presentations, events and face-to-face meetings; meeting with gift beneficiaries to collate and produce gift impact reporting materials; hosting and devising engagement opportunities for existing and prospective benefactors on campus; and relationship managing high-level stakeholders on behalf of the University.

The Donor Relations function works to support frontline fundraising activity, providing prospect- and donor-facing reports and materials to facilitate the effective cultivation and stewardship of donors, and support the delivery of scholarships funded by philanthropic gifts.

Durham University is grateful to receive a significant number of major and principal donations, which make a significant impact on our university community. The Donor Relations Officer will create bespoke and general reporting and engaging events and meetings for donors to ensure they are aware of the transformative impact of their giving and our deep appreciation for their ongoing commitment to the university.

Core responsibilities

• Experienced donor relations practitioner, planning and co-ordinating of projects and work streams with inter-related activities. -
• Plan and organise own workload with or without involvement with project work streams.
• Specialist support with problem solving and query handling.
• Reactive and proactive donor relations provision with others to deliver an excellent donor experience.
• Relationship building, network participation internally and externally to build and update knowledge and skills.
• Engage with external peers and specialists to exchange knowledge and information.
• Facilitates donors and other stakeholders undertaking activities, events, project work and exhibitions.
• Interpret, curate, design and present artefacts, information and data equipment and resources to enhance the donor experience.
• Implement and monitor protocols, procedures, processes and regulations.
• Monitor and report incidents.
• Carry out more in-depth investigations, searches and research information and data to identify trends and patterns.
• Take responsibility for day to day decision making within own area of responsibility for operational aspects of donor relations activity, translating external requirements into practical application and advice.
• Implement and monitor recognised procedures to ensure compliance and meet University values of inclusion, diversity and participation.
• Contribute to business meetings, working groups and committees to promote donor relations activity and help shape service delivery and stakeholder expectations.
• Accountable for managing/maintaining financial and budget records and reconciling consumable expenditure queries.
• Involved in the purchase and return of goods and services.
• Support the capture of stewardship preferences from donors and work with colleagues to translate these into recommendations for future donor relations activity.