Catawba College
Director of Donor Engagement
Catawba College, Salisbury, North Carolina, United States, 28147
3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants
The Director of Donor Engagement serves as a strategic leader in cultivating meaningful relationships with donors while ensuring exceptional stewardship of endowed funds and scholarship programs. This role combines relationship management with operational excellence, overseeing scholarship administration and leading key advancement staff to drive institutional impact and reach.
Donor Stewardship & Engagement
Develop and implement comprehensive stewardship strategies that nurture long‑term donor relationships and demonstrate tangible impact
Create personalized engagement plans for major gift prospects and committed donors
Lead donor recognition programs that celebrate philanthropic investment and community connection
Coordinate donor communications, events, and cultivation activities that strengthen institutional bonds
Share responsibility for planning and executing stewardship events at Catawba College, ensuring meaningful donor experiences
Oversee production of the annual Honor Roll of Donors publication, ensuring accuracy and compelling presentation of the philanthropic community
Develop annual stewardship reports that showcase fund impact through compelling storytelling and concrete results
Create comprehensive policies and procedures for scholarship and endowment administration
Oversee all aspects of endowed scholarship administration post‑commitment, ensuring accurate award distribution and compliance with donor intent
Prepare and distribute annual endowment statements to fund holders, highlighting student impact and fund performance
Manage award management software systems, maintaining data integrity and generating comprehensive reports
Create meaningful opportunities for scholarship stewardship from students to donors.
Serve as primary liaison with Financial Aid Office, ensuring seamless scholarship processing and student communication
Leadership & Team Management
Collaborate with advancement team members to align donor engagement strategies with institutional priorities
Lead cross‑functional teams in implementing donor stewardship best practices
Qualifications Required
Minimum 5 years of advancement experience with demonstrated success in donor relations and stewardship
Experience with scholarship administration and endowment management
Strong analytical skills with experience in database management and reporting
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
About Catawba Founded in 1851 in Newton, North Carolina, Catawba was started by German pioneers who had traveled from eastern Pennsylvania to settle in the valleys of the Haw, Yadkin, and Catawba Rivers. In 1890, Catawba became a coeducational institution and the first woman graduate completed her studies in 1893. In 1925, Catawba moved and re‑opened to its current location in Salisbury, NC, which is about 45 minutes from Greensboro, Winston‑Salem, and Charlotte, two hours from the mountains, and four hours from the beaches.
Today, Catawba College has 41 buildings on 276 wooded acres on a residential campus. Catawba is known for its 189 acre on‑campus ecological preserve. Ranked as one of the best colleges in the south, Catawba offers 70 academic majors to approximately 1,300 students representing 34 U.S. states and 19 foreign countries. Students are instructed by nearly 90 full‑time faculty, more than 83% of whom hold the highest degree in their field.
Catawba provides an education focused on an institutional philosophy of a liberal education, which entails a broad range of knowledge, intellectual and practical skills, and individual and social responsibility fostered and developed in all academic programs. Catawba is a learning community that provides students unique opportunities to explore vocation, helping students to consider their calling, their passions, and their purpose as they prepare to reach their highest potential. Catawba’s mission is to provide “students an education rich in personal attention that blends the knowledge and competencies of liberal studies with career preparation” and to enable “students to reach their highest potential while becoming responsible citizens.” More information about Catawba College is located at
www.catawba.edu .
Application Process
A letter of application;
Resume or Curriculum Vitae; and
Contact information for three (3) professional references.
Catawba College is an equal opportunity employer. As such, Catawba is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status, unless allowed by law and deemed necessary to Catawba operations. Candidates must successfully pass a background check and drug screening before employment begins, and Catawba complies with all federal, state, and local laws governing non‑discrimination.
Seniority level Mid‑Senior level
Employment type Full‑time
Job function Business Development and Sales
Industries Higher Education
#J-18808-Ljbffr
The Director of Donor Engagement serves as a strategic leader in cultivating meaningful relationships with donors while ensuring exceptional stewardship of endowed funds and scholarship programs. This role combines relationship management with operational excellence, overseeing scholarship administration and leading key advancement staff to drive institutional impact and reach.
Donor Stewardship & Engagement
Develop and implement comprehensive stewardship strategies that nurture long‑term donor relationships and demonstrate tangible impact
Create personalized engagement plans for major gift prospects and committed donors
Lead donor recognition programs that celebrate philanthropic investment and community connection
Coordinate donor communications, events, and cultivation activities that strengthen institutional bonds
Share responsibility for planning and executing stewardship events at Catawba College, ensuring meaningful donor experiences
Oversee production of the annual Honor Roll of Donors publication, ensuring accuracy and compelling presentation of the philanthropic community
Develop annual stewardship reports that showcase fund impact through compelling storytelling and concrete results
Create comprehensive policies and procedures for scholarship and endowment administration
Oversee all aspects of endowed scholarship administration post‑commitment, ensuring accurate award distribution and compliance with donor intent
Prepare and distribute annual endowment statements to fund holders, highlighting student impact and fund performance
Manage award management software systems, maintaining data integrity and generating comprehensive reports
Create meaningful opportunities for scholarship stewardship from students to donors.
Serve as primary liaison with Financial Aid Office, ensuring seamless scholarship processing and student communication
Leadership & Team Management
Collaborate with advancement team members to align donor engagement strategies with institutional priorities
Lead cross‑functional teams in implementing donor stewardship best practices
Qualifications Required
Minimum 5 years of advancement experience with demonstrated success in donor relations and stewardship
Experience with scholarship administration and endowment management
Strong analytical skills with experience in database management and reporting
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
About Catawba Founded in 1851 in Newton, North Carolina, Catawba was started by German pioneers who had traveled from eastern Pennsylvania to settle in the valleys of the Haw, Yadkin, and Catawba Rivers. In 1890, Catawba became a coeducational institution and the first woman graduate completed her studies in 1893. In 1925, Catawba moved and re‑opened to its current location in Salisbury, NC, which is about 45 minutes from Greensboro, Winston‑Salem, and Charlotte, two hours from the mountains, and four hours from the beaches.
Today, Catawba College has 41 buildings on 276 wooded acres on a residential campus. Catawba is known for its 189 acre on‑campus ecological preserve. Ranked as one of the best colleges in the south, Catawba offers 70 academic majors to approximately 1,300 students representing 34 U.S. states and 19 foreign countries. Students are instructed by nearly 90 full‑time faculty, more than 83% of whom hold the highest degree in their field.
Catawba provides an education focused on an institutional philosophy of a liberal education, which entails a broad range of knowledge, intellectual and practical skills, and individual and social responsibility fostered and developed in all academic programs. Catawba is a learning community that provides students unique opportunities to explore vocation, helping students to consider their calling, their passions, and their purpose as they prepare to reach their highest potential. Catawba’s mission is to provide “students an education rich in personal attention that blends the knowledge and competencies of liberal studies with career preparation” and to enable “students to reach their highest potential while becoming responsible citizens.” More information about Catawba College is located at
www.catawba.edu .
Application Process
A letter of application;
Resume or Curriculum Vitae; and
Contact information for three (3) professional references.
Catawba College is an equal opportunity employer. As such, Catawba is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status, unless allowed by law and deemed necessary to Catawba operations. Candidates must successfully pass a background check and drug screening before employment begins, and Catawba complies with all federal, state, and local laws governing non‑discrimination.
Seniority level Mid‑Senior level
Employment type Full‑time
Job function Business Development and Sales
Industries Higher Education
#J-18808-Ljbffr