Associate Director, Donor Experience

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Closing Date:

06/08/2026

Type of Position:

Management - Operations

Job Type:

RegularNo

Institution Name:

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has a unique combination of education, research, and clinical programs that encourages and supports teamwork and diversity. We champion being a collaborative health care organization, focused on improving patient care and the lives of Arkansans.
 

UAMS offers amazing benefits and perks (available for benefits eligible positions only):

• Health: Medical, Dental and Vision plans available for qualifying staff and family
• Holiday, Vacation and Sick Leave
• Education discount for staff and dependents (undergraduate only)
• Retirement: Up to 10% matched contribution from UAMS
• Basic Life Insurance up to $50,000
• Career Training and Educational Opportunities
• Merchant Discounts
• Concierge prescription delivery on the main campus when using UAMS pharmacy

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening.  To apply for the position, please click the Apply link/button.

The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate in its education programs or activities (including in admission and employment) on the basis of any category or status protected by law, including age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sex, sexual preference, or pregnancy. Questions or concerns about the application of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, may be sent to the University’s Title IX Coordinator and to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.

All application information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
 

For general application assistance or if you have questions about a job posting, please contact Human Resources at askrecruitment@uams.edu.

Department:

IA | Donor Experience

Department's Website:

uams.edu/development

Summary of Job Duties:

The Associate Director of Donor Experience is a frontline member of the UAMS Donor Experience Office (DXO), reporting directly to the Senior Director of Donor Experience. This position is responsible for engaging, cultivating, and stewarding donors giving $1,000–$4,999 annually, serving as the entry point into the DXO pipeline and a critical bridge between Annual Giving and mid-level philanthropic engagement.

The DXO functions as the connective tissue across Annual Giving, Major Giving, and Donor Relations at UAMS. The Associate Director operates at the base of this pipeline — receiving referrals from the Annual Giving team, qualifying new prospects for DXO engagement, identifying upgrade potential, and building the foundational donor relationships that feed the broader mid-level and major gift pipeline. This role is equally outward-facing and infrastructure-oriented: managing an active donor portfolio while also supporting the Story Bank, prospect identification, and content-driven stewardship that power the DXO operating model.

The ideal candidate is energized by discovery — finding the right story for the right donor, identifying a prospect’s philanthropic potential, and building relationships from the ground up. They are organized, curious, collaborative, and comfortable operating in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial team environment.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has a unique combination of education, research, and clinical programs that encourages and supports teamwork and diversity. We champion being a collaborative health care organization, focused on improving patient care and the lives of Arkansans.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 3 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, annual giving, or a related field, preferably in a healthcare, education, or nonprofit setting.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a donor portfolio with discipline and consistency; strong written and verbal communication skills; proficiency in CRM systems (Affinaquest or equivalent).
• Must have a valid Driver’s License.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or master’s Degree in communications, public relations, public works, business, philanthropy, or marketing.
• CFRE (Certified Fund-Raising Executive) or active pursuit of certification.
• Experience in annual giving, pipeline development, or donor qualification; familiarity with mid-level giving programs, grateful patient fundraising, or affinity-based engagement strategies; demonstrated ability to source and communicate donor impact stories.

Additional Information:

Portfolio Management & Pipeline Development– 45%
•    Manage and actively cultivate a defined portfolio of mid-level donors giving $1,000 - $4,999 annually, with a primary focus on retention, upgrade, and multi-year commitment strategies.
•    Execute a structured, affinity-based outreach cadence using personalized email, phone, handwritten correspondence, and in-person visits to maintain meaningful touchpoints throughout the donor’s philanthropic journey.
•    Identify donor interests, motivations, and giving capacity to inform renewal conversations and flag qualified prospects for MGO warm handoff in coordination with the Senior Director.
•    Utilize the IA tools to match donor interests with relevant UAMS impact stories, funding priorities, and college-level content, ensuring communications feel personal and mission-connected.
•    Partner with Annual Giving to provide timely, personalized follow-up to donors and prospects receiving annual giving appeals, supporting upgrade pathways from into the mid-level portfolio.
•    Collaborate with MGOs through the biweekly DXO-MGO sync to support pipeline alignment, warm handoffs, and coordinated solicitation strategy for donors approaching major gift capacity.
•    Maintain accurate activity reports in Affinaquest for all donor contacts, including event interactions, thank-you correspondence, and phone outreach, following established DXO protocols.
•    Track and report key performance metrics including gift count, donor retention, upgrade outcomes, qualification movement, and touchpoint volume to inform strategy and measure progress.

Prospect Identification & Stewardship – 40%
•    Support the identification and qualification of new DXO prospects from lapsed donor pools, grateful patient referrals, college-level events, and other pipeline sources in coordination with the Senior Director and MGOs.
•    Develop and execute individualized stewardship plans for assigned mid-level donors, including timely acknowledgment, impact reporting, and engagement sequences aligned with donor interests and UAMS funding priorities.
•    Utilize the DXO Story Bank to match donor interests with relevant UAMS stories, college-level content, and giving society information, ensuring all communications feel personal and mission-connected.
•    Support giving society engagement for donors who give at $1,000 - $4,999 levels eligible for DXO-affiliated societies, coordinating with the Senior Director and Donor Relations on recognition touchpoints and event invitations.
•    Assist with DXO cultivation and stewardship events, including society socials, site visits, and college-level engagement opportunities; execute post-event follow-up outreach for assigned portfolio donors.
•    Support grateful patient outreach initiatives by serving as the first point of contact for clinician-referred prospects at the $1,000–$4,999 level; conduct initial outreach, assess philanthropic interest, and route qualified patients to the appropriate DXO portfolio manager or MGO based on giving capacity and affinity signals.

Story Bank & Content Support – 10%
•    Serve as the primary sourcing engine for the DXO Story Bank — identifying, organizing, and tagging donor-ready stories by funding area, college affinity, giving society relevance, and suggested use — ensuring the bank remains current, searchable, and actionable for use across the DXO team and MGO pipeline.
•    Assist in drafting donor-facing content including impact updates, personalized stewardship letters, event follow-up correspondence, and engagement communications for use across the DXO team.
•    Collaborate with Annual Giving, MarCom, and college-level liaisons on content and messaging that demonstrates donor impact and supports pipeline-wide engagement goals.

Administrative & Other – 5%
•    Follow established procedures for maintaining donor records in Affinaquest, including timely input of contact reports, referral intake logs, activity notes, and qualification status updates to ensure data integrity across the team.
•    Learn and adhere to HIPAA, FERPA, and the Donor Bill of Rights throughout employment, ensuring all donor interactions and records are handled with appropriate confidentiality and professionalism.
•    Provide exceptional customer service to internal and external stakeholders; demonstrate effective communication, confidentiality, and positive cross-departmental working relationships.
•    Other duties as assigned.

Salary Information:

Commensurate with education and experience

Required Documents to Apply:

ResumeProof of Veteran Status

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Please contact askrecruitment@uams.edu for any recruiting related questions.

All application materials must be uploaded to the University of Arkansas System Career Site https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/UASYS  

Please do not send to listed recruitment contact.

Pre-employment Screening Requirements:

Criminal Background Check

This position is subject to pre-employment screening (criminal background, drug testing, and/or education verification). A criminal conviction or arrest pending adjudication alone shall not disqualify an applicant except as provided by law. Any criminal history will be evaluated in relationship to job responsibilities and business necessity.  The information obtained in these reports will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law. 

Constant Physical Activity:

Feeling, Hearing, Manipulate items with fingers, including keyboarding, Talking

Frequent Physical Activity:

Crawling, Crouching, Driving, Kneeling, Reaching, Sitting, Standing, Stooping, Walking

Occasional Physical Activity:

N/A

Benefits Eligible:

Yes