Department:Location: Belknap Campus
Time Type:Full time
Worker Type:Regular
Job Req ID: R108471
Minimum Requirements:Bachelor's degree in a related field and two (2) years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience Grade 6 (Salaried)
Position Description:The Stewardship Specialist is a vital and strategic member of the Corporate & Foundation Relations (CFR) team within the Office of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement, supporting the University's philanthropic efforts across all campuses, including Belknap, the Health Sciences Center (HSC), and central administration. Reporting to the Executive Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations, this role will cultivate meaningful connections with donors, ensuring an unparalleled donor experience, and championing the overall philanthropic goals of the university by helping advance institutional fundraising priorities through strategic project management, stewardship, and grants management.The position will coordinate cross-functional fundraising and stewardship initiatives, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty, Deans, senior leadership, staff, and corporate and foundation partners. Responsibilities include writing complex grant proposals and reports, coordinating multi-unit submissions, managing donor stewardship plans, preparing impact and financial reports, and ensuring compliance with donor intent and institutional policies.This role serves as a professional point of contact for corporate and foundation partners and assists with the oversight of grant portfolios, reporting schedules, financial performance, and CRM documentation to ensure accountability and progress toward funding goals, coordinating with the Executive Director as needed. Through strategic coordination, donor engagement, and operational excellence, this position supports revenue-generating activities and advances high-impact CFR initiatives across the University.Duties & ResponsibilitiesStewardship & Donor Engagement- Develop and implement customized stewardship plans for CFR donors, including those with complex or multidisciplinary awards and endowed funds.
- Coordinate the preparation of detailed impact and financial reports for CFR, including endowment spend policy reporting and other agreement-specific requirements.
- Coordinate data collection and narrative development across multiple academic and administrative units to produce comprehensive, high-quality donor reports.
- Collaborate with the UofL Foundation and internal stakeholders to ensure all corporate and foundation awards are stewarded in compliance with donor intent and institutional policy.
- Assist with the execution of donor engagement events and stewardship activities involving corporate leadership, organizational executives, and university senior leadership, ensuring alignment with strategic fundraising objectives.
- Support preparation of complex donor materials, including proposals, multi-year grant agreements, gift agreements, and related documentation.
Grants Management- Draft, edit, and coordinate corporate and foundation grant proposals and reports in collaboration with faculty and development officers.
- Manage interdisciplinary grant submissions, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, donor guidelines, and submission requirements.
- Oversee the CFR grant portfolio in coordination with the UofL Foundation to ensure awards are expended within grant periods, compliant with donor requirements, and aligned with approved budgets and scopes of work.
- Coordinate and facilitate extension requests, budget reallocations, and compliance-related communications with donors as necessary.
- Monitor reporting schedules, deliverables, and financial performance across the portfolio to proactively identify and address risks or delays.
- Ensure accurate documentation of grant activity, deadlines, and stewardship requirements within the CRM and other institutional systems.
Strategic Project Leadership- Lead and manage cross-functional internal and external meetings related to corporate and foundation, and gift planning fundraising initiatives, ensuring appropriate stakeholders are identified and engaged.
- Prepare meeting agendas with developed objectives; prepare presentations and briefing materials (including donor-facing stewardship and proposal presentations); document outcomes; assign action items; and monitor follow-up to ensure timely completion.
- Serve as project manager for interdisciplinary fundraising and stewardship initiatives, coordinating faculty, staff, senior leadership, and foundation partners to advance institutional priorities.
- Maintain oversight of related tasks, deadlines, and deliverables within the CRM and other institutional systems to ensure accountability and progress toward funding and stewardship goals.
Preferred Qualifications3+ years of related experienceExperience in higher education.Experience in CRMExperience with drafting grant proposals, reports, and donor materials.Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlinesDiscretion and professionalism are essential, particularly when handling confidential donor and institutional information. The role requires the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including faculty, staff, senior leadership, and external partners, while also working independently.The ideal candidate will be skilled in data tracking. Strong research and analytical skills are important for supporting grants and stewardship efforts. Prior experience in fundraising, philanthropy, or grants administration is preferred.Competencies- Excellent Oral & Written Communication Skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
- Research & Analytical Skills
- Organizational & Collaboration Skills
- Critical Thinker & Innovative Problem Solving
- Attention to Detail
- Accountability & Dependability
*Please include a cover letter along with your resumePhilanthropy & Alumni Engagement encourages candidates to apply who have demonstrated the capacity to create supportive work environments, collaborate effectively on teams, and serve the students we admit and aim to attract.
Benefits - The University of Louisville has an exceptional benefits package; to learn more about our benefits, please visit hereCompensation will be commensurate to candidate experience.Equal Employment OpportunityThe University of Louisville is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. The University strives to provide equal employment opportunity on the basis of merit and without unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran status, marital status, or pregnancy. In accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veteran Readjustment Act of 1974, the University prohibits job discrimination of individuals with disabilities, Vietnam era veterans, qualified special disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, and other protected veterans. The University acknowledges its obligations to ensure affirmative steps are taken to ensure equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. It is the policy of the University that no employee or applicant for employment be subject to unlawful discrimination in terms of recruitment, hiring, promotion, contract, contract renewal, tenure, compensation, benefits, and/or working conditions. No employee or applicant for employment is required to endorse or condemn a specific ideology, political viewpoint, or social viewpoint to be eligible for hiring, contract renewal, tenure, or promotion.
Consistent with applicable law, demographic information is collected for aggregate reporting requirements. Demographic information provided through this application is not available to hiring managers/committees and is not considered in hiring or employment decisions.
Assistance and AccommodationsComputers are available for application submission at the Human Resources Department located at 2315 South First Street Walk, Room 02C - Louisville, Kentucky 40292.
If you require assistance or accommodation with our online application process, please contact us by email at
employment@louisville.edu or by phone 502-852-6258.
