Job Description

The Institute of International Education (IIE) is hiring a Director, Philanthropy Engagement & Communications. We invite you to join a team united by our mission to help people and organizations forge brighter futures through educational exchange and lifelong learning. Working at IIE is more than just a job; it’s a chance to make an impact. To collaborate with a passionate team, grow your skills, and contribute to programs that change lives around the world.

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Job Summary

The Director, Philanthropy Engagement & Communications, is a key leader on the Philanthropy team. This person will devise, generate, and implement strategic, integrated marketing, communications, engagement, and stewardship plans to effectively engage donors and key stakeholders. This position will deliver a superb donor experience and lead major communications initiatives and donor relations strategies, including the design, planning, and execution of a portfolio of annual events, highlighted by IIE's centerpiece signature event. The Director will shape and safeguard the organization's philanthropic brand, messaging, and donor value proposition, guiding engagement efforts in response to global educational crises. This position will deliver gift acknowledgment, recognition, and reporting with the goal of increasing donor satisfaction, retention, growth, and lead generation. The Philanthropy team is a tight-knit, collaborative, can-do team. We move fast and take the donor experience seriously.

Essential Functions:

• Partner closely with philanthropy leadership and frontline fundraising staff to develop donor engagement strategies that advance cultivation, solicitation, retention, and philanthropic revenue growth.

• Provide strategic leadership for donor engagement and communications functions, including management of staff, consultants, budgets, and cross-departmental initiatives.

• Use donor data, analytics, and constituent insights to evaluate engagement strategies, measure outcomes, and continuously improve donor experiences.

• Lead integrated donor communications across print, digital, web, social media, and emerging platforms.

• Collaborate with institutional leadership, program teams, and external partners to develop compelling impact narratives and donor-facing materials.

• Create customized donor engagement strategies, both short-term and long-term, to enhance donor retention and giving. These strategies should take into account donor performance and the life cycle of different donor groups.

• Analyze donor interests, demographics, and preferences to coordinate segmentation plans with other team members and partners for meaningful engagement and impact reports.

• Establish strategic objectives that align with the priorities of the department, division, and organization, ensuring that successful campaigns meet budgetary expectations.

• Plan, implement, and evaluate the annual suite of events which may include a high-visibility fundraising event that is a key producer of unrestricted philanthropic revenue.

• Plan and execute stewardship and cultivation events throughout the year. With advice and help from IIE program colleagues, develop the content and flow of event programs and recruits speakers.

• Maintain files of governing documents for each endowment and coordinate with program staff to ensure that the use of funds matches donor intent. Act as liaison to departments responsible for the investment and spending of endowed funds, with responsibility for disseminating information to all relevant parties in a timely and transparent manner. Produce annual reports to endowed fund donors.

• Lead development and creation of individual and institutional stewardship materials and reports for major institutional and individual gifts of $200K+ in collaboration with programs staff. Coordinate with program staff to ensure that the use of funds matches donor intent.

• Manage donor recognition efforts. Bring a donor relations perspective to engagement strategies for current and prospective donors.

• Produce communications for donors that convey the impact of philanthropy: stewardship reports, website and newsletter stories about donors and beneficiaries, custom letters to VIP donors, etc. Collaborate with Communications and others to develop compelling messages and materials.

• Provide direct and indirect leadership to the Philanthropy team including a communication and engagement staff member, as well as other units across the organization.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education and Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least eight (8) years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• History of progressively responsible experience in engagement and cultivation of donors, alumni, or clients.

• Excellent leadership and interpersonal abilities, with a proven ability to effectively engage with audiences across all levels, including on a global scale strongly preferred.

• Extensive experience and expertise related to non-profit advocacy.

• Hands-on experience organizing large, successful events, including financial responsibility for significant supplier contracts, requisitions, and purchase orders.

• Strong project management skills, with ability to develop work plans and timelines, foster collaboration, monitor progress, and ensure effective communication across the team.

• Demonstrated ability to multi-task, stay organized, solve problems, and manage time while facing multiple priorities.

• Enthusiasm and drive to get projects and tasks done.

• Customer service oriented.

• Strong attention to details and deadlines.

• Experience managing staff including hiring and coaching.

• Proactive and clear communication.

• This position has access to confidential information and interacts with key external stakeholders. Discretion and good judgement are essential.

Salary and Benefits:

• Hiring Range: $102,082 - $132,707. A candidate’s starting salary is determined by various factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, internal organizational equity, and geographic region.

• IIE offers a robust suite of benefits to team members including medical, dental, and vision plans, paid time off and holidays, student loan, tuition and professional development reimbursement programs, retirement plans and family medical leave benefits. Please visit our careers page for further details.

The Institute of International Education (IIE) offers a flexible hybrid work environment which leverages both office work and telework.

Salary and Benefits:

Work Conditions & Physical Demands:
Essential functions are performed in a general office setting with low noise. Job demands may require long periods of sitting; telephone work and/or computer work, as well as interactions with other team members and external stakeholders. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

IIE is committed to offering a respectful work environment free from discrimination and harassment. We are committed to employing and promoting individuals based on their merits, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, citizen status, status with regards to public assistance or any other protected classification.

Compensation details: 102082-132707 Yearly Salary

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