External Relations at the University of Virginia (UVA) is seeking a highly qualified candidate to fill the role of Associate Director, Donor Experience and Student Engagement. The University of Virginia has a strong and reputable advancement community, boasting effective, results-oriented, and resourceful professionals. Our community comprises a robust central advancement organization, 12 University schools, and more than 25 University-related programs. We offer a wide variety of career opportunities, as well as an outstanding environment for professional growth and development.

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Donor Experience and Student Engagement serves as a frontline fundraiser and team lead within University Advancement’s Office of Engagement, directing a team of Student Engagement Officers (SEOs) while managing a portfolio of alumni donors. This position sits at the intersection of student philanthropy and digital gift officer work, translating SEO donor engagement into qualified pipeline opportunities in support of University Annual Giving goals.

As the SEO program lead, this role manages the day-to-day work of student fundraisers, including coaching, performance management, and outreach execution. It also manages relationships with school and program partners, coordinates reporting and performance tracking, and contributes to strategic planning efforts. Operating as a “player-coach,” the role integrates team leadership with active portfolio management.

Donor Experience Officers (DXOs) and SEOs use digital communication tools and innovative workflows to build personalized relationships with alumni, qualify prospects, and solicit philanthropic support. The Associate Director of Donor Experience and Student Engagement models these practices through their own portfolio work while guiding team performance. This role reports to the Senior Associate Director, Virtual Philanthropy and follows a hybrid schedule that includes in-person work and occasional nontraditional hours aligned with student availability.

Responsibilities

• SEO Team Leadership:

  • Supervise and coach a team of approximately ten Student Engagement Officers (SEOs), setting clear performance goals and expectations.

  • Recruit, hire, train, and manage student employees, fostering a high-performing and mission-driven team environment.

  • Oversee SEO outreach execution, ensuring high-quality, targeted, and alumni-centric engagement strategies.

  • Translate frontline fundraising insights into coaching, training, and performance improvement for SEOs.

• Frontline Fundraising:

  • Manage and actively solicit a portfolio of approximately 250 undergraduate alumni to drive annual giving participation and revenue.

  • Cultivate, solicit, and steward donors through personalized, digital-first engagement strategies and cadences.

  • Qualify and advance prospects for leadership annual giving, major gifts, and planned giving.

  • Model effective donor engagement and solicitation techniques, using portfolio work to establish best practices for the team.

• Donor Engagement Strategy:

  • Develop an outreach strategy with the Senior Associate Director, Donor Experience to engage undergraduate alumni and increase undergraduate alumni participation.

  • Oversee the management of personal and SEO outreach lists, ensuring high-velocity, targeted, and alumni-centric engagement, in partnership with Prospect Management.

  • Cultivate major, planned, and leadership annual giving leads generated from SEO outreach.

• Partner Collaboration:

  • Foster cross-ground connections by collaborating with various school and program colleagues to align SEO outreach strategies with broader university initiatives.

  • Generate reporting for school and unit partners.

  • Participate in communities of practice to learn and share best practices.

• Reporting and Analytics:

  • Use internal and external reporting mechanisms to track the performance and progress of the SEO team.

  • Analyze data and use insights to make data-driven decisions and recommendations, improving donor engagement strategies.

  • Provide consistent reporting on SEO outreach and progress to Office of Engagement Leadership.

• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.

• At least one year of relevant experience in donor engagement, fundraising, or related fields.

• Proficiency in using digital media, text, phone, video conferencing, and other technology tools for donor engagement.

• Strong leadership and team management skills.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Proven problem-solving abilities and sound judgment.

• Ability to prioritize, pay attention to details, and work independently.

• Highly organized, goal-oriented, and self-motivated.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with relational CRM or databases.

• Previous digital fundraising experience.

• Familiarity with the University of Virginia or a UVA graduate

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Salary Range

• The anticipated hiring range is $69K - $77K / year, commensurate with education and experience.

Position Type & Work Location

• This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.

• This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability.

• UVA External Relations offers a flexible and hybrid workplace. All team members must have access to and maintain a secure home office environment with high-speed internet service and work collaboratively with others using various technologies and tools. Depending on the type of position and work performed, or as deemed by the manager, some positions may be required to work intermittently in a shared office space in Charlottesville, Virginia.

• This role will require in-person presence in our office located in Charlottesville, Virginia.

About UVA and the Community

To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.

Application Timeline

Application review will begin after July 20, 2026.

Additional Requirements

• Background checks will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.

• This position will not consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future.

How to Apply

Please apply online, by searching for requisition number R0085127.

Internal applicants may search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website.

Complete an application with the following documents:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

Upload all materials into the resume submission field. You can submit multiple documents into this one field or combine them into one PDF. Applications without all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Reference Check Process

Reference checks will be completed by UVA’s third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will be requested, with at least three responses required.

Contact

• For additional information about the position, please contact Sandi Hall, Senior Associate Director for Staff Success, at eym5wh@virginia.edu.

• For questions about the application process, please contact Jon Freeman, HR Recruitment Specialist, at jf2sw@virginia.edu.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.