Job details

Acknowledgment Writer

About the Opportunity

The Acknowledgment Writer, under the general direction of the Director Principal Gift Recognition and Stewardship, drafts highly personalized gift acknowledgments to top donors, primarily for the signatures of the President of the university and Senior Vice President of University Advancement. Duties require the ability to write in the president’s voice, researching information on gifts and donors, and assessing complex variable concerning gift data, and university department messaging. They collaborate with a range of campus departments to arrive at mutually satisfactory decisions. They work in close communication with the president’s office, senior campus administrators, and faculty, department business officers, and development officers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Managing donor correspondence data and processes

Extract and consolidate data from a variety of Advancement databases in order to (a) identify gifts eligible for acknowledgment by the president and SVP and (b) gather the data necessary to draft detailed and accurate gift acknowledgments.
Extract data from Advancement databases and consult with gift officers in order to ascertain cases in which a letter of condolence from the president is appropriate.
Develop and maintain systems for tracking correspondence in progress, ensuring that completed correspondence is appropriately recorded in Advancement databases, and archiving language that reflects the evolving priorities of the university and president.

Researching and drafting acknowledgment letters

Conduct detailed analyses of giving histories and consult with gift officers in order to draft highly customized and targeted gift acknowledgments from the president and SVP.
Letters must be timely and accurate.
They must also be specifically geared toward (a) the donor’s relationship with the university and (b) the gift’s designation, while (c) reflecting the current priorities of the university and president.

Researching and drafting other donor correspondence

Draft standard presidential condolences and special donor correspondence requested by the office of the SVP or the Senior Director of Donor Relations.
Standard presidential condolences must incorporate specific knowledge of the deceased gleaned from Advancement databases and external sources, reflecting the deceased and/or recipient’s relationship with the university in an appropriately sensitive manner.
Examples of special correspondence requests: non-standard condolences, letters of appreciation for unique forms of donor engagement, congratulations for personal or professional milestones.

Training and support

Contribute to the onboarding, training, and professional development of administrative assistants and development associates across Advancement, particularly those involved in the colleges’ gift acknowledgment processes.
Provide one-on-one editing sessions and stewardship writing workshops and serve as a resource for acknowledgment best practices and gift stewardship guidance.

Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree required
Highest level English writing skill, with the demonstrated ability to write on a wide variety of topics and to adapt style for a range of audiences, using correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, editing, formatting, and proofreading. Two to four years of experience writing in a professional environment.
Demonstrated success in using analytical judgment and problem-solving skills to determine needs and arrive at consistently sound conclusions
Demonstrated research, data gathering, and interview skills to compose effective written materials
Organizational experience and skill implementing systems in a large, bureaucratic, multi-department environment preferred
Solid skill using computer Microsoft Office programs, including Word and Excel and the ability to learn database programs

Position Type

Advancement

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit

www.northeastern.edu/benefits

for more information.

Northeastern University is an equal opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. Northeastern values and celebrates diversity in all its forms and strives to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To learn more about Northeastern University’s commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please see

www.northeastern.edu/diversity

By Northeastern University

Since 1898 Northeastern University has been edifying students in Boston and beyond. The school enrolls roughly 20,000 students who hail from all 50 states and 125 countries around the world. Its nine colleges (and 1,000 faculty members) offer 100 ...

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FUNDING

Other

INDUSTRY

Colleges & Universities

TEAM SIZE

1001-5000

LOCATION

Hybrid, based in Boston, MA

DATE POSTED