Assistant Director, Advancement Operations and Stewardship

Organizational Summary: 

The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Florida is a diverse, research active community of scholars, teachers, creators, and learners who believe that ideas should live both in the classroom and in the world. We bring together the sciences, social sciences, and humanities to tackle real problems through learning that involves doing, including fieldwork on Florida’s coast, work in laboratories, data-focused projects, and storytelling across digital and traditional media. Our faculty are nationally recognized researchers and dedicated mentors who open doors to significant opportunities such as undergraduate research, internships, fellowships, and global experiences. We are especially proud of our vibrant humanities and social sciences, where students connect big questions to real careers through funded experiential learning and projects that engage the community. Rooted in Tampa Bay and connected to global conversations, we see our campus as a living laboratory for studying the environment, society, culture, and technology, and we invite colleagues who share this spirit of curiosity, collaboration, and innovation focused on students to join us.

Position Summary:

The Assistant Director of Advancement Operations and Stewardship provides high-level planning, coordination, stewardship and operational support for the College's advancement program. The position works collaboratively with development leadership, communications and marketing, faculty, staff and university advancement partners to ensure the effective planning and execution of donor engagement and stewardship activities.

The position coordinates both pre- and post-engagement stewardship activities designed to strengthen long-term relationships with donors and prospective donors; reviews donor-facing communications and promotional materials for accuracy, consistency and effectiveness; and supports the planning and implementation of development initiatives, meetings, events and special projects.

Working with a high degree of judgment and initiative, the position anticipates needs, identifies potential challenges, coordinates appropriate resources and works across multiple stakeholders to facilitate timely and seamless execution of advancement activities. The position also manages routine administrative and operational responsibilities essential to the successful functioning of the advancement program.

Strategic Planning & Coordination

• Coordinate advancement initiatives from initial planning through execution and follow-up.
• Anticipate project needs, potential obstacles and competing priorities and proactively coordinate solutions, particularly as they pertain to the Dean’s Student Leadership Society.
• Maintain timelines, deliverables and follow-up activities involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide high-level organizational support to advancement leadership for donor strategies, events and special initiatives.

Donor Relations & Stewardship

• Coordinate pre- and post-engagement activities supporting the cultivation and stewardship of donors and prospects.
• Help develop individualized stewardship strategies that strengthen long-term donor relationships.
• Coordinate donor acknowledgments, impact communications, recognition activities and appropriate follow-up.
• Maintain continuity across donor interactions so commitments and next steps are appropriately tracked and executed.
   

Advancement Communications

• Review donor-facing correspondence, presentations, proposals, invitations, promotional materials and stewardship communications for accuracy, consistency and appropriate messaging.
• Coordinate with communications and marketing colleagues on materials supporting advancement priorities.
• Ensure donor communications reflect institutional priorities and provide a consistent donor experience.
   

Stakeholder & Relationship Coordination

• Serve as a liaison among advancement staff, college leadership, faculty, communications and marketing, and other university partners.
• Facilitate information flow and follow-up among multiple stakeholders.
• Build effective working relationships that support seamless execution of donor engagement activities.

Advancement Operations

• Manage administrative processes and routine operational responsibilities supporting the advancement program, such as updating endowed faculty position records, expense management, supplies maintenance, coordination of development team meetings, new development officer onboarding schedules, as well as activities tied to the Dean’s Advisory Council and Trailblazers. 
• Maintain organized records, schedules, correspondence, briefing materials and project documentation, including biographies for the Dean and Sr. Director of Development.
• Coordinate meetings, donor visits, events and related logistics.
• Handle sensitive donor and advancement information with professionalism and discretion.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's Degree 
• Two years of professional experience in advancement, donor relations, stewardship, fundraising operations, communications, project coordination, or a related field.
• Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
  • Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
  • SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
  • A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
  • (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
  • (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
  • (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
  • (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
  • (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
  • Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
  • Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Master's degree in Philanthropy or related field
• Knowledge of donor stewardship and advancement operations practices.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Ability to analyze issues and identify practical solutions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships across organizational units.
• Proficiency in event coordination, scheduling, and administrative operations.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment.

 

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.