Position: Donor Relations Specialist

FLSA Status: Exempt

Department: Institutional Advancement

Our Mission: Since the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, our organization has aimed to connect people to the natural environment and human history.

Join our team and enjoy a benefits package that truly supports your well-being and lifestyle:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Including medical, dental, vision plans, and even pet insurance.
• Financial Security: Life and disability benefits plus a 403(b) savings plan to help you plan for the future.
• Work-Life Balance: Generous paid time off, paid sick leave, and paid holidays to ensure you have time to recharge and spend with loved ones.
• Exclusive Perks: Enjoy great employee discounts and complimentary general admission to participating cultural institutions.

We're dedicated to enhancing your life both at work and beyond!

The Donor Relations Specialist is responsible for managing stewardship activities for a robust and fast-paced philanthropy program. This role focuses on annual donors contributing $500-25,000+. The Specialist oversees donor communications, ensures timely fulfillment of donor benefits, supports donor travel programs, and assists with planning and executing Founders’ Council events.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Manage and execute a stewardship calendar for donors ($500-$25,000+), including data management, drafting and designing communications, and coordinating external production.
2. Write and edit engaging stewardship materials such as reports, letters, emails, newsletters, videos, graphics, and promotional content.
3. Lead the annual donor wall and Founders' Council membership recognition process, including data collection, design, and distribution.
4. Oversee donor benefit fulfillment for special projects.
5. Coordinate with museum ticketing to provide museum access and concierge services for Founder's Council donors ($2,500+), ensuring accurate data tracking in Raiser's Edge.
6. Run data queries and exports as needed.
7. Support and help plan donor events (both virtual and in-person), such as exhibition openings, annual donor celebrations, recruitment events, and Giving Day.
8. Conduct behind-the-scenes donor tours and respond promptly to donor inquiries by phone and email.
9. Manage donor email solicitations and general communications, coordinating with Marketing to distribute content.
10. Coordinate logistics and communications with internal departments to deliver seamless Founders' Council travel experiences.
11. Assist with marketing strategies to promote donor travel programs and handle post-trip stewardship.

Skills and Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree required.
2. Minimum 2 years of fundraising, donor relations, or communications experience.
3. Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to build strong donor relationships.
4. Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
5. Self-motivated, flexible, and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
6. Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends for events and tours.
7. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required.
8. Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign preferred).
9. Experience with Raiser’s Edge or similar CRM software preferred.

Supervision Received: Receives general supervision from the Senior Manager, Founders’ Council.

Supervision Exercised: The position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Hybrid Eligibility: Eligible

Location: 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr., Chicago IL

Union Representation: This position is represented by Field Museum Workers’ United, AFSCME Council 31, AFL-CIO.

Pay Range: $48,500-$50,000

PLEASE READ: *When you apply for multiple positions, please make sure to delete your previous resume and cover letter and upload the latest version of your resume and cover letter that is relevant to the job you are applying for, every time you apply. This will help our hiring managers access the correct documents. Please note that removing the resume and cover letter will not delete any previously submitted resumes and cover letters.

The Field Museum is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination, embracing diversity, and fostering mutual respect. We value the unique perspectives each team member brings, which empowers our ability to innovate and overcome challenges.

At the Field Museum, we are dedicated to making our career website and recruitment process accessible to everyone. If you encounter any difficulty when using or accessing our online application, or if you need a reasonable accommodation for completing your application, participating in interviews, or any other part of the selection process, please reach out to us at recruitment@fieldmuseum.org.