Development Program Manager, Corporate and Foundation Relations

The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA), the private fundraising and alumni relations organization for the University of Wisconsin-Madison is seeking to hire a Development Program Manager, Corporate and Foundation Relations professional. Join our team as a key player in managing donor and campus relationships, developing and executing strategic plans, and overseeing stewardship activities. The Development Program Manager will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to advance Corporate and Foundation Relations priorities, support grant submissions, and coordinate high-level donor visits and VIP events.

If you thrive in a dynamic environment and are committed to excellence in customer service and strategic planning, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact. This position requires significant self-directed work as well as demonstration of independent judgment in managing projects, prioritizing responsibilities and time, and communicating progress to team members. This position is part of a dynamic, fast-paced development team and requires a high level of organizational oversight and leadership to achieve team project goals and objectives.  This is a hybrid position that will require you to work on-site in our Madison, WI office location at least two days weekly.  

Who is WFAA?
The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is a private, nonprofit corporation that encourages individuals and organizations to make gifts to the university and to connect with the UW. In 2014, the UW Foundation merged with the Wisconsin Alumni Association® to better serve a growing population of UW alumni and donors. We believe that private support grows out of good relationships between campus leaders, faculty and program staff who need support, and the alumni and friends who want to invest in UW–Madison. We provide important engagement opportunities to link UW–Madison alumni to each other and to their alma mater, building a strong community of Badgers.

Diversity and Inclusion:

Just as the university community benefits from differing viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences, inclusion and diversity are imperative for the success of our mission. WFAA values people and the differences that they bring to the organization, and creates an environment in which all staff members and constituents feel respected and have opportunities to thrive. 

Donor and Campus Relationship Management: 

• Serve as primary liaison to the Office of Business Engagement and the Department of Research and Sponsored Programs within the Office of Vice Chancellor for Research.
• Prioritize and respond to all requests, proposals, and issues with the goals of building mutually beneficial relationships, improving communication and collaborative teamwork, and increasing campus understanding of the development process. Respond to industry and campus questions regarding partnership opportunities and escalate appropriately.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and campus inquiries about policies and procedures at WFAA. Develop, enhance, and maintain operational standards and systems to support campus and WFAA regarding industry relations, with stewardship, gift/grant processing, contract review, etc.
• Coordinate with WFAA teams such as Business Intelligence and Prospect Development to compile data that informs high-level strategic planning, donor recognition, and stewardship activities.
• Collaborate with campus units and internal teams on donor visits to campus, including on-site logistics, greeting and hosting guests, and responding to miscellaneous needs as they arise.

Strategy Development, Planning, and Project Execution: 

• Work in active partnership with internal and campus leadership to plan, implement, and evaluate strategies, initiatives, and projects designed to advance Corporate and Foundation Relations priorities and goals, including prospect and donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Provide support for grant submissions, including research, timeline tracking, outreach, etc.
• Create and implement consistent standards of practices and procedures that provide exemplary customer service to donors and campus partners.
• Provide stakeholders with materials as requested in preparation for top-tier donor visits.
• Serve as unit CRM subject matter expert for internal colleagues, and interface with the Business Intelligence and Development teams to maintain accurate records.
• Pursue professional development opportunities both internally and externally to stay well-informed of WFAA and industry best practices.
• Coordinate preparation, signature routing, and final distribution of legal documentation related to gifts and grants (e.g. Memoranda of Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, Fund Operation Agreements, Pledge Agreements, etc.) in accordance with established WFAA business processes.

 Stewardship: 

• Proactively develop stewardship recommendations and execute stewardship touchpoints such as meetings, events, reports, and messages of thanks.
• Collaborate with stewardship workgroups within the unit and WFAA to review and assess unit stewardship activities and implement new opportunities for growth, meaningful donor engagement, and impact reporting.
• Provide oversight and coordination of all aspects of VIP events as needed, including securing venues, planning menus, developing and tracking invitation lists, staffing at event, etc.

Prospect Data Management & Tracking: 

• Collaborate with WFAA Prospect Development Team to identify industry prospects for ad-hoc responsive requests by OBE for unit strategy execution and portfolio optimization.
• Manage and track the unit’s Key Performance Indicators and complete timely and accurate data entry.

Office Administration:

• Provide development support for advanced administrative needs when necessary or appropriate (i.e. scheduling meetings with multiple constituents and various A/V requirements, etc.).
• Suggest areas for process improvement and assist in improvement implementation.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree is preferred or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• 3 + years of relevant professional work experience; non-profit or fund-raising environment preferred
• High degree of proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint).
• Experience in database reporting and constituent relationship management software.

Other Qualifications:

• Support a service-oriented atmosphere in accordance with WFAA mission, values and philosophy.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and strong attention to detail.
• Ability to judge the relative importance of issues and act independently to address them, applying the appropriate level of urgency to achieve results.
• Strong customer service mentality.
• Curiosity, persistence, flexibility, dependability, tact, professionalism, and diplomacy.
• Ability to work effectively with a team in an entrepreneurial environment and interact well with all internal and external constituents.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure; prioritize and manage many, sometimes competing tasks, and maintain confidentiality.
• Willingness to explore and engage with AI solutions.
• Experience working with grants and/or foundations.

At WFAA, we are dedicated to creating an inspiring, creative, and respectful work environment for our employees. We offer competitive pay and an outstanding benefits program, including a generous 10% 401k contribution after just one year of service! Join us and be part of a team that values your growth and well-being. Click here to learn more about our employee benefits! 

The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer *The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is the “doing business as” name of the merged organization comprising the University of Wisconsin Foundation (advanceuw.org) and the Wisconsin Alumni Association (uwalumni.com). Its legal corporate name is registered as the University of Wisconsin Foundation