Description
About SMU
SMU’s more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University’s small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study, and innovative programs.
SMU serves approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students through eight degree-granting schools: Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Cox School of Business, Lyle School of Engineering, Meadows School of the Arts, Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Dedman School of Law, Perkins School of Theology and Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.
SMU is data-driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem – paired with entrepreneurial drive – creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.
Now in its second century of achievement, SMU is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty, and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. SMU’s relationship with Dallas – the dynamic center of one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions – offers unique learning, research, social, and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.
SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.
About the Department:
Development and External Affairs (DEA) supports SMU by securing funding for University priorities; by promoting meaningful involvement in the life and work of the University; by heightening international, national, state, and local awareness of SMU; and by supporting the enrollment of a diverse and able student body.
DEA comprises the offices of Office of the Vice President, Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, Development Services, Program Services and Donor Relations, Marketing and Communications, Principal and Major Gifts, and School and Project Development.
SMU continues to leverage the benefits from the largest fundraising campaign in its history to achieve dramatic increases in academic quality and impact.
About the Position:
This role is an on-campus, in-person position
The Assistant Director of Donor Relations - Donor Reporting is responsible for managing and improving the reporting processes for the university's growing endowment and other funds. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: serving as the Project Manager for yearly endowment reporting project; implement processes for reporting on current-use and non-endowed funds; collaborate with service providers to utilize online reporting tools; implement the collection, storing, access and maintenance of endowment data; identify, develop and proof donor impact stories; assist with fund management processes; assist with the production of other donor communications and stewardship efforts; and become a subject matter expert on donor impact reporting at SMU and in higher education and utilize reporting best practices.
Job Summary
Essential Functions:
-Endowment Reporting: Plan, prepare, and produce annual endowment reports to provide fiscal year updates on individual funds to their respective donors and/or fund contacts: gather and manipulate data; execute fund research and fact verification; design customized surveys to collect information from students and faculty across campus; lead quality control on editing and delivery of reports.
-Reporting product liaison: become expert user of products SMU procures; identify issues and/or improvements that will benefit the DR team's experience with the tool(s); ensure optimized use of the product(s) for maximum efficiency and value.
Impact Reporting: Assist in the creation of efficient processes for reporting on current use and other non-endowed funds; produce donor impact reports as needed by leadership and as capacity allows.
-Fund Management: Assist with fund management and compliance processes, especially as needed for reporting. May include helping to facilitate compliance meetings with colleagues across campus.
-Other Stewardship Activity: Be a resource for questions about endowments; provide internal/external audiences with clarification/interpretation of endowment purpose, policies, and procedures, including gift agreement review; assist with marketing projects related to reporting; other special projects for stewarding endowment donors and committees.
-Information Management: Oversee the maintenance of information in database(s) and other software pertaining to endowments; upload and audit endowment information for accuracy; provide data/reports as required, including an annual review/editing of SMU academic catalogs for endowment-related information. Update CRM after endowment reporting annually.
-Other Responsibilities: Contribute to Donor Relations team activities and responsibilities, interact with other DEA divisions as needed; act as a trusted advisor and inspire confidence; model integrity in decisions, communication, and treatment of all individuals internal/external to the University community; other duties as assigned.
-Occasional evening/weekend hours will be required for event support.
Requirements
Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree is required. A Master's degree is preferred.
A minimum of three (3) years of experience in a position requiring strong project and data management, writing, editing and proofreading skills, is required. Fundraising and/or marketing experience and accounting experience preferred, preferably in a non-profit or higher education setting.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of constituencies. Must also demonstrate strong written communication skills. Candidate with previous experience developing training materials and delivering presentations to both small and large groups is strongly preferred.
Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions. Must also have strong organizational, planning and time management skills.
Candidate must possess highly developed writing, analytical, research, editing, and proofreading skills. Candidate must have the ability to forge strong working relationships and represent the University positively to external constituents and other key leaders across campus. Candidate must demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and attention to detail; a proven track record of resourcefulness, sound judgment, and creativity is preferred.
Candidate must have a strong knowledge and proficient grasp of electronic information systems, as well as a solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, advanced Excel, and Access; experience with donor-centric CRM software systems is preferred; familiarity with Blackbaud, Salesforce, and PeopleSoft Financials is a plus. Occasional evening/weekend hours will be required for event support.
Physical and Environmental Demands:
Sit for long periods of time
Deadline to Apply:
Priority consideration will be given to applications submitted by June 17, 2026.
Deadline to apply is July 6, 2026.
EEO Statement
SMU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression.
Benefits:
SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of health and related benefits. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.
SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMU and, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.
The value of learning at SMU isn't just about preparing our students for the future. Employees have access to a wide variety of professional and personal development opportunities, including tuition benefits.
