Department: University Advancement
Appointment Type and Duration: Regular, Ongoing
Salary: $44,000 - $50,000 per year
Compensation Band: OS-OA04-Fiscal Year 2025-2026
FTE: 1.0
Application Review Begins
October 2, 2025; open until filled
Hybrid Eligible
Special Instructions to Applicants
To be considered for this position, applicants must submit a complete application. A completed application includes:
• A cover letter in which you clearly describe how your knowledge, skills, and abilities prepare you for the job responsibilities and requirements outlined in the job announcement.
• A current resume of your educational and professional work experience.
We are interested in finding the best candidate for the position. We encourage you to use your application to let us know what is meaningful to you about the role and what transferable skills or other qualities you would bring.
Department Summary
University Advancement (UA) supports the University of Oregon’s (UO) mission of providing exceptional teaching, discovery, and service by strategically positioning the university to create awareness, build long-term relationships, and secure resources that increase understanding and further its aims. The division consists of approximately 200 employees primarily working out of Eugene, with offices in Portland and Bend. We are committed to fostering equity and inclusion in a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment that recognizes the value of all members of our community.
The Office of Development as part of UA has a mission to maximize philanthropic impact at the University of Oregon. We do this by identifying, connecting, and engaging alumni and friends around the globe with their passions to advance the vision and priorities of the university.
As part of UA, Donor Relations and Advancement Communications (DRAC) manages donor relations, events, volunteer coordination, gift administration, and constituent communication. It is responsible for the design and implementation of a program of donor recognition, stewardship and communication for annual, cumulative, and bequest donors to the University of Oregon. This office works cooperatively with the UO President and administrators, school, and college fundraising staffs, and UO donors to provide a university-wide stewardship and cultivation program that moves prospects toward solicitation.
Position Summary
The Donor Experience Program Manager is responsible for assisting with the planning, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of events, including but not limited to events for University Advancement (UA), the Office of the President, and other divisions and departments as requested.
Reporting to the Associate Director of Donor Experience (associate director), the program manager is responsible for implementing the strategic plan developed by the Donor Relations and Advancement Communication team to engage the University of Oregon’s (UO) diverse internal and external audiences, including alumni, friends, faculty/staff, volunteers, and donors.
This position will lead event communication and the event guest relations process from registration to arrival. They will manage tools for tracking donor preferences, rsvp’s and attendance, and ticket distribution. Additionally, they will review ways data and communications can be enhanced and utilized to increase donor experience.
To be successful, the program manager will need to be highly organized and adaptable, capable of providing excellent donor-centric customer service, and comfortable working with data. This position also requires excellent communication skills.
This position requires a flexible work schedule to include some nights, weekends, and occasional travel.
Minimum Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree AND Two (2) or more years of professional experience in communications, journalism, or a related field;
OR
• Four (4) or more years of professional experience in communications, journalism, or combination of related areas such as donor relations, event coordination, writing or producing communication materials, customer service, or other public-facing communication roles.
Professional Competencies
• Proficient in written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to gather information and write or produce high-quality communication materials.
• Knowledge of creative copywriting and copy editing for appropriate style, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and length.
• Familiarity with The Chicago Manual of Style and AP Stylebook, as well as production techniques, printing specifications, brand guidelines, and analytics.
• Customer relations or account representative mindset, with the ability to listen to a client or colleague’s needs and translate them into effective communication solutions.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines independently.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and interact effectively with a wide range of internal and external audiences.
• Ability to be tactful, diplomatic, and professional in high-pressure or sensitive situations.
• High level of customer service orientation with a donor-centric mindset and commitment to confidentiality.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and experienced with customer relationship management (CRM) databases.
• Skilled in using text, photo, and graphics editing programs, cloud-based tools, and project management software.
• Ability to quickly and independently learn new software tools and systems.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, and fundraising colleagues.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with the ability to communicate and work effectively across varied identities.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to use data to measure and improve communication strategies and operational procedures.
• Familiarity with project management principles and the ability to contribute to new initiatives and discussions.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with customer relations management (CRM) software (e.g., Salesforce) and other customer service, video, or design software such as ThankView, InDesign, and Tableau.
• Experience with project or event management software (e.g., Blackthorn, Marketing Cloud and/or Wrike).
• Familiarity with higher education.
FLSA Exempt: Yes
All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit our website.
The University of Oregon is an equal-opportunity institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please email us or call 541-346-5112.
UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy (including pregnancy-related conditions), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, familial status, citizenship, service in the uniformed services (as defined in federal and state law), veteran status, expunged juvenile record, and/or the use of leave protected by state or federal law in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed here.
In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available online.
