Heriot-Watt University
Stewardship Officer
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Role: Stewardship Officer
Grade and Salary: Grade 5 (£26,707 - £31,236)
FTE and working pattern: Full-time (35hrs per week), Open-Ended
Holiday Entitlement: 28 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days per year after 5 years’ service, plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)
Purpose of the Role
The Stewardship Officer plays a pivotal role in strengthening donor relationships and supporting the growth of philanthropic support at Heriot-Watt University. Through the delivery of excellent donor care and engagement, the postholder helps ensure donors feel connected to the University’s mission, understand the impact of their support, and enjoy a positive giving experience that encourages long-term and repeat philanthropy.
Working closely with the Donor Relations and Stewardship Manager, the Stewardship Officer will support the development and delivery of a creative, comprehensive, and measurable stewardship programme. This programme will build and sustain meaningful relationships with donors, fulfil stewardship commitments and gift agreement obligations, demonstrate impact, and contribute to the University’s long-term fundraising success.
The role is responsible for coordinating stewardship activities associated with major gifts and grants, including donor communications, impact reporting, data and information gathering, recognition initiatives, and donor engagement activities. In collaboration with fundraising colleagues and key stakeholders across the University, the Stewardship Officer will ensure the effective delivery of stewardship plans, creating personalised and innovative experiences that recognise donor generosity and inspire continued support.
Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Support the delivery of the Donor Relations and Stewardship team’s strategic and operational plan.
- Develop, implement and maintain professional, donor-centric and data-informed stewardship systems, procedures and process documentation, ensuring a consistent, efficient and cohesive approach to stewardship activity across the Advancement Operations team and supporting the effective delivery and administration of donor stewardship programmes.
- Support the production and delivery of high-quality donor stewardship reports and impact communications, ensuring donors receive timely and meaningful feedback on the difference their support makes.
- Coordinate the research, writing and editing of the annual Donor Impact Report across print and digital channels, including conducting interviews, gathering case studies and impact data, and liaising with internal stakeholders and external designers to ensure delivery on time and within budget.
- Coordinate the production of tailored biannual scholarship and bursary donor reports and oversee the development of bespoke stewardship reports for funded prizes, scholarships and research projects in accordance with individual donor agreements, ensuring accuracy, quality and a positive donor experience.
- Collaborate with Advancement colleagues and more broadly across the university to produce case studies showcasing donor impact for publication in a variety of channels.
- Assist with donor event speech writing for senior staff.
- Write personal acknowledgement and stewardship letters for signature by executives, the principal, the head of department, or academic staff (as appropriate) within specified timeframes.
- Develop, coordinate and communicate donor stewardship plans for a range of donor groups, ensuring all relevant stakeholders including fundraisers, Development colleagues, academic staff and project leads are clear on stewardship objectives, activities and responsibilities. Maintain accurate stewardship plans, records and follow-up actions within Raiser’s Edge, and design and implement tailored stewardship workflows for individual donors, tracking and coordinating a wide range of donor interactions to ensure a consistent, personalised and high-quality donor experience.
- Collaborate with fundraising colleagues to establish and coordinate the development and maintenance of the Giving Circles programme.
- Liaise with fundraisers, project leads, the Scholarships, Awards, and Bursaries Manager and relevant colleagues to ensure donor wishes are adhered to.
- Liaise with and assist colleagues in facilitating arrangements for major donors to visit Heriot-Watt’s campuses and view the impact of their support.
- Actively participate in the wider work of the department, taking on special projects or additional duties from time to time, making a positive contribution to departmental issues and ensuring joined-up activity with other areas of the AO's work.
- Assist with the administration and running of donor events.
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Education, Qualifications & Experience
Essential
- Degree-level qualification in a relevant discipline (e.g. Communications, English, Publishing, Marketing, Journalism or a related subject) or equivalent relevant experience.
- Experience in donor relations, stewardship, customer relationship management, communications, fundraising, or a related field.
- Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills, with a high level of accuracy, attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality communications.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with donors, external organisations and colleagues at all levels.
- Strong organisational and administrative skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines and work proactively in a busy environment.
- Demonstrable ability to communicate clearly and effectively, exercising tact, diplomacy and discretion where required.
- Ability to take ownership of issues, identify solutions and see actions through to completion.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word and Excel, and experience of using database/CRM systems.
- Experience of using Adobe InDesign or other desktop publishing/design software.
- Knowledge and understanding of data protection legislation, including GDPR, and its application to communications, fundraising and stakeholder engagement activities.
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Desirable
- Experience of working in a higher education, charity, fundraising or not-for-profit environment.
- Working knowledge of Raiser’s Edge NXT.
- Understanding of donor stewardship principles and the role of stewardship within Advancement Operations and fundraising programmes.
- Experience of contributing to an institutional fundraising campaign.
- Knowledge of tax-efficient giving mechanisms and the legal and regulatory framework governing fundraising.
How to Apply
Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on the 15th of September 2026.
Please submit your application via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system including a CV and Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/.
Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
About Heriot-Watt University
At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.
Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.
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