Staff Writer – Stewardship Communications

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Staff Writer – Stewardship Communications

Job Profile Title

Staff Writer B

Job Description Summary

The Central Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) Stewardship Communications team is the primary producer of donor related correspondence for high-level University leadership. The team of writers works closely with the President’s Office and the Office of Development and Alumni Relations to provide personalized communications that allow the University to maintain superior donor relations and to meet its fundraising and engagement goals. To provide consistent, customized, and informed leadership communications, the team maintains a robust tracking system and standardized procedures and must carefully manage internal relationships with frontline fundraisers, prospect managers, and development officers across the University. In addition to coordinating school or center-specific correspondence, the Stewardship Communications team partners with them to manage broad-based, donor recognition projects and donor segmented publications.

Job Description

Stewardship Communications (SC) staff writers draft, edit, and produce gift acknowledgments and diverse correspondence, primarily for the University’s President and DAR’s Senior Vice President. Staff writers also provide editing and processing services to the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid (UGFA) to help manage donor-related data for its annual scholarship reporting cycle and to craft content for its bi-annual newsletter, Penn Priority .  Staff writers serve as the gatekeepers of the SC tracking system, inputting, updating, and logging out letter assignments daily.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist the Senior Director of Stewardship Communications in meeting the needs of external partners who require and/or request project-based correspondence

• Research, compose, edit, and proofread timely and personalized correspondence for the University’s President and DAR’s Senior Vice President, including gift acknowledgments, condolences, personal greetings, etc.

• Copyedit and proofread work of SC staff writers and some external partners

• Produce development-related projects, including but not limited to fiscal year templates, requested special correspondence, and event follow-ups in addition to assisting the senior director of stewardship communications with diverse correspondence projects related to external partners

• Become proficient in all procedures unique to SC’s correspondence and scholarship processes, particularly assigning and completing leadership correspondence and maintaining accurate records within SC’s letter tracking system and UGFA’s scholarship database

• Provide writing and project-management assistance to package annual reports for endowed scholarships in partnership with UGFA, and similar assistance to Penn’s schools and centers for communications to their donors and alumni

Nature of Supervision Received and Exercised:

The staff writer reports directly to the Senior Director of Stewardship Communications. The staff writer also has frequent contact with staff across Development and Alumni relations, including the President’s Office, DAR’s Senior Vice President’s Office, UGFA, gift officers, and prospect managers.

**Please provide a resume and cover letter in order to be considered for this role. Please upload all documents in the “Resume/CV” section of the application prior to submitting.**

Minimum Qualifications Required:

A Bachelor’s degree and 2-3 years of professional writing experience, specifically in business writing and/or development communications or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Excellent copyediting, research, organizational, and computer literacy skills, including superior word processing knowledge and familiarity with database and spreadsheet programs. Self-motivated and self-directed and can work effectively as a member of a team and independently. Has the ability to meet deadlines in what is periodically a high-volume/fast-paced production environment and can manage unanticipated requests.

Job Location – City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Development and Alumni Relations

Pay Range

$43,919.00 – $68,500.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile. 

Affirmative Action Statement 
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements 
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn’s exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you’ll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay