Development Writer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

At the University of California, Berkeley , we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond. Together, we change the world.

At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth . We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and providing space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups.

University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR) increases support for and enhances knowledge of UC Berkeley through communications, public outreach, and fundraising. The department is responsible for fundraising and donor engagement, and works to strengthen unit development offices by consulting and partnering with campus fundraisers. UDAR also handles a range of central activities and services encompassing events, communications, stewardship, prospect development, gift management, and database management.

The College of Letters & Science (L&S) is the largest of Berkeley's colleges, comprising 38 departments and 79 majors; and encompasses nearly half of the campus faculty, almost two-thirds of its undergraduate students, and almost half of its Ph.D. candidates.

UDAR's Constituent Programs team works closely with L&S deans and development leaders on strategy setting and organizational performance to optimize fundraising strategies and help the College reach its philanthropy goals; and provides stewardship, communications, and advisory board support to the College.

The Donor Engagement and Stewardship Writer provides stewardship reporting, donor engagement communications, and proposal development support for all five divisions of the College of Letters & Science (L&S). With input from divisional development teams and college leadership and guidance from the Associate Director for Stewardship & Strategy, this position conceives, researches, writes, edits, and publishes written materials and strategic communications including feature stories, interviews, proposals, short videos, event scripts, and decanal presentations. The Donor Engagement and Stewardship Writer is also responsible for producing stewardship reports of varying lengths that are required by gift agreements to ensure donors and prospects are engaged and stewarded effectively to maintain and increase fundraising levels.

The First Review Date for this job is: Septmeber 12, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.

Research, write, and edit high-level donor engagement materials - 40%

• Research, write, and edit high-level donor engagement materials for all five divisions in the College of Letters & Science that communicate complex or sensitive subject matter, such as research outcomes, program activities, and student success stories, to a highly influential audience of major donors and philanthropic partners to UC Berkeley.
• Collateral may include feature stories, interviews, proposals, briefing materials, talking points, decanal outreach communications to prospects and donors, and web site content.
• Develop new donor engagement tools, including digital and print communications and collateral around key divisional and campaign priorities.

Research, write, and edit impact reports and other stewardship materials - 30%

• Research, write, and edit impact reports and other stewardship materials for all five divisions in the College of Letters & Science as part of the approximately 125 stewardship moves for programmatic support or fund donors the Constituent Programs team produces annually.

Collaborate with divisional fundraising teams - 15%

• Meet regularly with divisional fundraising teams in the Arts & Humanities, Biological Sciences, Mathematical & Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences divisions to understand priorities and recent program successes and advise on donor outreach and engagement strategies.
• Work with UDAR and L&S leaders to develop strategies for digital outreach campaigns for the College of Letters & Science Leadership Fund; and produce donor engagement content for fundraising efforts.

Provide support for other L&S advancement communications - 5%

• May collaborate with L&S College Relations and university staff on additional advancement communications projects, including campaign documents, website articles, proposals, event invitations, press releases, and miscellaneous donor reports.

Provides editing and proofreading support - 5%

• Provides editing and proofreading support for L&S fundraisers and Constituent Programs team.

• Minimum of 4 years of experience demonstrating advanced skills and experience as a writer, able to clearly, engagingly, and persuasively convey complex messages in long form and short form, in a variety of media including electronic and print, and in tone and style at levels of detail and technical depth for diverse audiences.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience with content development, research and fact verification, adherence to appropriate editorial style guidelines; copyediting, and proofreading.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience with demonstrated ability to maintain good working relationships with internal and external partners, as well as ability to work collaboratively with partners and facilitate collaborations with teams/colleagues from varying fields and at all levels.
• Advanced knowledge of the fundamentals of writing, grammar, syntax, style, and punctuation.
• Excellent team collaboration and interpersonal communications skills, including active listening, facilitation, conflict resolution, and political acumen.
• Advanced research and fact verification skills.
• Advanced interpersonal communications skills, including active listening and effective collaboration.
• Advanced analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Skill to maintain absolute confidentiality.

• Knowledge of the campus, including its mission, goals, achievements, infrastructure, programs, and policies and/or the ability to learn.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Suite, Google Suite, and marketing applications, such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud and Adobe Creative Suite and/or the ability to learn.
• Knowledge of issues in higher education, development and/or a specialized academic discipline or field.

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $103,000 to $118,000.

• This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
• This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits.

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. During the initial 3–6 month onboarding period, the successful candidate may be expected to work on-site at least two days per week. Once fully oriented to the role, the position is eligible for up to four days (80%) of remote work per week within the United States, with on-site work as needed. Exact arrangements are determined in partnership with the supervisor based on role responsibilities and department needs and are subject to change.

This is not a visa opportunity. This position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

“Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.