Director of Annual Fund/ Advancement Services

Full-time, exempt professional staff position in the Division of University Advancement.

About the role

The Director of Advancement Services is responsible for database management, advancement reporting, gift processing, prospect research, data integrity, and data security. Serves as team leader for the organization’s efforts to understand its constituent data by guiding analysis and segmentation efforts. Develops strategies for leveraging constituent data to advance the work of the organization. Provides technical advice, forecasting, training, and reports as needed for all members of the Development and Alumni Affairs professional staff, as well as authorized members of the university community who need reports from the Alumni/Development System (Raiser’s Edge NXT).

Responsibilities

• Leadership (50%)
  • Provide oversight and direction for the Advancement Services area which includes gift processing, prospect research, and donor relations.
  • Guide and direct staff through training, processing, and handling of data.
  • Use independent judgment and best practices to budget resources, create and revise policy, develop procedures, and provide direction in the daily operations of the unit.
  • Create and maintain formal documentation of Advancement operating/gift acceptance policies and procedures.
• Database-Donor Records Management (50%)
  • Create and administer Raiser’s Edge NXT database reports to address advancement needs.
  • Learn new Raiser’s Edge NXT modules and cross-train others.
  • Supervise the preparation of donor receipt letters, donor letters, recognition letters, and related correspondence.
  • Create giving or data reports for the Vice-Chancellor, board meetings, and other presentations.
  • Construct lists, reports, and dashboard tools to support fundraising efforts including data, benchmarking, and forecasting.
  • Track all gift agreements and stewardship addenda as gifts are received from donors and organize data from a variety of sources (donor gift information, scholarship awards, financial data on endowed funds) to ensure accurate reporting to donors.
  • Review all existing agreements/scholarship accounts to ensure terms follow state and federal laws and coordinate with development officers to ensure new donor scholarship agreements follow state and federal laws.
  • Serve as quality control for all records, reports, lists, and data.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience.
• A comprehensive understanding of Advancement Services as a functional area, including gift processing, stewardship, donor relations, customer service, prospect management, information security, and data maintenance.

Skills

• Data analysis skills and the ability to create documents, spreadsheets, graphs, timelines, and reports that require frequent updates.
• Knowledge of gift processing and stewardship policies and procedures, including IRS regulations.
• Superb attention to detail and ability to multitask.
• Proficiency in working with databases, CRM systems, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office products.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication, writing, and collaboration skills.
• Excellent customer service skills and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a higher education setting is highly preferred.