Operations Manager, Philanthropic Engagement

This position is not eligible for sponsorship of non-immigrant or immigrant visa status through Wake Forest University.

About the Role

The Operations Manager, Philanthropic Engagement, provides high-level administrative, operational, and project management support to the Associate Vice President and plays a key integrative role within the Philanthropic Engagement (PE) team. Connects the work of the PE team with complementary workstreams across University Advancement to ensure alignment and progress toward goals. This position ensures the smooth execution of fast-moving priorities, strengthens communication and workflow across teams, and enhances the effectiveness of the AVP by anticipating needs, managing systems, and supporting strategic initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates alignment between Philanthropic Engagement (PE) priorities and related workstreams across University Advancement (UA) by partnering with colleagues to connect related efforts, reduce duplication, and maintain clarity of roles and responsibilities.
• Partners with the Associate Vice President for Philanthropic Engagement to prioritize commitments, manage scheduling, and prepare briefing materials in support of key meetings and decisions.
• Provides strategic operational support to PE team leaders, including maintaining shared work plans, developing and monitoring a team progress dashboard, tracking milestones, and proactively flagging risks, dependencies, or capacity constraints.
• Supports the Development and Alumni Engagement (DAE) leadership team by assisting with meeting preparation, documenting decisions, and managing follow-up actions through completion.
• Creates high-quality briefing materials, presentations, and decision documents for senior DAE leaders.
• Leads preparation for PE leadership, unit, and team meetings, including agenda development, material coordination, synthesis of updates, tracking follow-up actions, and ensuring decisions are clearly captured and communicated.
• Supports strategic initiatives and special projects by coordinating work across stakeholders, managing timelines, and ensuring progress against defined goals.
• Coordinates and tracks milestones for key projects, ensuring visibility, accountability, and timely escalation of issues as needed.
• Supervises, coaches, and develops a Coordinator, providing clear expectations, regular feedback, and professional growth opportunities while ensuring timely and high-quality execution of assigned work.
• Drafts, edits, and curates internal communications, presentations, and updates; maintains organized and accessible channels for information sharing and documentation.
• Supports onboarding, team development activities, and internal documentation that reinforce shared purpose, clarity of expectations, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Proactively anticipates organizational needs and designs systems, tools, or processes that improve efficiency, reduce bottlenecks, and support effective decision-making.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree plus three to five years of relevant experience in project management, administrative or executive support, higher education, or a related field.
• Exceptional organizational, planning, and time-management skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience drafting correspondence, preparing briefing materials, and creating clear, concise documentation.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment, particularly when handling sensitive or confidential information.
• Experience supervising or managing staff, with demonstrated ability to delegate effectively, hold others accountable, and support the professional development of direct reports.
• Ability to build strong, trust-based relationships and work effectively with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
• Proactive, anticipatory, and resourceful, with the ability to identify needs, anticipate next steps, and follow through with minimal direction.
• Detail-oriented while maintaining a strategic, big-picture perspective.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity, evolving priorities, and complex environments.
• Calm under pressure; able to make thoughtful decisions in time-sensitive situations.
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize information and answer moderately complex questions, proactively seeking additional context or information as needed.
• Service-oriented and relationship-centered; takes pride in providing high-quality, responsive support to others.
• Warm, diplomatic, and collaborative, with the ability to work across differing perspectives and priorities.
• Enjoys creating systems, improving processes, and reducing friction in organizational workflows.
• Self-starter with the ability to think independently while remaining aligned with leadership direction and team goals.
• Thrives in a mission-driven, collaborative team environment.
• Demonstrates respect for the dignity, perspectives, and abilities of all individuals.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to learn and effectively use customer relationship management systems (Blackbaud CRM preferred), project management tools (ClickUp preferred), and event registration platforms; commitment to continuously developing technical skills as needed.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as required.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of information contained in donor records, system data, and leadership communications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of protocol, etiquette, and professional standards appropriate for executive- and donor-facing environments.
• Previous experience in project or logistics management.
• Familiarity with project management tools and shared digital workspaces used to coordinate complex, cross-functional work.
• Experience preparing clear, well-structured reports, presentations, and executive summaries for senior leadership audiences.
• Familiarity with advancement operations, campaign environments, or donor engagement strategies.

Accountabilities

• Responsible for own work.
• May supervise a team Coordinator.
• May supervise a student employee.

Physical Requirements

Sedentary work primarily involving sitting/standing; communicating with others to exchange information; repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers; and assessing the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned. No adverse environmental conditions expected; however, may assist in executing events in outdoor elements such as precipitation and wind.

Schedule

Full time. Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as required.