Senior Director of Advancement Operations

About the role

Farmingdale State College (FSC), a campus of the State University of New York (SUNY), invites applications for the Senior Director of Advancement Operations within the Division of Institutional Advancement.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Advancement Operations and serve as a key advisor to the Vice President on technology, data strategy, and process improvement in support of fundraising, alumni engagement, and institutional priorities.
• Manage the Office of Advancement budget and support Foundation financial administration in partnership with the Director of Finance.
• Lead operational planning, resource allocation, vendor relationships, and departmental initiatives while representing advancement operations in institutional planning, committees, and leadership discussions.
• Oversee the stewardship of the Advancement CRM and related technology platforms, ensuring data integrity, security, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
• Lead data governance, reporting, analytics, and technology enhancements to support fundraising strategy, campaign performance, and executive decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with applicable data privacy, regulatory, and SUNY requirements.
• Direct all gift processing, stewardship, fund management, and reconciliation activities to ensure accuracy, compliance, and exceptional donor service.
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures related to gift administration, financial reporting, and advancement operations.
• Serve as the primary liaison with Finance and Business Affairs on accounting, audits, reporting, budget management, and fiscal compliance.
• Support Lead prospect research, analytics, and prospect management efforts to support major gift fundraising and campaign initiatives.
• Oversee prospect identification, portfolio management, moves management, and fundraising analytics.
• Provide research, briefings, and strategic intelligence to advancement staff and institutional leadership.
• Develop reports, dashboards, and analyses for institutional leaders, the Foundation Board, and external reporting requirements.
• Maintain advancement policies, procedures, and documentation related to data governance, gift acceptance, and operational standards.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, SUNY policies, IRS requirements, CASE standards, and donor stewardship best practices.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Advancement Services team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, customer service, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, performance management, and professional development for staff.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in advancement services, development operations, fundraising operations, or a similar function within higher education or a similarly complex organization.
• Experience supervising or leading a team in an advancement services or related environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in advancement operations, including donor database management, gift administration, reporting, analytics, data governance, and CRM platforms such as Raiser's Edge, Raiser's Edge NXT, or comparable systems.
• Experience overseeing financial processes, budget management, reconciliations, and fund accounting within higher education or similarly complex organization.
• Knowledge of applicable regulations and standards related to advancement services, donor stewardship, data privacy, and gift administration.
• Strong strategic planning, analytical, organizational, problem-solving, communication, and relationship-management skills, with the ability to present effectively and collaborate across departments.

Qualifications

• Master's degree.
• Experience working in a SUNY or similar public higher education environment.
• Experience with CRM implementations, upgrades, or technology initiatives.
• Experience managing endowments, planned giving, or foundation operations.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled tools and fundraising analytics technologies.
• CPA designation, CPA candidacy, or significant accounting experience in a higher education, nonprofit, or foundation setting.

Benefits

The State University of New York offers excellent fringe benefits including health insurance options and retirement plans.

Pay

$116,000 + $4,000 in downstate location pay = $120,000 Total Compensation. Salary may increase commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Schedule

This is a full-time UUP position.