Executive Director of Advancement Operations

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice President for University Advancement, the Executive Director of Advancement Operations is responsible for providing strategic leadership and long-range and short-term planning for the areas of advancement services, gift processing, data management, reporting, analytics, prospect research/management, donor relations, and estate administration. In collaboration with other members of the division, the executive director will ensure a strong infrastructure that will assist in the ongoing success of advancement in its mission to maximize philanthropy and build relationships for St. Lawrence University. 

Duties/Responsibilities: 

Gift processing, data and records management, reporting, and analytics

• Oversight of functional activities of gifts, records, and analytics, optimizing the utilization of The Raiser’s Edge database in these processes.
• Ensuring data integrity, accurate reporting, compliance with government regulations and reporting standards
• Implement executive reporting packages that meet the changing landscape of advancement and prepare us for the upcoming comprehensive campaign.
• In collaboration with the Information Technology department, develop long and short-term strategic plans for advancement-related technology. 

Prospect Research/Prospect Management

• Overall responsibility for the strategic direction of proactive research, moves management and predictive modeling initiatives of Advancement Operations
• Leverages the database to store, organize, mine, analyze and export prospect information with maximum efficiency and accuracy 

Donor Relations

• Overall responsibility for the strategic direction of our donor relations and stewardship programs, with an emphasis on the oversight of gift agreements, fund creation and management. 

Special Funding Operations/Estate Administration

• Responsible for administering estates and planned giving reporting in partnership with the office of planned gifts
• Oversees all gifts-in-kind and other gifts of complex assets, as needed. 

Staff Management

• Responsible for direct supervision of four staff including the Director of Prospect Research/Prospect Management, Director of Donor Relations, Sr. Associate Director of Advancement Operations, Sr. Associate Director of Gifts, Records and Analytics, as well as collaboration with the administrative assistant of Planned Giving on estate administration.
• Work closely with direct reports to develop, execute and monitor annual goals, objectives and metrics for the various departments under the Advancement Operations umbrella.  

Budget Management

• Work collaboratively with the Vice President and other Advancement budget managers to develop and monitor annual departmental budgets, and to oversee vendor contracts and renewals. 

• Perform other duties as assigned or requested. 

The salary range is $95,000 - $110,000 annually. Actual salary will be determined based on qualifications and other factors permitted by law 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Seven or more years of professional experience, with at least three years being in fundraising or higher education advancement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required.
• Management experience required. Ability to build and maintain cohesive teams as well as build effective relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience with alumni and development database systems and reporting required; proficiency with The Raiser’s Edge is a considerable plus.
• Experience in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint required.
• Ability to think strategically and develop both short and long-term plans.
• Sensitivity to highly confidential information; complete discretion is required.
• Ability to identify and adapt to shifting priorities, be flexible and resourceful, and exercise professionalism with numerous constituencies.
• Knowledge of prospect research best practices and standard research tools, as well as gift processing and accounting standards (IRS, CASE, FASB).
• Financial experience including budget preparation, monitoring, and performance metrics is preferred.
• Flexibility of hours is required with occasional evening or weekend work. 

Preferred Qualifications      

• Advanced degree in business or related field preferred. 

Interested applicants must apply online at http://employment.stlawu.edu uploading all required materials which are defined in the “special instructions to applicant” section.  Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Questions about the position may be directed to Kimberly Hissong, Vice President for University Advancement, khissong@stlawu.edu. 

All offers of employment are contingent upon the finalist successfully passing a background (including criminal records) check.