Westtown School is seeking an experienced, innovative, and self-directed Director of Advancement Operations who will continue to enhance an established advancement services program within a strong and successful advancement department. This position is a full-time year-round position reporting to the Dean of Advancement.

Position Summary:

The Director of Advancement Operations manages all aspects of the Advancement Operations team within the Office of Advancement. This position oversees the School’s Raiser’s Edge NXT database with 38,000 constituents, prospect research and management, and information and Advancement support services. The Director will maintain and enhance development operations to assure best practices and high standards of quality, efficiency, accuracy, transparency, and confidentiality around the handling of donor information, reporting, acknowledgments, and procedures related to all capital and annual fundraising campaigns and alumni/ae/x engagement. The Director also supervises prospect research and management supporting the expansion of the donor pipeline to meet revenue goals and enhance annual and capital philanthropic support to Westtown School. The Director supervises one full-time team member, the Advancement Operations Assistant. Over the past five years, Westtown has consistently  expanded its fundraising program, averaging total giving of $6.3 million per year from all constituents, building toward our next capital campaign.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership for the Advancement Operations team responsible for biographical records management; gift records management; monthly reporting; annual fundraising/campaign reporting and tracking; event mailing list creation and tracking; event database entry and management; prospect research and management; gift processing and acknowledgment; and departmental budget management.
• Set metrics, goals, and track progress for Advancement Operations; create and/or update policies and procedures with respect to the overall responsibilities of Advancement Services.
• Serve as a liaison to advancement constituents as well as other departments on campus, such as Finance, Human Resources, IT, and others as required.
• Serve as the lead Raiser’s Edge NXT database manager for the advancement office, and interface with other departments using the Blackbaud platform.
• Promote positive donor relations by helping to ensure the accuracy, confidentiality, and integrity of biographical, demographical, gift records and other information.
• Monitor the day-to-day operation of the database to ensure all fundraising technologies and systems are regularly reviewed for efficiency and efficacy; strategically support the department’s overall goals, and assist in determining who requires access to various databases/tools.
• Manage Advancement team policies and procedures for database management. Keep current with all system updates and training. Routinely update and maintain policies and procedures manual.
• Remain at the forefront of best practices and procedures for database management and development services to ensure the appropriate level of leadership and support.
• Create and implement prospect management protocols and interact with department directors regarding the tracking and reporting of constituent activity.
• Supervise the processing and acknowledging of gifts, pledges, pledge payments, matching claims, tribute gifts, and other contributions with consideration to timeliness and efficiency of processing; manage the reconciliation of restricted/unrestricted funds between Advancement and Finance departments, ensuring reporting and recording practices are in compliance with audit principles.
• Design, execute and maintain customized database reports, lists, and queries to support the Advancement Office and to fulfill requests for information from other departments. Further utilize the database to build queries for Advancement communications.
• Develop and maintain a suite of reports to monitor and measure fundraising performance for the Dean of Advancement, Finance Office, and other departments in the school.
• Document and maintain procedures, workflows, processes, and complex functions.
• Oversee quality control of all information and communication conveyed from Advancement Services, including financial reports, budgets, receipts, tributes, letters, and lists.
• Responsible for assisting with high-level reporting to School boards, councils, and volunteers.
• Address “critical needs” that occur on short notice and require immediate action and serve as a resource for team members.
• Serve as an active member of the School’s Advancement leadership team; and attend meetings and events as appropriate

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is required, a Master’s degree is preferred.
• Preference for candidates with at least six years of advancement services experience and three years of direct supervisory experience supervising multiple employees.
• Experience should include development research, gift processing, information and fund management as well as capital campaign report generation and support.
• Demonstrated advanced proficiency with constituent management database systems and the ability to work effectively with system administrators or programmers. Significant experience with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge and RE NXT required.
• Ability to build strong collaborative relationships internally with Advancement staff and externally with volunteers and vendors.
• Interpersonal skills to work effectively with School leadership, prospects, benefactors, volunteers, and the public.
• Strong analytical capabilities, including the ability to evaluate complex prospect-related information, including demographics, financial information, etc. as well as the ability to translate/transmit that information to staff and fundraising volunteers in analytical reports.
• Outstanding desktop computer skills, especially with database tools; emphasis on streamlined presentations.
• Advanced proficiency using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Exceptional writing and oral communication skills, including demonstrated success at communicating technical information to lay audiences.
• Proven ability to maintain confidentiality and handling of sensitive information.
• Commitment to the mission and values of Westtown and a passion for continuous learning and personal growth.