Director for Advancement Operations, Parkland Foundation

Parkland College

8d•$80,214 - $100,268•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Advancement Operations leads the systems, processes, and operational functions that support the Parkland College Foundation’s fundraising and donor stewardship work. This position oversees advancement services, financial operations, scholarship administration, donor data systems, and compliance activities. Working closely with the Associate Vice President/Executive Director (AVP/ED), this role manages and analyzes operational and financial functions to support planning and decision-making. The AVP/ED provides overall direction and is accountable to the Foundation Board. This position focuses on building and maintaining effective systems and processes that support fundraising success. Donor relationships and communications are led by fundraising staff. The Director exercises independent judgment in managing operational systems, financial processes, scholarship processes, compliance functions, and stewardship. The role regularly interacts with donors’ college leadership, Foundation board members, auditors, and campus partners. This position is a member of the Foundation leadership team and contributes to planning, policy development, and cross-functional coordination.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
Five or more years of relevant experience in advancement operations, nonprofit administration, finance, or related field
Experience with financial processes, fund administration, or similar operational work
Experience with CRM or database systems and reporting
Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Office or Office 365, including Teams and Outlook, and the ability to learn the Parkland systems and adapt to new programs as technologies are implemented.
Prospective new hires will successfully complete a post offer, pre-employment criminal background check with fingerprinting. The background check review includes, but is not limited to, exclusionary offenses per the Illinois School Code and Title IV of the Higher Education Act
In an effort to comply with SURS return-to-work restrictions for employers (40 ILCS 5/15-139.5), candidates for employment at Parkland College must either not be a SURS annuitant or must be willing to suspend his/her SURS annuity upon employment. This applies to all SURS annuitants except those receiving their annuity under either the Self-Managed Plan (SMP) or by lump sum payment

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a higher education or nonprofit foundation environment
Experience with advancement services functions, including donor database systems and reporting
Experience supporting audits, financial reporting, or fund administration
Experience with CRM systems such as Blackbaud Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, or similar platforms
Experience leading or supporting system improvements or implementations
Strong skills in data analysis and reporting tools such as Excel
Experience supervising staff or leading cross-functional collaboration
Familiarity with advancement, best practices, and donor data management

Responsibilities

Lead advancement operations including systems, processes, and workflow management
Oversee advancement services, financial processes, scholarship administration, and donor data systems
Supervise staff supporting advancement operations
Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and accuracy
Manage and analyze financial processes including endowments, receivables, payables, and reconciliations
Prepare financial reports and analysis for leadership and board use
Support budget development, fund management, and financial planning led by the AVP/ED
Ensure accurate reporting, internal controls, and compliance in coordination with the Business Office
Coordinate audit preparation and serve as primary operational contact for auditors
Oversee donor database management, data integrity, and reporting
Manage gift processing, acknowledgements, and stewardship tracking systems
Ensure compliance with regulations and institutional policies
Provide reporting and analysis to support fundraising performance
Oversee scholarship processes including application, awarding, tracking, and compliance
Manage scholarship budgets and reconciliation
Coordinate with Financial Aid and Student Services
Maintain compliance with donor intent and institutional policies
Prepare documentation to support board governance and reporting
Support audits and compliance requirements
Assist in maintaining policies and procedures
Support planning and continuous improvement efforts
Assist with Foundation initiatives and events as needed
Perform other duties as assigned