Director of Advancement Operations and Analytics
About The Position
The Director of Advancement Operations & Analytics provides strategic leadership for the operational, technical, and analytical functions that support fundraising, constituent engagement, and stewardship within the University Advancement department and is responsible for advancing Wentworth’s fundraising strategy through analysis. This role oversees data integrity, reporting, form development, gift processing, CRM systems, prospect research, and business intelligence, and applies advanced analytics ensuring that advancement teams have the insights and infrastructure required to achieve philanthropic goals. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President, Donor Relations and Advancement Operations, the Director works in close partnership with frontline fundraisers, annual giving, donor relations, and other University Advancement stakeholders to drive evidence‑based decision‑making and optimize advancement performance. This role is essential to building a sustainable, insight-driven fundraising operation that equips leadership to make informed decisions and supports Wentworth in achieving its campaign goals.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in business, analytics, information systems, nonprofit management, or a related field.
- 7–10+ years of experience in advancement operations, fundraising analytics, data strategy, or business intelligence within a nonprofit fundraising environment.
- Demonstrated leadership in managing or guiding a team or function, including responsibility for prioritization, cross-functional collaboration, and mentoring teams.
- Proficiency with advanced CRMs and data tools (e.g., Raiser’s Edge NXT, Salesforce, Blackbaud CRM, Slate, Tableau, Power BI, SQL, Python, R).
- Strong understanding of fundraising metrics, pipeline management, and campaign reporting.
- Commitment to confidentiality and ethical standards
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree or professional certification (CFRE, CASE training, data analytics certification).
- Experience in higher education or another complex mission-driven organization is strongly preferred.
- Experience in a complex university advancement environment.
- Familiarity with predictive modeling, machine learning, or advanced data visualization.
- Project management experience.
- Strategic and analytical thinking
- Data literacy and technical acumen
- Effective communication and presentation skills
- Ability to collaborate across diverse teams.
- Change management experience.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute a comprehensive advancement operations strategy, aligning systems, processes, and analytics with fundraising priorities and institutional goals.
- Partner with the Assistant Vice President, Donor Relations and Advancement Operations and University Advancement leaders to evaluate performance trends and advise on resource allocation, pipeline development, and campaign planning.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making.
- Provide strategic insight into campaign pacing, pipeline health, donor trends, and segmentation to support University Advancement leadership in setting priorities, allocating resources, and evaluating fundraising effectiveness.
- Direct the design of dashboards, predictive models, KPIs, and performance reports that inform fundraising strategy, portfolio management, and donor engagement.
- Oversee prospect research and prospect management programs, ensuring robust discovery, qualification, and portfolio optimization.
- Evaluate fundraising metrics and donor trends to forecast revenue and campaign progress.
- Oversee the administration, optimization, and governance of the advancement CRM (e.g., Slate).
- Ensure high standards of data quality, security, privacy, and regulatory compliance.
- Lead data architecture and integration strategies across advancement systems (events, email platforms, digital engagement, volunteer portals, etc.).
- Ensure that technical solutions align with fundraising reporting requirements, analytic needs, and long-term data integrity.
- Provide oversight for accurate, timely gift processing, pledge management, and donor receipts.
- Ensure compliance with CASE standards, IRS requirements, and institutional policies.
- Develop operational policies and documentation to ensure consistency and transparency.
- Mentor teams across analytics, reporting, operations, gift administration, and prospect research.
- Establish performance goals, professional development opportunities, and a culture of collaboration and service.
- Manage vendor relationships and technology budgets related to advancement operations and systems.
Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits package
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
