Director of Advancement Operations

University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

5d•$90,000

About The Position

Established in 2023 as UT Austin’s newest college, the School of Civic Leadership is a community of scholars and students dedicated to studying the foundational ideas and institutions of a free society, with the goal of advancing human flourishing. We value independent thought, civil discourse, reasoned deliberation, and intellectual curiosity as we prepare to meet the challenges of the present and sustain the blessings of liberty for future generations. Upholding the University’s motto—Disciplina Praesidium Civitatis, “Education is the guardian genius of democracy”—we advance The University of Texas at Austin’s mission to achieve excellence in education, research, and public service. The Director of Advancement Operations ensures administrative excellence, process integrity, and executional discipline across fundraising activities. This role owns systems, workflows, reporting, and internal coordination to enable frontline fundraisers and leadership to focus on donor strategy, cultivation, and relationship management.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
5+ years experience in operations, advancement, administration, or project management
Demonstrated ability to manage complex workflows
Strong organizational and analytical skills
Excellent written and verbal communication
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Experience in development / advancement / higher education
CRM and reporting systems familiarity
Budget and process management experience
Stakeholder coordination experience

Responsibilities

Own and continuously refine all development operations, including workflows, systems, and procedures, to ensure efficiency, scalability, and alignment with organizational strategy.
Implement and maintain clear operational standards and best practices to drive consistency, accountability, and high-quality execution across the development function.
Provide strategic oversight of fundraising pipelines, ensuring accurate tracking, forecasting, and timely movement from prospecting through stewardship.
Partner closely with Chief Development Officer to translate strategic priorities into actionable plans, aligning resources, timelines, and performance expectations.
Oversee budgeting, expense management, and financial coordination in collaboration with finance, ensuring transparency and fiscal discipline.
Lead the development of reporting infrastructure, including dashboards and key performance metrics, to inform decision-making and measure impact.
Direct the preparation of board materials, executive briefings, and high-level reports, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and strategic relevance.
Oversee the full lifecycle of donor operations, including proposal development, gift processing, and stewardship, ensuring a seamless and high-quality donor experience.
Drive cross-functional collaboration by aligning development with finance, communications, and other teams on data, messaging, and timelines.
Serve as an operational advisor, proactively identifying challenges, prioritizing competing demands, and implementing solutions that advance organizational goals.
Lead and mentor staff on operational processes, systems, and performance expectations, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Benefits

Competitive health benefits (Employee premiums covered at 100%; family premiums at 50%)
Vision, dental, life, and disability insurance options
Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
Teachers Retirement System of Texas (a defined benefit retirement plan)
Additional voluntary retirement programs: tax sheltered annuity 403(b) and a deferred compensation program 457(b)
Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
Training and conference opportunities
Tuition assistance
Athletic ticket discounts
Access to UT Austin's libraries and museums
Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Capital Metro buses with staff ID card