Institutional Advancement Operations Manager

Elgin Community College•Elgin, IL

27d•Onsite

About The Position

The Institional Advancement Operations Manager manages the operational flow of the Advancement Department and ECC Foundation, ensuring efficient daily administration. Acting as liaison and recording secretary for the Foundation Board, this role organizes meeting logistics, communications, and coordinates fundraising activities involving board members. The position also represents the Foundation and/or Executive Director in interactions with board members, donors, senior administrators, elected officials, and other dignitaries, requiring professionalism, discretion, and strong strategic communication skills.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in management, business administration, or related field; or equivalent combination of education anad experience.
Five plus years of progressive experience in development operations or similar administrative role, preferably in nonprofit or higher education.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint).
Experience with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) for donor engagement, data management, and relationship tracking.
Familiarity with ERP and payment systems; Ellucian Colleague preferred.
Working knowledge of accounting principles and at least one year of bookkeeping or related financial experience.
Understanding of management practices and demonstrated supervisory skills.
Strong communication skills-written, verbal, and presentation.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
Exceptional organizational and time-management skills.
Analytical ability to collect, validate, and interpret data; generate reports; and recommend process improvements.
Knowledge of fundraising principles and best practices.
High level of discretion in handling confidential information.
Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed.

Responsibilities

Project Management:Ensures timely completion of Advancement Department and ECC Foundation projects, maintaining accountability to established timelines and deliverables; Conducts high-level analysis of performance metrics and outcomes related to the strategic plan and other departmental initiatives, providing insights to guide decision-making and continuous improvement; Coordinates closely with members of the Advancement team and serves as the primary point of contact for interdepartmental collaboration, facilitating effective communication and alignment across units.
Liaison to the Foundation Board of Directors: Coordinates logistics and communications for all Foundation Board and committee meetings, ensuring timely distribution of materials and seamless execution of meeting operations; Serves as recording secretary for board and committee meetings, preparing accurate minutes and maintaining official records; Monitors and tracks board compliance and engagement; Manages board portal access, ensuring members have secure and up-to-date access to relevant documents and resources; Oversees staff recruitment process of new Foundation Board Members from sourcing to new member support.
Oversight of Department Business, Finance, and Accounting Workflows: Analyzes and monitors both operational and income budgets for the Advancement Department and ECC Foundation, ensuring alignment with financial goals and strategic priorities; Oversees accounts payable (AP) processing and manages vendor relationships to ensure timely payments, contract compliance, and service quality; Identifies uncollectible receivables and prepares recommendations for write-offs, presenting proposals for review and approval by the Foundation Board of Directors.
Oversight of Gift Processing, including: Management of workflow of incoming gifts, delegating duties to and coordinating with Office Assistant as is appropriate; Oversight of receipting and gift acknowledgement process; Oversight of pledge reminder issuance; Review, support and documentation of gift and pledge agreements, new fund and endowment agreements, etc.; Annual Stewardship Review, including Individual Stewardship reports.
Oversight and management of all Institutional Advancement and Foundation calendars ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, key initiatives, and stakeholder engagement timelines.
Leadership and operational management of administrative support functions, including supervision, performance development, and workflow optimization for the Office Assistant and 1-2 student workers. Responsibilities include setting goals, delegating responsibilities, monitoring outcomes, and providing continuous coaching and professional development.
Development, implementation, and continuous improvement of standardized operating procedures for staff and student workers, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and institutional knowledge retention across all core departmental functions.