Senior Director of Advancement Services

Berklee College of Music•Boston, MA

4d•$140,000 - $167,000

About The Position

Berklee College of Music is seeking a strategic and collaborative Senior Director of Advancement Services to lead our advancement data, systems, reporting, and analytics functions. This senior leadership role ensures that Institutional Advancement (IA) operates with accurate, secure, and actionable data to drive philanthropic impact, alumni engagement, and student success. The Senior Director will oversee Raiser’s Edge NXT and related systems, guiding the advancement services team in delivering exceptional support for fundraising campaigns and donor engagement initiatives. Berklee fosters a culture of creativity, innovation, and student-centered excellence. This position will collaborate across IA and campus-wide colleagues—including Technology Resources, Finance, Career Services, Alumni Affairs, Berklee Online, and Berklee Valencia—to strengthen decision-making, enhance data-driven strategies, and support mission-driven outcomes for our community.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 8–10 years of advancement services, fundraising operations, or nonprofit data systems experience.
Deep expertise in CRM management, analytics, reporting, and data governance.
Strong leadership skills with success managing diverse technical teams and large-scale projects.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, written, and verbal communication skills.
Empathetic communicator able to translate complex data concepts for non-technical audiences.

Nice To Haves

Blackbaud product certification; experience with Tableau, Power BI, or Informer.
Coding or data-querying skills (SQL, Python, or comparable).
Knowledge of fund accounting, financial reconciliation, and gift reporting.
Experience with AI-enabled advancement tools.
Advanced proficiency with Raiser’s Edge NXT, Excel, and FileMaker.
Familiarity with fundraising, CRM, database, and financial accounting concepts.
Knowledge of data security standards, data cleansing, and emerging digital platforms.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Data Governance Develop and implement a vision for advancement services aligned with IA’s mission and campaign priorities. Establish data governance frameworks, policies, and documentation consistent with CASE Global Reporting Standards and AASP best practices. Lead change management for new systems, business processes, and data standards. Maintain a multi-year Advancement Systems & Data Technology Roadmap in collaboration with IA leadership and Technology Resources.
CRM & Systems Management Oversee administration and optimization of Raiser’s Edge NXT and related databases. Manage system upgrades, enhancements, data migrations, and platform implementations. Ensure seamless integrations with student, alumni, and financial systems. Collaborate with Berklee Online, Berklee Valencia, and Career Services to maintain unified reporting and data flow.
Analytics, Forecasting & Reporting Develop dashboards, reports, and analytics to inform fundraising performance, campaign progress, and donor engagement. Conduct forecasting and predictive analytics to model revenue potential and donor behavior. Benchmark IA performance against peer institutions using CASE standards. Deliver actionable insights to IA leadership and frontline fundraisers.
Prospect Research & Gift Administration Lead research, data enrichment, and prospect management strategies. Maintain policies for portfolio size, assignment protocols, and review processes. Ensure compliance with IRS regulations, FERPA, GDPR, PCI, and CASE Global Reporting Standards. Support development officers with donor intelligence and moves-management reporting.
Cross-Institution Collaboration & Team Leadership Partner with IA leadership and campus-wide stakeholders to establish KPIs, reporting frameworks, and fundraising strategy. Represent IA on governance bodies including the Data Governance Council and CORE Data Committee. Manage, mentor, and evaluate a team of six advancement services professionals. Oversee departmental budget and multiple cross-departmental projects. Foster a culture of empathetic communication, high-quality service, and continuous improvement.