Senior Director of Advancement Services

Chatham University•Pittsburgh, PA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Chatham University seeks a collaborative, strategic, and focused professional to oversee the operations and infrastructure that facilitate and support the University’s fundraising and alumni engagement efforts. Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the Senior Director of Advancement Services will lead an advancement services team responsible for gift processing, data management and reporting, prospect research and management, stewardship and donor relations, advancement communications, and strategic planning. The Senior Director will play an important role in the Advancement Office’s evolution over the next several years, improving processes, enhancing reporting and analytics, and creating an integrated donor experience that enables philanthropic growth and long-term engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in advancement services, development operations, donor relations, prospect research, or related advancement functions.
Demonstrated experience overseeing gift processing, data management, reporting, stewardship, and advancement operations.
Experience supervising staff and managing projects across multiple functions.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to manage confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
Experience with advancement CRM systems and reporting tools.

Nice To Haves

Experience with prospect research, portfolio management, and donor analytics preferred.
Strategic yet highly execution oriented.
Collaborative and service-minded.
Comfortable balancing operational detail with broader institutional goals.
Interested in helping strengthen and modernize advancement infrastructure in a growing and mission-driven environment.
Committed to fostering meaningful donor and alumni relationships through strong, efficient systems and thoughtful stewardship practices.

Responsibilities

Lead the day-to-day advancement services operations, ensuring effective systems, workflows, and processes that support Advancement unit goals.
Help create, refine, and execute strategic plans and objectives for the department.
Develop and implement best practices related to data integrity, gift processing, stewardship, donor communications, prospect research and management, and reporting.
Serve as a key resource and authority for Advancement staff on policies, procedures, and database management.
Oversee database management, including data entry standards, record maintenance, reporting, and data hygiene.
Ensure the accuracy and integrity of donor, alumni, and prospect information.
Oversee all gift processing activities, including gift entry, acknowledgements, reconciliation, and reporting in close coordination with business office partners.
Establish and maintain policies and procedures that ensure timely, accurate, and confidential handling of donor information and contributions.
Produce regular reports, dashboards, and analytics to support fundraising strategy, campaign tracking, and leadership decision making.
Oversee acknowledgement processes, donor recognition, impact reporting, and stewardship communications.
Develop systems to ensure timely and meaningful engagement with donors.
Support donor recognition programs and stewardship initiatives.
Oversee Advancement-related communications in partnership with University colleagues and Advancement leadership.
Help develop and coordinate donor and alumni communications, campaign materials, and impact messaging.
Ensure communications align with institutional priorities and support engagement and fundraising objectives.
Supervise and mentor the Advancement Services team.
Foster a collaborative, service-oriented, and solutions-focused culture.
Support professional development and continuous improvement.