Associate Director, Donor Services

NC State University; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

NC State University invites applications for Associate Director, Donor Services. The role oversees endowment reporting, naming‑opportunity processes, and partnerships with Advancement Information and Technology to enhance donor experience and operational efficiency.

The ideal candidate has exceptional writing and editing skills, strong data analysis capabilities, and proven ability to lead cross‑functional projects within a complex higher‑education environment, ensuring accuracy and compliance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and distribute annual endowment reports detailing corpus values, market values, investment performance and spending distributions.
• Analyze financial and endowment data for reporting accuracy and quality.
• Oversee editing and quality-control review of endowment reports.
• Collaborate with campus partners on naming opportunities review and approval.
• Evaluate facilities and spaces to recommend appropriate naming minimums.
• Lead naming materials preparation for Board of Trustees review.
• Identify and lead technology and process-improvement initiatives that strengthen operations.
• Build productive working relationships with frontline fundraising professionals and campus stakeholders.
• Provide strategic leadership and coaching for a team managing naming opportunities and data processes.

Skills

Data analysis

Endowment reporting

Writing and editing

Quality control

Project management

Excel proficiency

CRM systems

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Ovrture

Salesforce

KindSight Ascend

Google Suite

Microsoft Visio

Docusign CLM

Job description

Posting Information

Posting Number

Posting Number PG194950EP

Internal Recruitment

Internal Recruitment No

Working Title

Working Title Associate Director, Donor Services

Anticipated Hiring Range

Anticipated Hiring Range Commensurate with experience and education.

Work Schedule

Work Schedule Monday - Friday; 8a - 5p and other hours as needed to fulfill the duties of this position; flexible work arrangement available.

Job Location

Department

Department Advancement Services

About the Department

North Carolina State University was founded in 1887 with the purpose of creating economic, societal and intellectual prosperity for the people of North Carolina. Today, NC State is the largest university in North Carolina, with more than 40,500 high-performing students, more than 10,000 preeminent faculty and staff and more than 310,000 dedicated alumni. NC State is a Research One (R1) university known for its leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We’re also at the forefront of teaching and discovery in agriculture, business, design, education, humanities and social sciences, natural resources, textiles and veterinary medicine. NC State is consistently named as one of the best values in higher education, and many of our programs are ranked at the top of their respective disciplines. We take a great deal of pride in our collaborative, supportive and collegial team culture. All staff are provided opportunities for training and professional development, with an eye to personalized career growth.

The mission of University Advancement at NC State is to amplify the university’s local and global impact by nurturing lifelong relationships, championing philanthropy and strengthening the Wolfpack community. The division is composed of six teams — Advancement Services; Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving; Finance, Administration and Talent Management; Principal Gifts Program; University Development; and University Special Events and Experiences — that build relationships across the university and beyond to ensure a best-in-class experience for alumni, friends and donors.

Comprising the offices of Advancement Information and Technology, Gifts and Records Management, and Donor Services, Advancement Services plays a vital role in advancing NC State’s fundraising and engagement efforts through accurate data, innovative technology and exceptional service. The department delivers the systems, tools and insights that help the university build stronger relationships with alumni, donors and friends, ensuring every gift is managed with integrity and care. Advancement Services also leads data and systems governance for University Advancement, promoting the ethical, consistent and secure use of information in all fundraising and engagement activities.

The Office of Donor Services is an award-winning team that strives for excellence and innovation, focused on standard and non-standard gift agreements, distinguished professorships agreements, endowment reporting, donor/honoree legacy pages and naming opportunities. The office also serves as a partner to fundraisers in guiding them through IRS , federal and state laws and regulations related to charitable giving and gift agreements. Donor Services is a fast-paced office that partners with the General Counsel, Foundation Accounting and Investment, the Provost Office, and Scholarship and Financial Aid to negotiate donor intent clauses between fundraisers and donors.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership , and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community. Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

The Associate Director of Donor Services will oversee the endowment reporting and naming‑opportunity processes and, in partnership with Advancement Information and Technology, improve projects to enhance the donor experience and increase operational efficiency within Donor Services.

The ideal candidate will possess exceptional writing, detail‑oriented editing and copyediting skills, along with a comprehensive understanding of endowments and endowment reporting. The position requires demonstrated experience in data analysis and quality control, including reviewing, interpreting and validating large, complex datasets. The successful candidate must be highly organized and capable of managing multiple, simultaneous, detail‑oriented responsibilities while collaborating effectively with frontline fundraising professionals and other campus partners.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing the preparation and distribution of annual endowment reports detailing corpus values, market values, investment performance and spending distributions.
• Analyzing financial and endowment data and ensuring the accuracy, quality and consistency of reporting.
• Overseeing the editing and quality‑control review of endowment reports.
• Collaborating with campus partners throughout the review and approval process for naming opportunities.
• Evaluating facilities and other spaces, programs and positions to recommend appropriate gift minimums for naming opportunities.
• Touring existing spaces and spaces under construction and recommending appropriate naming spaces to the respective colleges and units.
• Leading the preparation, review and coordination of naming materials for consideration by the Board of Trustees.
• Identifying and leading technology and process‑improvement initiatives that strengthen operations and enhance the donor experience.
• Building productive working relationships with frontline fundraising professionals, facilities personnel, financial partners and other university stakeholders.
• Providing strategic leadership, supervision, coaching and professional development for a small team of specialized staff responsible for the naming‑opportunities process, managing technology systems and data processes for Donor Services, and managing the endowment reporting process.

Other Responsibilities

• Other duties as as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Other Required Qualifications

• At least three years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas: advancement services, donor relations, donor services, stewardship, gift compliance, gift administration, stewardship communications, accounting, fundraising research, financial reporting, or donor reporting.
• At least three years of experience working in higher education, independent schools, foundations, healthcare systems, nonprofit organizations, or similarly complex organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex financial data and communicate findings clearly to others.
• Experience conducting data-quality reviews and resolving discrepancies to ensure the accuracy and integrity of reporting.
• Exceptional professional writing, editing, proofreading, and copyediting skills, with strong attention to accuracy, consistency, tone, and presentation.
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and creative problem-solving skills, with the ability to exercise sound judgment in complex or sensitive situations.
• Excellent organizational and project-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet firm deadlines, and oversee highly detailed processes.
• Ability to prepare accurate and complete materials.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional projects and collaborate effectively with Advancement Information and Technology professionals on technology and process improvements.
• Proficiency with databases, customer relationship management systems, reporting platforms, document-management tools and standard office software. Examples might include, Ovrture, Salesforce, Kindsight Ascend, Google Suite, Microsoft Visio and Docusign CLM .
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including the use of formulas, pivot tables, filters, lookups, conditional formatting, data validation and other analytical tools.
• Ability to organize, analyze, reconcile, and interpret large and complex datasets in Excel.
• Experience using Excel to identify discrepancies, perform quality-control reviews, track trends and ensure data accuracy.
• Ability to create clear, accurate, and accessible spreadsheets, reports, charts and dashboards for technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Commitment to providing responsive, accurate and service-oriented support to internal and external stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas: advancement services, donor relations, donor services, stewardship, gift compliance, gift administration, stewardship communications, accounting, fundraising research, financial reporting, or donor reporting.
• At least five years of experience working in higher education, independent schools, foundations, healthcare systems, nonprofit organizations, or similarly complex organizations.
• At least one year of supervisory experience or demonstrated leadership experience.
• Demonstrated ability to review and interpret architectural plans, construction documents, floor plans and related materials when evaluating naming opportunities.
• Ability to tour existing facilities and spaces under construction, assess potential naming opportunities, and recommend appropriate gift minimums in partnership with university stakeholders.
• Knowledge of endowments, including corpus values, market values, investment performance, spending distributions, and donor reporting practices.
• Ability to identify opportunities to streamline operations, strengthen data accuracy, and enhance the donor and campus-partner experience.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-management skills, with the ability to build productive partnerships with frontline fundraising professionals, facilities personnel, financial partners, university leadership, and other campus stakeholders.
• Knowledge of advanced Excel features, such as Power Query, Power Pivot, macros or VBA , is preferred.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required

Valid NC Driver's License required No

Commercial Driver's License required

Commercial Driver's License required No

Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions

Job Open Date

Job Open Date 10/15/2026

Anticipated Close Date

Position Number

Position Number 00104613

Position Type

Position Type EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week) 1.00

Appointment

Appointment 12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID

Department ID 085001 - Advancement Services

EEO

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity. If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at [phone] or [e-mail]. Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit. NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• How did you learn of this opportunity?
  • NCSU Website
  • NCSU Executive Search Services
  • Monster.com
  • CareerBuilder.com
  • InsideHigherEd.com
  • Other Online Job Board
  • Carolina Job Finder / Employment Guide
  • Job / Career Fair
  • The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • HERC
  • Professional Journal
  • Print Advertisement (Newspaper / Periodical)
  • Professional Organization
  • Direct Contact from NCSU HR Representative / Recruiter
  • NCSU Employee Referral
  • Social Media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Other)
  • Other
• If you learned about this vacancy from "other source" or "other website", please provide the source.

  (Open Ended Question)

• Do you have (or will you have by date of hire) a bachelor's degree or higher?
  • Yes
  • No
• How many years of experience do you have in Advancement Services, Donor Relations, Donor Services, Gift Compliance, Communications, Information Technology, Information Systems, Research, Reporting, Project Management, Fundraising, or related field preferably in large/complex organizations such as higher education, foundations, health care systems, or non-profit?
  • No experience
  • 0-1 year
  • 1-3 years
  • 3-5 years
  • 5-7 years
  • 7-10 years
  • 10+ years
• How would you describe your proficiency level in Microsoft Excel?
  • None
  • Beginner
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
  • Expert
• How would you describe your proficiency level in the ability to analyze complex financial data?
  • None
  • Beginner
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced
  • Expert
• Describe any experience you have that could be related to leading the annual endowment report project.

  (Open Ended Question)

• Describe any experience you have that could be related to managing naming opportunities or donor relations.

  (Open Ended Question)

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Contact Information for References

Optional Documents

NC STATE UNIVERSITY
RALEIGH, NC 27695
PHONE: [phone]