Associate Director - Philanthropy Operations

The Trust for Public Land; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 101,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Benefits package

Job summary

Trust for Public Land is seeking an Associate Director of Philanthropy Operations to partner with senior leadership and three specialized teams to optimize business processes, data quality, and technology adoption. This role drives change management, training, reporting, and end-user support to enable efficient philanthropy operations across a staff of approximately 100.

The position emphasizes collaboration with Technology, Finance, and Marketing to deliver scalable solutions and maintain

Qualifications

• 9+ years of philanthropy operations, prospect development, CRM administration, or advancement services in nonprofit fundraising.
• Minimum of 5 years of management experience.
• Strong commitment to organizational values and cross-functional work.
• Experience leading business process analysis, redesign, and technology implementations.
• Ability to manage vendors, consultants, and cross-functional teams.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365, with data visualization capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead business process analysis and continuous improvement across the Philanthropy department.
• Drive organizational change management for new systems and processes.
• Translate operational needs into scalable technology solutions with stakeholders.
• Oversee cross-functional initiatives, timelines, risks, and progress reporting.
• Establish governance, standards, and QA for philanthropy operations.
• Develop and maintain documentation for processes, configurations, and knowledge resources.
• Supervise Philanthropy Operations staff as assigned and support budgeting.
• Foster collaboration with Enterprise Applications, Finance, Marketing, and other departments.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Organizational change management

Stakeholder collaboration

Data analysis

Communication

Excel proficiency

Jira Service Management

ClearView CRM

Tools

ClearView CRM

Jira Service Management

Confluence

Microsoft Teams

Job description

Associate Director - Philanthropy Operations

• Remote, United States

Who We Are :

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is the leader of a movement to connect everyone in America to the outdoors. A national nonprofit, TPL partners with communities to create high-quality parks and protect public lands—especially in communities that need them most—to improve public health, create social cohesion, strengthen historic and cultural connection to place, and increase climate resilience. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,500 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, generated over $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit www.tpl.org .

“For over 50 years, Trust for Public Land has been working tirelessly towards our vision that every individual should have close-to-home access to the benefits of nature. In today’s world, our land-for-people solutions are even more relevant than ever. Quality parks and natural spaces are a fundamental requirement for sustaining healthy, equitable communities that are resilient and prepared for change. Parks and public lands connect us to each other and to the outdoors. As we enter our fifth decade, we have much to celebrate and even more promising work to pursue. We are a vibrant organization with a new strategic plan that builds on our success. Join us to become part of a growing and forward-thinking team focused on growing our philanthropic partnerships to ensure healthy, livable communities for generations to come.”

- Patricia Watson, Chief Advancement Officer

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Senior Director of Philanthropy Operations, the Associate Director of Philanthropy Operations serves as a strategic partner to the Senior Director and the department's other directors, helping translate departmental priorities into effective operational solutions. The role partners with three specialized teams—Prospect Development, Data Strategy & Analytics, and Gift Administration—to strengthen department-wide operational functions, including business intelligence, training, knowledge management, and internal communications.

The Associate Director leads operational planning, business process redesign, and organizational change management initiatives that improve efficiency, strengthen data quality, enhance the staff experience, and support the successful adoption of new technologies and ways of working. The position ensures that policies, procedures, and business processes are optimized, documented, and consistently applied across the Philanthropy department, while directing end-user support functions including training, reporting and data visualization, service desk operations, and operational communications to ensure staff have the tools, knowledge, and support needed to be successful.

Working closely with partners across Technology, Finance, Membership, Marketing and other departments, the Associate Director serves as an operational liaison and leads cross-functional initiatives that improve organizational effectiveness. Together with the broader Philanthropy Operations team, this position develops and implements operational solutions that leverage data, technology, reporting, business processes, and people to advance the work of approximately 100 Philanthropy staff and support Trust for Public Land's mission.

Essential Functions :

• Lead business process analysis, requirements gathering, process mapping, and continuous improvement initiatives that simplify workflows, improve operational efficiency and data quality, identify technology enhancement opportunities, and establish consistent business practices across the Philanthropy department.
• Lead organizational change management initiatives that support the successful adoption of new systems, technologies, and business processes through stakeholder engagement, communication, training, adoption planning, post-implementation support, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with Enterprise Applications team, and other business stakeholders to translate operational needs into scalable solutions, coordinate testing, and support successful implementation of technology enhancements.
• Lead operational planning and execution for cross-functional initiatives and complex operational or technology projects, coordinating stakeholders, managing timelines, mitigating risks, and communicating progress.
• Implement and maintain operational strategies, standards, policies, governance, and quality assurance processes that support organizational effectiveness and service excellence.
• Partner with the Senior Director to establish CRM governance, prioritize enhancement requests, oversee business requirements, and support ongoing optimization of philanthropy technology platforms.
• Establish and maintain comprehensive documentation for business processes, operational procedures, system configurations, and knowledge resources to ensure consistency, scalability, and knowledge transfer.
• Identify operational risks, recommend solutions, and evaluate the effectiveness of operational improvements through metrics, user feedback, and continuous improvement practices.
• Manage the Philanthropy Service Desk (Jira), ensuring timely, high-quality support, effective knowledge management, and continuous improvement of support services.
• Lead the design, development, and delivery of operational training programs that promote user adoption, technology proficiency, and consistent business practices across the Philanthropy department.
• Serve as the operational liaison between Philanthropy and enterprise partners, representing Philanthropy Operations on cross-functional initiatives and fostering collaborative relationships across the organization.
• Serve as a resource and backup for other Philanthropy Operations directors, ensuring continuity of leadership and departmental operations during vacancies or absences.
• May directly supervise Philanthropy Operations staff, as assigned, including recruitment, coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Partner with the Senior Director to develop and implement the annual work plan and budget for Philanthropy Operations.
• Partner with the Senior Director to build and maintain a collaborative, high-performing Philanthropy Operations team that fosters accountability, continuous learning, and operational excellence.
• Promote Philanthropy Operations best practices, emerging trends, and a culture of continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated leadership, team management, project management, and organizational change management experience in complex operational environments.
• Experience leading business process analysis, process redesign, operational transformation, and technology implementations.
• Skilled at facilitating cross-functional collaboration, building stakeholder consensus, and influencing change without direct authority.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to define business needs, design practical solutions, and deliver measurable results.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences.
• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading organizational change management initiatives and driving successful adoption of new technologies and business processes.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing priorities while maintaining high-quality work and meeting deadlines.
• Experience managing vendors, consultants, and cross-functional project teams.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively while maintaining high standard of accuracy for the department’s data-driven work.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, particularly Excel; experience with data visualization and presentation tools.
• Proficiency (or ability to quickly develop proficiency) in ClearView CRM, Jira and Jira Service Management, Confluence, Microsoft Teams, and related operational technologies.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 9 years of progressively responsible experience in philanthropy operations, prospect development, CRM administration, or advancement services within a nonprofit fundraising organization, with demonstrated expertise in the principles, practices, technologies, and business processes that support fundraising operations.
• Minimum of 5 years of management experience.
• Strong commitment to TPL’s shared values (Belonging, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Hope) to effectively work across the organization.

Compensation:

Trust for Public Land is a hybrid work environment, and this role will ideally be located near a Trust for Public Land office. As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience; the anticipated hiring range for this position is $101,000 - $115,000 annually .

Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.