Director, Advancement Services

emerson; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Emerson College is seeking a Director of Advancement Services to lead the team responsible for gift processing, CRM governance, and data reporting across Institutional Advancement. The role ensures accuracy and compliance of gift accounting and oversees information management policies.

You will design reporting structures, develop dashboards, and collaborate with multiple campus partners to translate data into actionable insights for leadership and fundraising teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in fundraising, development, data analysis, or information systems/services.
• Experience managing direct reports; strong relational fundraising database skills and reporting.
• Blackbaud Raiser's Edge experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee gift processing workflows and biographical updates to ensure data integrity and compliance.
• Serve as technical liaison with vendors and stay current on software updates and industry practices.
• Design, maintain, and implement CRM-related systems and processes (PeopleGrove, Emma, Give Campus, Almabase, Workday).
• Lead Gifts & Data Coordinators, establish entry procedures and coding standards, handle complex donations and write-offs.
• Coordinate monthly/annual closeouts with Finance and support audits; liaison with IT, Finance, and campus units to ensure accurate reporting.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising data systems

Raiser's Edge

Data analysis

Reporting and dashboards

Vendor liaison

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

PeopleGrove

Emma

Give Campus

Almabase

Workday

Job description

Join our community and experience Emerson College !

Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement (IA), the Director, Advancement Services manages the Advancement Services team and all workflow around gift processing, the Institutional Advancement CRM and related systems. The Director will oversee the development and execution of reporting structures that support all functions in Institutional Advancement. Assures accuracy and compliance of all gift accounting activities. The Director manages training, information, and policies regarding information management, gift accounting and confidentiality to support all aspects of Institutional Advancement.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Manage the workflows within Raiser's Edge to ensure the integrity and accuracy of information entered into the database and that all protocols are followed, including developing, maintaining, and documenting procedures.
• Serve as the primary technical liaison with Blackbaud, monitoring the vendor's knowledge base and staying up to date on all known technical issues and software updates, as well as general industry practices and trends; participate in forums, listservs, and blogs.
• Develop the design, maintenance, and implementation of the systems, processes, and procedures that supplement our CRM (including but not limited to PeopleGrove, Emma, Give Campus, Almabase, Workday, etc.).
• Manage Gifts & Data Coordinators who are responsible for gift processing and biographical updates, oversee timely generation of tax receipts for all donations. Establish and maintain agreed-upon gift entry procedures and coding standards. Process complex philanthropic donations and commitments and write-offs.
• Reconcile monthly and yearly closeouts with the Finance office, as well as provide documentation materials for financial audits. Serve as liaison to College's Offices of Information Technology, Media & Arts Ventures, Research & Creative Scholarship, Athletics, and Finance to ensure accurate and consistent recording and reconciliation of private gifts and private and public grant awards.
• Work in close collaboration with the leadership and program directors of all departments on campus, including but not limited to the Schools, Emerson Prison Initiative (EPI), and Media & Arts Ventures, on anything related to IA data (biographical, gifts, and engagement).
• Oversee the creation and execution of standard and customized database reports that meet the evolving needs of the leadership and fundraising teams, which includes: executing regularly scheduled and ad hoc performance matrix reports, maintaining standardized tools and procedures to track lists and report requests, as well as data management and database improvement projects, and supporting planning and decision-making by translating data into user-friendly reports and dashboards through data visualization tools for IA and all campus partners.
• Oversee the weekly distribution of gift reports to all partners within Advancement and across campus, including but not limited to the Deans, WERS, ArtsEmerson, EPI, and Athletics.
• Initiate conversation with frontline fundraisers to provide insight on data that will help with continued donor engagement.
• Lead the enforcement of data entry controls, conducting regular data hygiene procedures and performing continual data audits with staff training and corrective training/review.
• Serve as the Institutional Advancement representative on Emerson data/technology task forces.
• Communicate organization information effectively through department meetings, one-on-one meetings, and appropriate email, and regular interpersonal communication.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Qualifications are deemed required or preferred and represent what is needed to effectively perform job. Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required. Minimum 8 years of professional experience in a fundraising or development context, specifically database management, data analysis, and/or information systems/services. Experience managing direct reports required. Experience and skill working with relational fundraising databases (including query and report writing) required, Blackbaud Raiser's Edge strongly preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Collaborative approach to management and teamwork. Ability to cultivate a customer service approach and the ability to demonstrate flexibility and problem-solving skills to resolve situations in a professional and calm manner. Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills with proven ability to interact with a diverse range of individuals both in person and over the phone, via email, and in written correspondence. Knowledge and proficiency in development operations best practices. Sound judgment in handling confidential and sensitive material. Detail-oriented "self-starter"