Director of Advancement Operations & Analytics

Saint Mary's College; Notre Dame (IN); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Saint Mary’s College is seeking an experienced Director of Advancement Operations to lead the systems, data, processes, and operational infrastructure that support the College’s fundraising efforts.

Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the Director will provide leadership for Advancement Services and Prospect Research and will partner with leadership to align data strategy with fundraising goals.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years in advancement operations, fundraising systems, data management, or a related management role.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams responsible for data, reporting, CRM, or related functions.
• Experience with process mapping, workflow optimization, and operational redesign.
• Strong knowledge of data governance, reporting, analytics, and financial reconciliation processes.
• Experience implementing, managing, or optimizing CRM/database systems.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with senior leaders and cross‑functional teams.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of systems, processes, workflows, and reporting that support fundraising effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain an Advancement Dashboard and other reporting tools that support data‑driven decision‑making across the Division.
• Provide centralized data, analytics, reporting, and prospect research support for Advancement leadership and staff.
• Oversee Advancement Services and Prospect Research, providing strategic direction and operational leadership.
• Ensure the accuracy, integrity, security, and appropriate use of Advancement data and databases.
• Lead process mapping, system optimization, workflow redesign, and database migration initiatives, including collaboration with external vendors when appropriate.
• Ensure systems and processes effectively support stewardship activities, including gift acknowledgments, reporting, compliance, and donor communications.
• Establish and maintain effective information flow between Advancement and Finance related to gift processing, fund reconciliation, endowment reporting, and donor‑restricted funds.
• Partner with the Executive Director of Annual Giving and Donor Relations and other Advancement leaders to align operational strategies with fundraising priorities.
• Participate as a key member of the Advancement Leadership Team, contributing to Division‑wide planning, goal setting, and strategic initiatives.
• Design and implement processes that maximize the effective use of data in support of Advancement goals.
• Analyze Advancement data and trends and translate findings into meaningful reports and recommendations for leadership.
• Manage competing requests for reports, mailing lists, prospect research, biographies, and other Advancement information and resources.
• Support comprehensive campaign planning and execution through accurate data, reporting, research, and operational processes.
• Ensure compliance with fundraising policies, procedures, and established goals.
• Research, design, and implement new programs and processes that support the goals of the Advancement Division.
• Maintain and regularly update an Advancement Operations manual documenting policies, procedures, workflows, and best practices.
• Develop and maintain appropriate documentation, policies, procedures, and audit processes to promote consistency and operational effectiveness.
• Collaborate with Finance and program areas to ensure donor‑restricted funds are managed and used in accordance with donor intent.
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities for Advancement staff.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the College and Advancement Division.

Skills

Data governance

CRM systems

Process optimization

Leadership

Analytics

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

CRM systems

BI dashboards

Reporting tools

Data migration

Job description

Saint Mary’s College is seeking an experienced Director of Advancement Operations to lead the systems, data, processes, and operational infrastructure that support the College’s fundraising efforts.

Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the Director will provide leadership for Advancement Services and Prospect Research and will partner with leadership to align data strategy with fundraising goals.