Director of Application Management

NU USA Northeastern University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 114,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Northeastern University in Boston is seeking a Director of Application Management to provide strategic leadership for Advancement's technology applications and platforms. The role acts as Product Owner, translating business needs into technology solutions that enable fundraising, engagement, stewardship, and operational effectiveness.

The Director oversees the Advancement technology roadmap, collaborates with ITS and external vendors, and leads the Application Management team to deliver

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Seven or more years of experience in advancement technology, CRM administration, enterprise application management, business systems, or a related field.
• Experience managing enterprise applications and technology projects.
• Demonstrated ability to translate business requirements into technology solutions.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing competing priorities.
• Strong understanding of CRM systems, application governance, and software lifecycle management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of the Advancement technology roadmap and align investments with organizational strategy.
• Serve as Product Owner for Advancement applications and establish governance for enhancement requests.
• Oversee application enhancement projects from planning through implementation and ensure successful adoption of new capabilities.
• Act as liaison between Advancement and ITS; translate needs into technical requirements.
• Provide leadership to Application Management staff and foster a service-oriented culture focused on continuous improvement, user adoption, and operational excellence.

Skills

CRM systems

Product ownership

Stakeholder engagement

Agile methodologies

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Marketing Cloud

Experience Cloud

Cvent

Shopify

Job description

About the Opportunity

Job Summary The Director of Application Management provides strategic leadership, governance, and continuous improvement for Advancement's technology applications and platforms. Reporting to the Vice President of Advancement Resources, the Director serves as Product Owner for Advancement applications, translating business needs into technology solutions that enable fundraising, engagement, stewardship, and operational effectiveness. The role oversees the Advancement technology roadmap and application portfolio, serves as the primary liaison between Advancement and Information Technology Services (ITS), and leads the Application Management team. The Director collaborates with stakeholders across Advancement, ITS, external vendors, and university partners to deliver scalable, sustainable solutions that align technology investments with Advancement priorities, strengthen business processes, improve user experience, and maximize the value of enterprise platforms.

Minimum & Preferred Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Seven or more years of experience in advancement technology, CRM administration, enterprise application management, business systems, or a related field.
• Experience managing enterprise applications and technology projects.
• Demonstrated ability to translate business requirements into technology solutions.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing competing priorities.
• Strong understanding of CRM systems, application governance, and software lifecycle management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience in higher education advancement or nonprofit fundraising environments.
• Experience with Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, Experience Cloud, Cvent, Shopify, or similar engagement platforms.
• Experience working with Agile methodologies, product ownership, or technology governance frameworks.
• Experience partnering with central IT organizations and external vendors.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Advancement Technology Strategy & Roadmap Management

Lead the development and execution of the Advancement technology roadmap. Establish priorities for system enhancements, evaluate technology opportunities, and ensure applications support fundraising, engagement, stewardship, and operational goals. Partner with Advancement leadership to align technology investments with organizational strategy.

Product Ownership & Application Governance

Serve as Product Owner for Advancement applications. Establish governance processes for intake, prioritization, and evaluation of enhancement requests. Manage application portfolios and ensure technology solutions align with business requirements, user needs, and institutional standards.

Project Management & Technology Delivery

Oversee application enhancement projects and technology initiatives from planning through implementation. Coordinate resources, timelines, testing, training, and stakeholder communications. Monitor project outcomes and ensure successful adoption of new capabilities.

Partnership with ITS & Technology Vendors

Serve as the primary liaison between Advancement and ITS. Translate Advancement business needs into technical requirements and advocate for Advancement priorities. Coordinate with developers, architects, and vendors to ensure effective delivery of technology solutions.

Team Leadership & User Experience Optimization

Provide leadership and direction to Application Management staff. Foster a service-oriented culture focused on continuous improvement, user adoption, and operational excellence. Monitor application performance and identify opportunities to improve user experience and efficiency.

Key Competencies

• Expertise in CRM, advancement technology, and enterprise application management
• Strong product management and project prioritization capabilities
• Ability to balance business needs, user experience, and technical constraints
• Effective collaboration with IT, vendors, and business stakeholders
• Strategic planning and technology governance
• Change management and stakeholder engagement
• Leadership and team development

Supervision

Directly supervises:

• Salesforce and Marketing Cloud Associate Director
• Business Systems Analyst
• Additional Application Management staff as assigned

Position Type

Information Technology

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 113S Expected Hiring Range: $113,865.00 - $165,105.00 With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real-world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system—including 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide—serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university’s residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern’s personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors—aligned around solving today’s highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.