Senior Director, Fund Management

NU USA Northeastern University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision & dental

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Wellness program

Retirement plan

Commuting & transportation benefits

Job summary

Northeastern University in Boston seeks a Senior Director of Fund Management to lead gift processing, donor records, and fund administration with a focus on compliance and donor intent. You will set policy, manage risk, and guide cross-functional teams across Advancement Resources.

Partnering with Advancement leadership, Finance, Legal, and Technology, you will ensure scalable, auditable operations that align with IRS and CASE standards while supporting fundraising goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s preferred.
• Experience in advancement services and gift administration.
• Leadership of multiple functional teams.
• Strong knowledge of IRS regulations, CASE guidelines, and nonprofit accounting.
• Experience with donor due diligence and gift acceptance policies.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight of gift processing, donor records, and fund management.
• Ensure IRS and CASE compliant gift transactions and audit readiness.
• Lead donor due diligence and gift acceptance decision processes.
• Oversee CRM data integrity and donor record governance.
• Coordinate financial reconciliation and reporting with Advancement and Finance teams.
• Drive process improvements across campuses and units.

Skills

Leadership experience

Fundraising operations knowledge

Donor database management

IRS regulations & CASE guidelines

Risk assessment & compliance

Analytical & communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Salesforce/CRM

Job description

About the Opportunity

The Senior Director of Fund Management is a senior leadership role responsible for the oversight and integration of gift processing, donor record management, fund management, and donor due diligence within Advancement Resources. Ensures the integrity, compliance, and strategic alignment of advancement operations to support institutional fundraising goals. The Senior Director leads multiple functional teams and establishes policies, procedures, and controls to ensure adherence to IRS regulations, CASE standards, donor intent, and university policies. Oversees donor due diligence and gift acceptance practices, assessing reputational, financial, and legal risk associated with philanthropic contributions. The Senior Director partners closely with Advancement leadership, Finance, Legal, and Technology teams to ensure compliant, efficient, and scalable operations across the advancement enterprise.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge and skills required for this position are typically acquired through the completion of a Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred (Business, Nonprofit Management, Finance, or related field) with 10+ years of progressive experience in advancement services, gift administration, fund management, or related field
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing multiple functional teams
• Deep knowledge of fundraising operations, gift processing, and donor database management (Salesforce/CRM preferred)
• Strong understanding of IRS regulations, CASE guidelines, and nonprofit accounting principles
• Experience with gift acceptance policies, donor due diligence, and compliance frameworks in higher education or nonprofit environments
• Proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional initiatives and institutional risk considerations
• Exceptional analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Strong communication skills with the ability to advise senior leadership

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

Leadership & Oversight of Gift Administration, Records & Fund Management

Provide strategic oversight of gift processing, donor record management, and fund administration. Ensure accurate fund setup and management in alignment with donor intent and institutional policies. Allocate resources and set priorities across teams to support efficient and compliant operations.

Gift Processing & Compliance Management

Ensure all gift transactions are processed accurately and in compliance with IRS regulations, CASE standards, and university policies. Oversee complex gift handling and maintain policies and procedures that support audit readiness and regulatory compliance.

Donor Due Diligence & Gift Acceptance Oversight

Lead donor due diligence and gift acceptance processes to assess reputational, financial, and legal risk. Establish protocols for evaluating complex or high-risk gifts and partner with leadership, Legal, and Prospect Development on decision-making.

Data Integrity & Donor Record Management

Oversee the accuracy and integrity of constituent records within the CRM. Implement constituent data governance standards, ensure proper record creation and maintenance, and support constituent data needs across advancement functions.

Financial Integration, Reporting & Audit Readiness

Oversee reconciliation between Advancement and Finance systems, ensuring accurate financial reporting. Monitor gift feeds, resolve discrepancies, and support audit processes and reporting requirements.

Operational Integration & Process Improvement

Lead efforts to standardize and improve advancement operations, including process optimization, system enhancements, and integration across campuses or units.

Position Type Advancement

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

Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 114S Expected Hiring Range: 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—which includes 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.