Associate Vice President, Advancement Operations and Strategy
Ithaca College · Ithaca
The Associate Vice President, Advancement Operations and Strategy, is a senior leadership role that is integral to Ithaca College’s success by driving excellence in advancement operations through systems & infrastructure as well as data management & analytics. This position is responsible for the strategic direction of advancement operations for Ithaca College, including oversight of Prospect Development, Records and Gifts, and Analytics teams. The AVP will provide leadership in these areas in support of increasing philanthropic engagement from alumni, friends, and organizations to IC.
The AVP is a key leader, working collaboratively with other College administrators in the areas of data governance, business intelligence, process improvement, information technology, compliance, and finance related to operations in the Office of Advancement. This position is responsible for the development and execution of guidelines and procedures including, but not limited to, data integrity, gift acceptance, counting and reporting standards, prospect development, and internal training.
As a member of the IC Advancement Leadership Team, the AVP coordinates operational planning with colleagues in Development and Alumni Engagement to optimize donor stewardship, prospect pipeline management, and successful engagement experiences.
Supervision:
This position reports to the Vice President of Advancement.
This position supervises the Director of Records & Gift Information, Director of Donor Relations, Director of Prospect Development, Director of Annual Giving
Job Responsibilities:
Staff & Division Leadership
- Assist the Vice President and Leadership Team members in evaluating Advancement needs and proposing long-range plans and comprehensive solutions that consider both division and broader university needs.
- Manage and mentor team of Analysts and Operations staff, coaching them on how to solve data and analytics challenges. Review team’s work and provide thought leadership on best practices, focusing on automation and repeatability of solutions.
- Provide strategic oversight of Annual Giving operations in support of Advancement fundraising goals.
- Work with Division partners to design, document, and execute business rules and policies and procedures in support of Advancement processes, such as gifts, biographical records, reporting, prospect development, budget, naming guidelines and gift acceptance policies, and internal on-boarding and training.
- Identify and implement ways to optimize users’ access and understanding of key data to inform business decisions and promote information self-sufficiency.
Records & Gifts
- Provide strategic direction and support to the Records & Gifts Manager to ensure accurate processing, recording, and receipting of incoming gifts, as well as ongoing administration of pledge commitments.
- Ensure data quality and integrity checks and processes are in place and documented.
- Ensure IC Advancement has a long-range plan for strategic investments in biographic and demographic data acquisition for constituents.
- Work with staff to create database field usage guidelines, for use by fundraising staff, and definitions to ensure database management and maintenance tasks are performed effectively.
Data Management
- Work with internal teams to identify gaps in data, gather business requirements, and formulate and recommend technical solutions or other approaches that suit organizational needs.
- Serve as data steward for advancement-related data and represent Advancement data in institution-wide data governance initiatives.
- Understand the business goals of Advancement program areas to design smart and supportable data structures for facilitating business and measuring program effectiveness.
- Oversee compliance with relevant external data protection and privacy requirements, keeping abreast of this ever-changing landscape.
Prospect Development
- Implements and directs a prospect research and management system to support fundraising efforts of the full development staff.
- Provide strategic direction and support to the leader of Prospect Development to optimize the identification and dissemination of prospective donors to gift officers to expedite growth in major and principal giving.
- Oversee the PD team as it actively monitors and assists in the management of gift officer portfolios, to guide relationship management and ensure gift strategies are moving forward.
Analytics and Reporting
- Define an analytics strategy that moves IC’s philanthropy forward. This includes partnership with Development to establish key metrics for fundraiser impact and introduce new approaches for forecasting and benchmarking.
- Develop, maintain, and enhance reporting systems to track and report on revenue. Work towards the enablement of multi-year revenue forecasting and planning.
- Work with Division partners to develop IC’s fundraising analytics practice, through the acquisition of and/or development of custom prospect models and scores.
- Partner with Donor Relations to execute stewardship reports, ensure accurate information flow, and execute strategic priorities for donor relations efforts
- Lead analysts in the use of retrieval tools, to develop, generate, analyze, and format data for ad hoc requests and routine reports.
Technology
- Develop and maintain an understanding of the capabilities and configuration options of current software and make recommendations as necessary to ensure optimal service to meet business and data needs.
- Develop secure, intelligent solutions for integration of data across multiple systems and evaluate integration options for new technology acquisitions.
- Collaborate with the Information Technology office, vendors, and service providers to resolve technical issues. Serve as the primary liaison to developers, database administrators, and solutions integration developer in IT. Work closely with IT Information Security team on processes related to Identity Management, Single Sign-on and Multi-Factor Authentication, and PCI DSSI compliance. Ensure secure measures are in place for data processing, sharing, and file transfer.
Additional Duties
- Develop and manage the Advancement Operations budget.
- Develop and demonstrate a multicultural awareness and contribute to cultivating an inclusive, diverse, and respectful College community.
- Demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion as a college priority, communicate to employees an expectation of behavior that is civil and inclusive when interacting with all staff, faculty, students, and visitors and promote a flexible, collaborative, and inclusive work and living environment.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or CFRE Certification preferred
- 7 years related experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience
- Strong strategic planning skills to ensure organizational visibility and alignment.
- Fluency in fundraising practices, terminology, systems, channels, and compliance, and the ability to translate easily between fundraising end users and technology providers.
- Knowledge around database architecture principles (i.e., data models, layers, etc.)
- Strong experience with modern data analysis tools and platforms such as Tableau, Power BI, and Excel
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (writing, verbal and presentation), with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical staff and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Experience overseeing multiple vendor relationships, with the ability to lead meetings and monitor output/impact of vendors and consultants.
- Outstanding, proven time management and organizational skills.
- Ability to deal calmly with pressure and deadlines and to communicate with diplomacy.
- Strong leadership and team management skills, with a track record of successful leadership in complex Advancement operations, preferably within a Higher Education or research institution setting.
- Ability to cultivate an inclusive, diverse and welcoming environment.
- Ability to treat all people equitably and with a sensitivity and awareness to cultural difference.
- Ability to hold others accountable for behavior that is supportive of a community that is diverse and inclusive.
- Familiarity with Raiser’s NXT, data retrieval tools, and SQL programming are strongly preferred.
Work Environment:
Most of the work of the incumbent is carried out within a generally accessible, safe, indoor environment. The incumbent will be required to use a personal computer and associated equipment as well as other office equipment used in the day-to-day operations. The incumbent may need to deliver various correspondences or other informational materials on campus requiring the ability to walk or drive or make other travel arrangements. This position is eligible for remote.
This position is 37.5 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.
Application Instructions:
Interested applicants must apply online and attach a resume, cover letter, and list of three professional references. Questions about online applications should be directed to the Office of Human Resources at (607) 274-8000 or humanresources@ithaca.edu.
Ithaca College is committed to building a diverse academic community and encourages members of underrepresented groups to apply. Experience that contributes to the diversity of the college is appreciated.
Visa sponsorship is not provided for this position.
Hiring Range:
$165,000-$190,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
We pride ourselves on providing our benefit-eligible employees with comprehensive benefits, including:
• Healthcare including vision and dental
• Generous Paid Time Off Policies
• 403B Retirement Savings Plan with Matching Employer Contribution
• EAP
• Flexible Work Plans
• Educational Benefits
• Career-Enhancing Trainings
• For an overview of our benefit offerings, please visit https://www.ithaca.edu/human-resources/employee-benefits-wellness
In an effort to promote campus safety and the security of College resources, Ithaca College will, consistent with the requirements of the law and prudent practices, conduct criminal background investigations per College policy. This position is subject to a criminal background check. All offers of employment are contingent upon review of the criminal background check.
At Ithaca College, a comprehensive residential campus community of approximately 5,000 students, we strive to be at the forefront of the higher education landscape. We offer a distinct integrative learning experience that makes students ready for the personal, professional, and global challenges of our age.We seek candidates who embrace integrative learning and want to be a part of this exciting time in Ithaca College history. We encourage creative collaboration and innovation in our faculty and staff, providing support and resources for them to grow in their fields and lead students to their own innovative ideas and achievements.
We welcome different ways of thinking and look for candidates with unique points of view and life experiences. We are inclusive of individuals with a wide range of cultural, personal, and professional backgrounds, talents, and skills. Our campus is a vibrant and rewarding community where diverse minds can learn, succeed, and excel.
When reviewing candidates, we are looking for indicators of a number of core competencies. Prospective candidates must be adaptable, collaborative, inclusive, respectful, responsive, results driven, and sustainable. They must communicate effectively, demonstrate leadership, exhibit professional integrity and ethics, take initiative, value personal and professional development, and show that they will engage in the college.
Nestled in the heart of New York State’s scenic Finger Lakes region, Ithaca College sits atop South Hill overlooking picturesque Cayuga Lake and is just minutes away from the city center. Combining small town warmth and charm with the vibrancy of a college community, the thriving and culturally diverse city of Ithaca has been rated by Kiplinger’s as one of the top 10 places to live in the United States.
To learn more about Ithaca College, visit us at http://ithaca.edu