Claremont, CA

Job Posting Title:
Executive Director of Advancement Operations & Analytics

Job Description:

PRIMARY PURPOSE/GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Reporting to the Vice President of External Relations and Institutional Advancement (ERIA), the Executive Director of Advancement Operations and Analytics is a strategist, trusted advisor, and integral business partner to senior leaders, peers, and internal clients. The Executive Director works closely with ERIA leadership team colleagues, fundraisers, and constituent engagement teams to advance strategic priorities and support ERIA business needs. The Executive Director is also expected to establish high-functioning, collaborative relationships with campus and consortia partners to collect, integrate, and manage data. Key partners will include the offices of Budget and Finance, Information Technology, Admission, the Registrar, Assessment and Institutional Research, and The Claremont Colleges Services. The Executive Director of Advancement Operations and Analytics will shape the vision, strategy, and culture of the Office of Advancement Operations and Analytics to help deepen relationships with Scripps College constituents and secure philanthropic support for the College’s mission.

The Executive Director will support the College’s fundraising goals by leading a data-driven, customer-oriented team of skilled advancement professionals to continuously improve the advancement services function and optimize technology platforms. The Executive Director will oversee the Advancement Services, Data and Analytics, and Prospect Strategy functions, motivating, mentoring, and inspiring department staff and developing a data-driven, collaborative, and service-oriented team culture.

The incumbent will have a unique opportunity to reimagine the Advancement Operations and Analytics function at Scripps as the College completes its conversion to the RENXT database and launches the next phase of the ERIA strategic plan designed to increase revenue, enhance relationships, and amplify the College’s reputation. Data analytics will be central to the effectiveness of the College’s integrated advancement, as part of a dynamic and innovative team leading institutional change.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

This information is intended to be descriptive of the key responsibilities of the position. The list of essential functions below does not identify all duties performed by any single incumbent in this position. Perform other duties as assigned.

Strategic Planning and Partnership

• Sets annual strategic priorities for Advancement Operations and Analytics and develops a departmental plan of action to achieve goals.
• Ensures that individual and team resources are used optimally to achieve long-term goals and annual targets.
• Develops a culture and practice of continuous quality improvement, identifying and incorporating best practices when relevant and otherwise aspiring to be regarded as a top performing unit within AAR.
• Manages multiple complex projects simultaneously on deadline and keep a comprehensive plan of all work in progress.
• Develops detailed project management plans, timelines, and budget (if applicable). Maintains project assignments, monitors workloads, and resources to meet project requirements. Frequently reassesses project scope to ensure projects are carried out according to established plan and budget.

Business Intelligence and Analytics

• Leads efforts to assess, define, redefine, and address gaps in service such that teams and business professionals who depend on advancement services have the information and tools to perform their work at a high level.
• Maintains in-depth understanding of campus and consortia partners’ data needs, which will allow for proactively offering business process improvements and solutions to improve efficiency within CRM.
• Leads a team to translate data into usable information for ERIA and the entire College community.
• Develops and enhances a core suite of reports that answer most critical reporting needs, including, but not limited to: tracking and reporting on new commitments; reliable cash flow projection report; progress toward annual fundraising and advancement goals; gift/financial ad-hoc reporting and data visualization; engagement score and other performance metrics throughout ERIA.
• Works closely with ERIA leadership and use national trends to design and deliver analytic reports that will support data-driven decision making.
• Builds and maintains data warehouse for various reporting needs.
• Ensures accuracy in all reporting and modeling efforts.
• Manages special data projects for campus executive leadership as directed by the Vice President for ERIA.
• Leads the analytics and reporting efforts for ERIA to ensure leadership and management are making business decisions backed by data, trends, and models.
• Develops CRM solutions that allow for the optimal user experience; accurate tracking; creation of metrics and reporting, and solutions based on business needs.
• Ensures that implementation of analytical tasks and data modeling supports the goals of ERIA.

Systems Administration and Training

• Serves as ERIA lead for Raiser’s Edge NXT and lead initiatives to optimize ERIA’s CRM functionality.
• In collaboration with IT, plans and coordinates all upgrades, enhancements, issue resolution and other significant changes to the CRM and other technology products.
• Ensures ERIA’s technology stack is optimal and utilizing the best-in-class systems.
• Implements automations that reduce burdensome and time-consuming manual processes.
• Provides policies, procedures, and efficient and effective processes that are consistent and documented.
• Performs quality assurance checks at both technical and procedural levels.
• Maintains complete knowledge of the files, fields, and structure of the CRM and other technology products.
• Manages data integrations between ERIA, other campus data sources plug-ins, apps, and other technology products creating a seamless and uniform structure so that they act as one larger ecosystem.
• Develops and manages the Enterprise DataWarehouse for ERIA.
• Develops solutions for business process improvements and CRM system enhancements. Facilitates solution review and sign off from stakeholders. Develops documentation of new business processes.
• Facilitates CRM design and validation sessions; ensure CRM has capabilities to collect and capture data necessary to run AAR operations effectively.
• Troubleshoots and resolves problems, including the resolution of technical problems as needed, on an ongoing basis as they relate to the execution of project or program objectives and CRM.
• Oversees training needs assessment and delivery.
• Provides training and support to enable ERIA to use business intelligence, analytics and reporting tools to support goals and use effectively and efficiently.
• Ensures training program is robust, that resources are deployed optimally, and user needs are regularly addressed.
• Oversees the development of end-user training materials for the utilization of self-serve system functions.
• Measures effectiveness and value of various training tools and sessions

Advancement Operations

• Demonstrates leadership in the field of advancement services with a focus on best practices in regard to technology, systems, analytics, modeling, reporting, data maintenance, data management and gift processing.
• Drives ERIA towards best practices in dynamic data management and analysis in fundraising and alumnae relations.
• Provides appropriate oversight to gift processing to ensure all charitable contributions to the College are recorded in a prompt manner and in compliance with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules, Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) guidelines and all internal policies and procedures.
• Completes the process of monthly reconciliation with the Finance Office.
• Prepares the Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) Survey and other data-driven reports and surveys.
• Responds to audits as they relate to the gifts and pledges recorded in the system.
• Ensures the integrity, reliability and confidentiality of alumnae, donor, and other constituent records through cutting-edge data maintenance techniques including audits, automations, data visualization, etc.
• Manages and establishes processes that ensure data in CRM is accurate and robust.

Prospect Strategy

• Provides expertise that guides the creation and application of prospect management procedures and best practices, using methods and following regulations from the Fair Accounting Standards Board, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
• Coordinates prospect management strategy with Associate Vice President for Philanthropy and frontline fundraisers.
• Oversees prospect strategy team to contribute to frontline fundraiser productivity through portfolio hygiene and management practices.
• Oversees prospect management and research/work in partnership with the President’s Office and Advancement’s senior leadership and fundraising staff to provide timely and accurate donor and prospect profiles.

Talent Management and Team Development

• Actively promotes a professional workplace culture of mutual respect, that values diversity, inclusion, and collegiality for all.
• Designs, establishes, and maintains an organizational structure and staffing including the use of external vendors and temporary staff to accomplish all goals and priorities effectively.
• Provides leadership, mentorship, training and direction to direct reports and the larger Advancement Operations team.
• Provides technical direction and best practices to be followed by the team.
• Develops and ensures usage of best-in-class project management systems/techniques for heightened efficiency, collaboration and communication amongst the team, partners and stakeholders at all times.
• Conducts periodic review, assesses performance of units, and implements strategic changes/enhancements as needed.
• Prepares, administers, and monitors unit annual work plans, budgets, goals, and presentations.
• In order for the College to be able to respond to emergencies and support our community, it is the expectation of the College that in your role you will be prepared to pivot to support students and College operations as needed. The College reserves the right to ask you to perform duties outside your traditional roles to support the College as it responds to student and operational needs. Scripps is a small liberal arts College and, therefore, all employees are prepared to support wherever needed.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:
Individuals must possess knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the position or be able to explain or demonstrate how the essential functions will be performed, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

• Demonstrated experience in the strategic deployment and use of systems, applications, and data to support large-scale advancement programs or other complex not-for-profit organizations, including CRM databases.
• Strong proficiency working and managing information within complex databases.
• Understanding of relevant gift accounting standards, including those offered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Accounting Standards Board (FASB), Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) and Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
• Demonstrated working knowledge of the attributes and practices of high-performing employees and teams.
• Ability to make independent procedural decisions and judgments involving time-sensitive and confidential information.
• Ability to use independent judgment and impart information to a range of clientele.
• Demonstrated skills in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures.
• Skills in workflow analysis and management.
• Proven experience leading projects using standard project management principles, practices, techniques, and tools.
• Ability to practice and adhere to organizational mission and values.
• Experience employing analytics and building models.
• Experience with data visualization and reporting software such as Tableau and/or Power BI.
• Experience with programming such as SQL, Python or R.
• Superior communication skills, i.e. confirm all commitments made to customer in written form following an interaction and delivery of commitments in a timely manner.

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS:

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (Master’s degree preferred) or any combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
5 years of experience working with Advancement Services and/or Prospect Management preferred. Previous experience working in higher education and/or non-profit is strongly preferred. 3-5 years of increasing supervisory responsibility is preferred.

LICENSES / CERTIFICATES: None.

OTHER:
HOURS & CLASSIFICATION AND STATUS:
This is a regular, full-time, benefits-eligible, exempt position.
The regular hours for this position are Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm. Hours may vary due to the needs of the College or department.
May require some evening and weekend work and travel.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:
Will supervise four direct reports. May supervise student workers on occasion.

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is quiet to moderate.

Physical and Mental Requirements
Ability to maintain good concentration level while dealing with interruptions; attention to details with emphasis on accuracy; capable of giving, receiving, and analyzing information, formulating work plans, and articulating goals and action plans.
Sitting in a normal seated position for extended periods of time. Standing for extended periods of time. Reaching and extending hand(s) or arm(s) in any direction. Finger dexterity required to manipulate objects with fingers rather than the whole hand(s), or arm(s), for example, using a keyboard. Communication skills using the spoken word. Ability to see within normal parameters. Ability to hear within normal parameters. Ability to bend and stoop, for example, to file. Ability to move about. Ability to lift and carry short distances up to 20 lbs., for example to lift or move office supplies, files, books and packages.

At-Will Employment
Regular employment at the College is for no specified period of time; conditions and status of employment (hours, pay, title, duties, etc.) are subject to change at any time. Scripps College is an At-Will employer. Employees, and likewise the College, are free to end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without notice or cause, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

With the goal of providing the safest campus possible for our community, the College is requiring faculty and staff to have their COVID-19 vaccines up to date within two weeks of hire date or within two weeks of when employee becomes eligible to receive a booster, whichever is later. The College considers a vaccine to be up to date if (i) the individual has previously received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and receives either a third dose of one of those vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or (ii) the individual has previously received one dose the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and receives either a second dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Exemptions for documented medical reasons or a sincerely held religious belief may be requested.

Job Type: Full-time