Director of Advancement Services – Temporary Position

The Director of Advancement Services will report directly to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement (VPIA) and is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate advancement services infrastructure is in place to support philanthropy and alumni relations at Southwestern Law School and that donor expectations are met and exceeded. This position will work closely with the Assistant Director of Research and Data Management and supervise one employee, the Administrative Services Specialist. This is a temporary, 6-month full-time position, with the possibility of extending to a longer-term position.

The Director of Advancement Services is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Advancement Information Services, Prospect and Moves Management, Research, Prospect Analytics, Reporting, Compliance, data integrity, etc. The Director of Advancement Services is a vital partner contributing to the success of the fundraising team, including principal and major gifts, gift planning, and annual giving, as well as alumni relations, donor relations, stewardship, advancement communication, and events. 

The Director of Advancement Services must demonstrate a deep measure of expertise in advancement services, keeping an eye on the future of the industry and paying constant attention to the evolving nature of philanthropy and newly emerging innovations in the field.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serves as an internal leader of a data-driven culture and creates efficiency and automation of transaction processing and reporting; effective deployment of technology supporting the operations; strategic planning, financial investments, and tools to enhance workflow. 
• Facilitates, leads, and prepares presentations of reports and analyses for the VPIA, President and Dean, IA Committee, Board of Trustees, and others. 
• Verify that all monies received by the School are in compliance with the IRS, CASE, and Southwestern Law School policies, as well as verify that those gifts are in accordance with the School's mission and values. 
• Adjusts and reviews current policies and procedures in response to audits. 
• Responsible for facilitating the creation of new gift and scholarship accounts, gathering the required information (criteria, agreements, deposits, etc.), and distributing the paperwork to the appropriate entities. 
• Maintains and reconciles finances in databases and with the Accounting Department to ensure compliance, accuracy, and timely acknowledgment to donors. 
• Prepares, produces, responds, and develops analysis reports, communications, and responses to donors relating to pledges, endowments, gifts, and Honor Roll of donors. 
• Manages prospect research searching, distribution, and warehousing. 
• Develops and manages training programs for Institutional Advancement staff and others on campus. 
• Works with information technology and other campus offices to import and export alumni and donor data. This management includes confirming the accuracy of our data. 
• Creates and supports an intranet that has forms, procedures, etc. on gift and information management.
• Maintains, updates, reviews, and adjusts the Institutional Advancement Policies and Procedures manual. Develop and document procedures that may be missing from the manual.
• Assists with the generation validation of routine and special mailing lists, including the creation of complicated segments of data requiring a high level of detail and a complex understanding of the data.
• Manages and maintains program, department, and Law School information, data, and records that are confidential and/or sensitive in accordance with policy and applicable laws.
• Other Duties as assigned by the Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

Minimum Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree 
• Minimum of 3 to 5 years of demonstrated leadership and management experience in advancement services. 
• Strong background in research or analysis, business process design, report development, testing, and support of advancement information systems with an emphasis on data quality control. 
• Broad knowledge of industry best practices in data reporting and data modeling. 
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills 
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, collaboration, respect, and the pursuit of excellence. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a related field. 
• Advancement services management experience during a campaign. 
• Experience assessing, selecting, and implementing enterprise systems conversions. 
• Proficiency with Ellucian and CRM systems. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Forward-thinking leadership skills that can balance diverse agendas and points of view in a dynamic, outcomes-based, and enterprising environment. 
• Knowledge of current trends in database management and reporting and knowledge of governmental and non-profit accounting procedures and applicable tax laws, the fund-raising process, and the concept of donor relations. 
• Must possess excellent analytical, financial, organizational, supervisory, personnel management, interpersonal, and communication skills. 
• Must have a strong customer service orientation and the ability to work both independently and as a collaborative member of a team. 
• Knowledge and training in fields related to the work of Institutional Advancement are desired. 
• Successful candidate will be expected to have mastered primary office software packages and possess a strong technical aptitude and familiarity with databases and report development tools, and the ability to meet deadlines, prioritize and organize multiple projects, think critically, and work with numbers and data. 
• Personal integrity and ability to appropriately handle confidential and sensitive information. 
• Knowledge of current trends in database management and reporting. 
• Experience managing complex financial information systems and reconciling complex accounts 

Pay: $123,600/Yr.

To Apply: For consideration, please submit a cover letter and resume jobs7@swlaw.edu