Senior Director of Advancement Operations

Description

Eastern Illinois University invites applications for Senior Director of Advancement Operations. This position, reporting directly to the AVP/Chief Development Officer and serving on the EIU Advancement leadership team, is responsible for advancement operations for central advancement. The successful candidate will be a collaborative, innovative, detail-oriented and data-driven advancement professional who will establish new operational standards and participate in the creation of new fundraising strategies as we prepare to launch a comprehensive fundraising campaign. This position will also serve as our key data and portfolio strategist for Raisers Edge NXT.

This position is responsible for the development and execution of advancement guidelines and procedures including, but not limited to, data integrity, gift acceptance, counting and reporting standards, prospect management, naming and recognition, donor recognition and acknowledgment, endowment reporting, and professional development.

Job Duties Include

• Develop, implement, and maintain advancement operational policies, procedures and resources, including process documentation, prospect management, fundraising and records management policies, job aids, strategic plans, proposal templates, resources for colleges and other stakeholders, and more
• Help establish and provide oversight for fundraising goal setting, advancement metrics and analysis, portfolio performance evaluation, fundraising campaigns, and centralized and unit-specific advancement annual planning
• Serve as lead advancement data strategist, overseeing our CRM as well as helping to establish new pipeline, portfolio management, and prospecting strategies
• Oversee the creation and implementation of advancement hiring, talent management, and professional development strategies
• Help establish our goals, fundraising strategies, and operational needs for our fundraising campaign
• Provide oversight for advancement marketing, communication, and impact reporting projects
• Provide budgetary and business operations oversight for all areas of advancement
• Provide supervision to the Database Coordinator

Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000

Start Date: 12/01/2026

Application review will begin on Nov. 30, first round interviews held virtually the week of Nov. 30 & Dec. 7th. Final round interviews the week possibly the week of Dec. 14th but more likely the week of Jan. 4th.

This position may be eligible for hybrid or fully remote work.

Benefits Overview:

Eastern Illinois University is proud to offer an excellent benefits package designed to support our employees' well-being and career goals.

This position is eligible for the following benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical Coverage: Competitive employee insurance premi-ums with flexible plan options.
• Vision Insurance: Vision coverage is included with medical at no cost.
• Dental Insurance: Dental plans are available to meet your needs.
• Retirement Benefits: Participation in the State University Retirement System, which includes medical insurance benefits upon retirement.
• Tuition Waivers: Opportunities to pursue educational goals through tuition waivers for employees and dependent children.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Up to 12 paid holidays annually, plus earned vaca-tion and sick time.

For more information on our employee benefit programs for this specific position class, please visit https://www.eiu.edu/humanres/benefits/newemployees.php

Qualifications

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited post-secondary institution.
• A minimum of eight years of experience in higher education advancement
• Proficiency with Raiser's Edge NXT, Blackbaud, or other CRM software
• Experience building, refining, and measuring new operational strategies and processes
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation abilities
• Experience working in a collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Ability to maintain confidentiality

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree
• Advancement CRM implementation experience
• Supervisory experience
• Advancement data experience
• Communications experience
• Experience working in multiple functional areas of advancement
• Campaign experience
• Demonstrated ability to positively represent EIU in visits with alumni, donors and constituents

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated understanding of all functional areas of an advancement organization, preferably in a higher education environment
• Knowledge of advancement data and reporting capabilities
• Strong active listening and communication skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exhibit exceptional judgement

Application Instructions

Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three pro-fessional references to Interfolio at https://apply.interfolio.com/197009. Questions about the search process should be directed to Brandon Kurzweg, Screening Committee Chair, at [redacted].