Associate Director, Advancement Operations

Are you an experienced database manager with a passion for collaboration, streamlining processes and analyzing data? Make an impact at our innovative school and community organization!

St. James is a faith-based educational community deeply rooted in transformative loving relationships.

Located in the Allegheny West neighborhood of Philadelphia:

• The School serves students and families who are most in need, providing a full scholarship to every student. Students benefit from small class sizes, an extended day, robust music programs, extensive social-emotional support, and an 11-month school year (Sept - July)
• The Graduate Support Program is a lifelong commitment to every child. It prepares students for future success and supports them along the way – through high school, college, careers, and beyond.
• The Welcome Table designs community actions and creates spaces for members of the school and broader community to address essential needs and experience a community of sharing.
• The Church of St. James the Less seeks to be a place to encounter God, build community and grow personally with weekly mass and worship services.

The Associate Director, Advancement Operations is a critical new position responsible for managing all operations, reporting, and data analysis functions for St. James’ fast-paced, growing Advancement Office, which raises $6M annually. This role is non-exempt, and includes the following key responsibilities:

• Managing and improving the effectiveness of fundraising databases, primarily Raiser’s Edge.
• Processing all gifts and data entry, handling approximately 2,000 gifts per year.
• Collaborating with the Advancement Team to provide ongoing support and education on effective database use.
• Managing nuanced donor and revenue reports/data analysis needs for a growing Advancement Department.
• Serving as the key liaison with Finance to ensure revenue is coded accurately.
• Conducting research on current and prospective donors.
• Utilizing data strategy to make data-informed decisions and recommendations that guide the successful growth of the department.

The ideal candidate:

• Possesses strong collaboration and communication skills.
• Excels at extracting key insights from technical data.
• Is patient and meticulous.
• Embraces a "data nerd" mindset with a passion for numbers and analytics.
• Is highly process-oriented and detail-focused.
• Demonstrates the ability to identify gaps and propose effective solutions.
• Maintains accuracy in all tasks.
• Is a continuous learner who stays updated on new technologies and trends.
• Is proactive and self-motivated.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Strong track record of advancement operations/database management experience
• Advanced in Raiser’s Edge or equivalent CRM database
• Advanced in Microsoft Office, especially Microsoft Excel

Key Responsibilities:

Database Management (50%)

• Act as the database administrator, developing and implementing strategies to enhance the database’s effectiveness for all aspects of the advancement process (e.g., cultivation, stewardship, solicitation).
• Process all types of gifts (e.g., check, stock, credit card) and ensure accurate entry into Raiser’s Edge according to standard protocols.
• Collaborate with the Associate Director, Donor and Volunteer Engagement to ensure timely donor acknowledgment.
• Ensure database accuracy, integrity, and maintenance through regular audits and clean-up routines; continuously improve data procedures.
• Train and educate the Advancement team on Raiser’s Edge best practices.
• Develop and maintain an operational procedures manual, ensuring adherence by all users.
• Manage the pledge reminder process to ensure timely pledge fulfillment.
• Build and support list creation and segmentation (queries, exports, etc.) for various fundraising and engagement efforts.
• Manage user access across the organization, including rights, training, and ongoing support.

Data Analysis, Reporting, and Compliance (25%)

• Generate dashboards and reports to assess department successes, trends, and growth opportunities.
• Prepare and maintain financial reports to track annual fundraising goals.
• Monitor and communicate key data insights to the Advancement Team for informed decision-making, including fundraising and communication metrics (e.g., key performance indicators, email campaign open and click rates).
• Serve a key role in ensuring organizational compliance for St. James’ participation in the EITC/OSTC Tax Credit Programs; partner with School House Team to gather student data needed for scholarship eligibility.

Business Operations (10%)

• Serve as the key liaison with auditors and the Finance team during the annual audit, providing all required details and reports related to revenue.
• Ensure accurate recording of all revenue and prepare donation reports for bank deposits.
• Collaborate with the Finance team to ensure proper recording of gift revenues; provide year-to-date and monthly reconciliation reports.
• Implement processes and procedures to support Advancement efforts.
• Maintain data hygiene across all products.

Prospect Identification and Research (10%)

• Conduct prospect research, share key findings with the team, and assist in developing donor outreach strategies.
• Perform wealth screenings, create prospect and donor profiles, and provide referrals into the Advancement team prospect pipeline.
• Stay updated on fundraising priorities and use prospecting tools to identify potential donors whose interests align with St. James’ strategic goals.
• Provide analytical support for fundraising operations, including segment analysis, A/B testing, and upgrade strategies, with recommendations for improvement.

E-Marketing Support (5%)

• Support e-marketing campaigns by providing accurate data for segmentation, targeting, and personalization based on donor behavior and preferences.
• Ensure effective integration between Raiser’s Edge and other communication tools (e.g., Race Sign Up, Constant Contact, ThankView).

Additional Duties

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for all development operations products (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, Constant Contact), including recommending the annual budget for these products and negotiating competitive renewal pricing.
• Required participation in common life at St. James School (e.g., lunch, Mass, House Meetings, etc.).