Director of Advancement Services   Email     Print   PDF

The Director of Advancement Services (DAS) is responsible for the strategic design, development and implementation of support functions that will enable WHOI to effectively achieve its goals in fundraising and donor engagement. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer (CDO), the DAS manages the team responsible for a) Prospect Research; b) Donor Stewardship; c) Fundraising Communications; and d) Administrative Services. The DAS is a member of the Development Department’s leadership team and is an active participant in programmatic planning as part of that team.

• Prospect Research/Prospect Management: Manages the Prospect Research efforts, leading the creation and implementation of a proactive program for prospect identification.  Supports the prospect research requirements of the CDO and other leadership gift frontline staff which increases the ability of managers to increase fundraising productivity and to accurately predict fundraising results.

• Stewardship: Manages the stewardship efforts for conveying appreciation and recognition to WHOI’s donors.  Guides strategic donor communications, acknowledgment; recognition; meaningful information on use of gift; and fund financial status.

• Fundraising Communications:  Manages the communications efforts for marketing content for the Development Department.  Develops strategies for conveying WHOI’s message utilizing relevant and compelling methods.

• Administrative Services and Organizational Development:  Oversees Development’s compliance with all Institution policies and procedures.  Works to develop cross-team relationships between Advancement Services and other WHOI teams to accomplish goals. Works collaboratively with offices around the Institution particularly in the areas of communications, information services, budget and administration.  
  •  Works closely with the Chief Development Officer (CDO), Development Officers, Development (and/or Campaign) Committee and the Institution’s Director to develop and enhance fund-raising management techniques and tracking systems and reports to encourage the highest level of prospect progress and follow-through. 
  •  Responsible for preparation, defense, analysis and monitoring of the Development Office’s budgets (including forecasts). 
  •  With the CDO, responsible for the formulation and administration of office and personnel policies and procedures and staffing, design and implementation of administrative systems, acquisition and maintenance of equipment and supplies, and oversight of space allocation.
  •  Manages the information services needs and recommends and implements operational solutions to support Development, and maximizing the capabilities of the Raiser's Edge (RE) database to support fundraising.  Oversees and ensures accuracy of gift processing, including review and enforcement of all current gift acceptance policies.
  • Ensures and provides guidance on regulatory and legal compliance, gift acceptance policies, and accounting requirements for contributions to the Institution.
  • Provides continual refinement of workflow systems for worker efficiency and to accommodate growing gift volume and expansion of services.
  • Responsible for approval of purchase requisitions, travel authorizations and vouchers and payment requests submitted from the department
  • Manages office personnel matters including hiring, training, mentoring and affirmative action procedures, evaluation, leave approval, and staff development for Advancement Services staff, and acts as the Human Resources liaison for the remaining Development team. 
  • Acts as the department’s primary liaison with the Controller’s Office to resolve financial reporting issues and interactions between the departments.  Has authority for approval of time reports, request for payment, and travel vouchers submitted by the department.

Bachelor's degree in business administration or an area related to the technical or administrative work of the division, with 5-7 years of directly related experience at the Institution or similar organization.  Must possess strong analytical ability, effective communication skills, be a good organizer and able to utilize the abilities of those whom she/he supervises by delegating effectively.   In addition to general financial management and personnel supervisory experience, must also possess the specialized technical knowledge required to manage the administrative services of the division and have demonstrated knowledge of computer processing. The DAS will be a key decision maker and will be called upon to address critical needs which occur on short notice and will require immediate action.