Executive Director

Alder Bowman has been retained to conduct a search for an Executive Director of Advancement Our client, Lincoln University, was founded in 1866 by formerly enslaved Black soldiers and today, offers degrees in more than 30 areas of study and stands proudly as one of the nation’s most distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Scope

The Executive Director of Advancement reports to the President of the university and leads a staff of 6 supporting engagement, annual giving, stewardship, communications support, and alumni and career services.

Departmental Functions

• Data & Database Management: Overseeing the constituent relationship management (CRM) system Raiser's Edge, to ensure data integrity and security.
• Gift Processing: Managing the end-to-end process of receiving, recording, and acknowledging charitable contributions according to IRS and legal standards.
• Reporting & Analytics: Creating data-informed performance metrics, dashboards, and reports to guide strategic fundraising decisions.
• Policy & Compliance: Developing standard operating procedures for gift acceptance, donor privacy, and financial reconciliation.
• Prospect Research: Supervising workflows related to identifying and analyzing potential major donors.
• Strategic Planning: Aligning operational infrastructure with long-term goals.

Position Mission

To improve departmental performance, services, and systems by formalizing the advancement function, modernizing operational infrastructure, and implementing strategies that ensure successful philanthropic endeavors. Ensure data, technology, and gift processing run smoothly.

Specific opportunities for improvement include Raiser’s Edge utilization, research, annual campaigns, performance benchmarking and monitoring, process review and mapping and aligning people and technology to optimize performance and efficacy.

Career Opportunity

The position is intentionally scoped as an Executive Director with a pathway to become vice president based on evidence of an established foundational infrastructure, team cohesion, productivity, and stakeholder feedback signaling noticeable stability and positive impact of this office. Additionally, while reporting to the University President this role will have abundant opportunities to advise on various strategic initiatives.

Required Knowledge, Experience and Competencies

• Annual Campaigns design and implementation
• Prospect research
• Budgeting
• Data governance
• Regulatory Knowledge
• Team leadership
• Goal setting and attainment
• Performance monitoring
• High Emotional Intelligence and resilience
• Takes initiative, high achievement orientation
• Systems thinking across all facets of engagement and philanthropy activities
• Player Coach – Contributes personally as doer and director of others.

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