Manager, Advancement Services

Introduction:

University of the People (UoPeople) is the first non-profit, tuition-free, American, accredited, 100% online university. Today, UoPeople has over 270,000 students enrolled from more than 200 countries and territories, including 50,000 students who are refugees. UoPeople is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

We believe that higher education is a basic human right and that it can transform not only the lives of students, but also their families’ lives, their communities, their nations, and, by extension, the world. See President Reshef’s TED Talk when he announced the founding of the University.

UoPeople is an innovative university, and we welcome team members who bring creativity and innovation to their roles. We’re a fast-paced organization with remote teams all around the globe. If you’re a self-starter who wants to succeed alongside a passionate team, we’d love to hear from you!

UoPeople is supported by the generosity of individuals and foundations, including the Gates, Hewlett, Ford Foundations, Foundation Hoffmann, and others. The University has been covered by The New York Times, BBC, NPR, Times Higher Education, U.S. News & World Report, and many other leading media outlets. President Reshef’s TED Talk and Nas Daily interview about the University have more than 30 million combined views.

Overview 

The University of the People is seeking an experienced Manager, Advancement Services to lead the operational and administrative functions that support the University's fundraising and advancement activities. Reporting to the Director of Development, this role is responsible for overseeing advancement operations, donor database management, CRM administration, gift processing, reporting, data governance, and operational controls that enable effective fundraising and donor engagement.

The Manager, Advancement Services will ensure the integrity of fundraising data, optimize advancement systems and processes, support fundraising performance reporting, and provide operational leadership to ensure efficient and compliant advancement operations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the Advancement Services function to support fundraising and donor engagement activities.

• Oversee administration of the donor CRM system, ensuring data accuracy, integrity, security, and ongoing system optimization.

• Manage donor records, constituent data, gift processing, acknowledgements, pledge tracking, and donor database maintenance.

• Develop and implement policies, procedures, and operational controls for advancement services and donor data management.

• Ensure timely and accurate processing of donations, gifts, pledges, matching gifts, and recurring contributions.

• Develop fundraising dashboards, reports, and performance metrics to support executive decision-making and fundraising strategy.

• Monitor fundraising data quality through regular audits, reconciliations, and data governance practices.

• Collaborate with Development, Finance, Alumni Relations, Marketing, and Information Technology teams to ensure seamless operational support.

• Support fundraising campaigns by providing prospect data, donor segmentation, reporting, and campaign analytics.

• Manage donor reporting requirements and ensure compliance with institutional policies, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements.

• Identify opportunities to improve advancement systems, workflows, automation, and operational efficiency.

• Train and support advancement staff on CRM usage, reporting tools, gift processing procedures, and data standards.

• Develop documentation, standard operating procedures, and user guides for advancement operations.

• Supervise Advancement Services staff and provide coaching, performance management, and professional development.

• Stay informed of best practices in advancement services, fundraising operations, CRM technologies, and data governance.

KEY COMPETENCIES 

• 5–8 years of experience in advancement services, fundraising operations, CRM administration, donor database management, or nonprofit operations.

• Demonstrated experience managing fundraising systems, donor databases, and gift processing operations.

• Strong knowledge of fundraising CRM platforms such as Blackbaud Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar systems.

• Experience with donor data governance, reporting, database administration, and operational controls.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.

• Experience developing fundraising reports, dashboards, and performance metrics.

• Excellent project management, organizational, and process improvement skills.

• Strong leadership and people management capabilities.

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high levels of accuracy and confidentiality.

• Experience in higher education, nonprofit organizations, or advancement operations is highly preferred.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor's required.

• Demonstrated experience managing advancement operations, CRM systems, donor databases, and gift processing.

• Experience with fundraising reporting, donor analytics, and operational compliance is required.

• CRM administration or database management certification is desirable.

• Experience with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, or equivalent fundraising platforms is highly preferred.