Director, Advancement Services

Overview

The Director of Advancement Services leads and oversees all Institutional Advancement (IA) systems of record, technology and data strategy, including the effective deployment to tools and business processes to achieve fundraising and engagement goals. The Director is responsible for leading a team of professionals with expertise in gift processing, donor database management, prospect pipeline research and moves management benchmarking, technology integration, data reporting, and gift acceptance policies and procedures.

This role develops and maintains the overall constituent (donor / member) data strategy alongside the Senior Manager of IT and the Membership and Marketing Departments to identify, cultivate, grow, and steward the Exploratorium’s pipeline of prospective donors and its base of support for annual and major gifts, principal and campaign gifts, planned giving, and volunteer engagement. The Director analyzes revenue data to guide departmental revenue progress and projections to craft data-driven strategies.

This position oversees the Development Services team : the Development Services Manager, Development Assistant, and Development Specialists of Prospect Management and Research for the campaign, major giving, and events. The Director reports to the Chief Philanthropy Officer and works closely with other IA Directors and departments within the museum.

Essential Functions

• Under the direction of the Chief Philanthropy Officer, lead all aspects of donor and gift data management including tracking, analyzing, and reporting on individual donors, trustees, corporate partners, foundations, and financial advisors.
• Manage the IA Department’s Salesforce CRM for all fundraising areas, ensuring that the platform is optimized to support membership, major gifts, campaigns, and events.
• Oversee maintenance of a comprehensive accounting and acknowledgment process for all donations to the Exploratorium, including donor records and recognition.
• Establish, document, and enforce data entry policies and procedures to ensure accuracy, consistency, and integrity across all records.
• Provide regular training and guidance to staff on data management best practices and compliance with organizational standards.
• Partner with the IT Department to maintain system functionality, oversee upgrades or integrations, and troubleshoot issues.
• Lead the design, development, and implementation of comprehensive reports that provide actionable insights for fundraising strategy, campaign progress, and donor engagement.
• Strategize with IA Directors to track and report the fundraising revenue progress of each team.
• Oversee the prospect management function for IA, including Campaign, Major Giving, and Events, with responsibilities such as :
• Campaign : strategic database management of the campaign prospect pipeline, development of research profiles, and support for cultivation and solicitation efforts.
• Major Giving : oversight of major gift prospecting and research, tracking cultivation and solicitation activity, and supporting frontline fundraisers with actionable insights.
• Events : prospect research and management to identify and engage potential event sponsors, donors, and attendees; development of event-related prospect reports.
• Lead the Advancement Services team : train new members, provide ongoing performance feedback, coaching and support, and develop individualized work plans.
• Work closely with other department personnel to establish donor recognition policy and maintain recognition standards for annual reports, donor walls, and other areas listing donor names.
• Collaborate with the Finance Department on meticulous reporting of gifts and pledges; conduct annual revenue recognition and reconciliation with Finance and Accounting to ensure accurate gift entry and allocation.
• Stay informed on current information on giving, including tax laws and IRS rulings affecting charitable giving.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Physical Requirement

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Application Deadline

This position is open until filled.

How to Apply

This is a regular, full-time (37.5 hours per week), exempt, non-union position that includes benefits. The salary range for this role is $115,050 to $124,800 DOE. Please, no phone calls regarding this job. To apply, please visit the Exploratorium job page.

The Exploratorium is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity, inclusion and respect. We welcome and strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Exploratorium

Piers 15 / 17, San Francisco, CA 94111

Website : exploratorium.edu / about / jobs. No phone calls, please

The Exploratorium is committed to an inclusive workforce.

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