Advancement Operations Manager

Overview

Lakeside School seeks a collaborative and detail-oriented Advancement Operations Manager to lead the systems, data, and reporting infrastructure that supports the school's philanthropic work. The role ensures the integrity and strategic use of advancement data in support of fundraising, stewardship, engagement, pipeline visibility, and fundraising performance tracking. Reporting to the Director of Institutional Philanthropy, the Advancement Operations Manager oversees the advancement database, reporting, dashboards, and gift processing functions, supervises the Fundraising Data Specialist, and supports data-informed advancement strategy and process improvement.

• Database & Data Management
  • Serve as primary administrator of the advancement database, Donor Perfect, ensuring data integrity and consistency.
  • Maintain data standards, policies, and procedures for Advancement.
  • Oversee database maintenance including imports, updates, and data integrity.
  • Conduct periodic data audits, identify root causes of recurring inconsistencies, and improve the workflows that create them.
  • Maintain appropriate data governance and confidentiality practices for constituent, donor, and gift information.
• Reporting & Analytics
  • Develop and maintain reports and dashboards that improve visibility into pipeline health, fundraising performance, participation, and donor engagement.
  • Translate advancement needs into clear, actionable insights that support fundraising decision-making and portfolio management.
  • Provide reporting for the advancement team as needed.
  • Compile up-to-date results and donor information for donor listings and communications.
  • Identify recurring reporting needs and implement more automated solutions where needed.
• Gift Processing
  • Oversee gift processing procedures and ensure accurate recording of philanthropic contributions.
  • Maintain documentation related to gift entry, acknowledgments, and reporting.
  • Ensure compliance with institutional policies and industry standards.
  • Support pledge reminder process.
  • Partner with Finance and other internal stakeholders to support reconciliation, internal controls, and audit-ready recordkeeping practices.
• Systems & Operations
  • Manage advancement technology systems and related integrations.
  • Identify opportunities to improve workflows, reporting capabilities, operational efficiency, and cross-system coordination.
  • Manage data imports from Greater Giving, Veracross, Donor Search, and other software into Donor Perfect.
  • Partner with school technology staff and external vendors as needed.
• Team Support
  • Supervise the Fundraising Data Specialist.
  • Provide training, documentation, and support to advancement staff on database use, dashboards, and reporting tools to strengthen adoption and consistency.
  • Help advancement staff use data more effectively in day-to-day planning, tracking, and decision-making.
  • Create donor profiles for prospects.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 3 years of experience managing fundraising or advancement databases.
• Preferred experience in a school or non-profit setting.
• Experience with reporting, analytics, and data management.
• Experience with CRM process improvement, dashboards, or workflow automation preferred.
• Experience supporting fundraising pipeline management, gift processing, or reconciliation practices preferred.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity.
• Strong organizational, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Supervisory experience preferred.

Salary Range: $89,000-$99,300 based upon experience and education. Lakeside School is committed to attracting and retaining outstanding candidates and provides a competitive compensation package. Lakeside School offers a comprehensive set of benefits, including:

• Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance (based on FTE)
• Dependent medical and vision subsidy
• Retirement with generous employer contribution
• Life/disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible spending accounts
• Free lunch
• Free parking
• Bus/bike benefits
• Housing assistance program
• Reduced facility rentals
• Employee Discount Program
• Computer loan program
• Paid…