Senior Executive Director Philanthropic Operations

Baylor College of Medicine - Houston, TX

Full-time - Senior

Houston, TX

Educational Services

About the position

The Senior Executive Director of Philanthropic Operations at Baylor College of Medicine plays a pivotal role in the Institutional Advancement and Alumni Affairs division. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Advancement Services, this position is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the college's comprehensive donor relations and stewardship program, as well as overseeing the fundraising infrastructure. The Senior Executive Director will partner closely with colleagues in Advancement to leverage data and analytics to enhance fundraising success. This role encompasses leadership over four essential teams: Database Operations and Analytics, Gift Operations, Prospect Research and Management, and Donor Relations and Stewardship. The overarching goal is to create and maintain a customer-service oriented and donor-centric Advancement operation that fosters a positive experience for donors. In this capacity, the Senior Executive Director will be tasked with developing a multi-year, systematic, and integrated donor relations and stewardship program. This includes managing acknowledgment processes, donor reporting, stewardship strategies for various giving levels, donor recognition systems, and stewardship events, all aimed at increasing the likelihood of continued or increased giving. The position also involves overseeing the planning and evaluation of the technology infrastructure necessary to support development, marketing, and alumni relations activities. Furthermore, the Senior Executive Director will be responsible for data management, ensuring the quality and timeliness of data, and compliance with IRS regulations and CASE guidelines. The role requires providing direction and support to the Gift Operations team, optimizing performance for fundraising success, and overseeing the Prospect Research and Management team to ensure effective fundraising management. The Senior Executive Director will also lead the Database Operations and Analytics team, driving the generation of guidelines for best-practice utilization of advanced data analysis and reporting tools. This position demands a cohesive and collaborative leadership style, with a focus on establishing performance expectations and monitoring team performance regularly. The Senior Executive Director will also be expected to perform other job duties as required, contributing to the overall success of the Advancement Services and Alumni Affairs leadership group.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the institution-wide donor relations and stewardship program.
• Oversee the planning and evaluation of the technology infrastructure for development and alumni relations activities.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive program for data management and strategic planning initiatives.
• Ensure timely and accurate data entry of gifts and biographical information, including compliance with IRS regulations and BCM policies.
• Direct and support the Gift Operations team to optimize performance for fundraising success.
• Manage the Prospect Research and Management team, including proactive and reactive research on potential donors.
• Oversee policies and procedures for effective fundraising management and accurate data reporting.
• Lead the Database Operations and Analytics team to ensure best-practice utilization of data analysis and reporting tools.
• Provide oversight and expertise for the fundraising data management system, Raiser's Edge NXT.
• Establish performance expectations and monitor individual and team performance regularly.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Fifteen years of directly related experience, with five years of supervisory experience.
• At least 6 years of experience working with a complex relationship database management system.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential.
• Broad knowledge of fundraising and alumni relations, especially in major gifts cultivation.
• Deep understanding of the fundraising process from acquisition to stewardship.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to coordinate multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated management and leadership experience, preferably in higher education or healthcare advancement.
• Critical thinker with proven analytical abilities and strong communication skills.
• Ability to motivate and build long-term relationships with internal and external constituents.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree preferred.
• Eleven years of directly related experience with five years of supervisory experience will also be considered.
• Experience in academic medicine or higher education fundraising.
• Experience with Blackbaud products.

Benefits

• Annual performance-based bonus.