Coordinator, Advancement

JOB TITLE
Coordinator, Advancement

LOCATION
Worcester

DEPARTMENT NAME
Leadership Giving

DIVISION NAME
Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY
The Coordinator, Advancement provides essential administrative and project support to the Associate Vice President of Advancement and the Assistant Vice President, Leadership & Planned Giving, enabling effective leadership of WPI's revenue generation functions including major gifts, principal gifts, leadership annual giving, planned giving, and foundation relations. This role manages scheduling and logistics, coordinates communications and meetings, supports donor cultivation activities, prepares briefing materials, and serves as liaison between the AVP and development staff, campus partners, and external stakeholders. The Coordinator ensures smooth operations supporting the AVP's portfolio management and team leadership while maintaining confidentiality and exercising sound judgment. This position offers excellent exposure to frontline fundraising, donor relations, and revenue generation strategy in higher education advancement.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Executive Support

• Provide comprehensive administrative support to the Associate Vice President of Advancement
• Provide comprehensive administrative support to the Assistant Vice President, Leadership & Planned Giving
• Manage AVP's complex calendar including strategic scheduling of donor meetings, cultivation activities, campus appointments, and team meetings
• Coordinate scheduling across multiple stakeholders including President, Provost, Deans, faculty, donors, prospects, and gift officers
• Make travel arrangements including flights, accommodations, ground transportation, and detailed itineraries for donor visits
• Process expense reports, reimbursements, and budget tracking for AVP's office and revenue generation area
• Screen and prioritize incoming communications, inquiries, and meeting requests for AVP attention
• Draft routine correspondence on behalf of AVP including emails, thank-you notes, and internal communications
• Prepare AVP for donor meetings by compiling briefing materials, donor profiles, giving history, cultivation strategies, and talking points
• Take meeting notes, track action items, and follow up on commitments to ensure completion
• Manage confidential donor and prospect information with utmost discretion
• Serve as primary point of contact for AVP's office, providing excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders

Donor Relations & Cultivation Support

• Assist with donor stewardship and cultivation activities for AVP's personal portfolio of principal gift prospects
• Coordinate donor meetings, campus visits, and cultivation events including scheduling, logistics, briefing materials, and follow-up
• Prepare thank-you letters, impact updates, and stewardship communications for AVP's signature
• Track donor interactions, meeting outcomes, and next steps in advancement database (Blackbaud/Raiser's Edge)
• Compile research and background information on prospects and donors from database and external sources
• Support proposal development by gathering supporting materials, coordinating campus input, and formatting documents
• Coordinate presidential and dean engagement in donor cultivation including scheduling, briefing, and follow-up
• Manage gift acknowledgment and stewardship timelines for AVP's portfolio
• Maintain organized donor files with proposals, correspondence, and relationship history

Team Coordination & Communication

• Support AVP's leadership of revenue generation team including major gifts, principal gifts, leadership annual giving, planned giving, and foundation relations staff
• Coordinate team meetings including scheduling, agenda preparation, materials distribution, and follow-up on action items
• Facilitate communication between AVP and direct reports, ensuring smooth information flow
• Track team goals, metrics, and performance indicators for AVP reporting
• Support onboarding of new development staff with orientation materials and coordination
• Coordinate team professional development activities and training sessions
• Maintain team calendars, tracking major solicitations, proposals in progress, and key milestones

Database & Reporting Support

• Maintain accurate records of AVP's donor interactions, proposals, and cultivation activities in advancement database
• Generate reports on AVP's portfolio activity, pipeline progress, and fundraising metrics
• Track proposal submissions, pending asks, and expected closures for AVP's portfolio and team
• Assist gift officers with data entry and expense reporting
• Coordinate with Advancement Operations on data requests, portfolio assignments, and reporting needs
• Ensure data quality and completeness for revenue generation area
• Support campaign tracking and reporting for revenue generation functions

Project & Meeting Coordination

• Coordinate divisional and cross-functional meetings involving revenue generation staff
• Support special projects and strategic initiatives as assigned by AVP
• Assist with campaign activities, donor events, and recognition programs
• Manage logistics for AVP-hosted events including donor dinners and cultivation gatherings
• Coordinate materials preparation for VP meetings, Board presentations, and leadership reports
• Maintain organized filing systems for AVP's office
• Support revenue generation planning processes and strategy sessions

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• 2-4 years of administrative or project coordination experience, preferably in advancement, nonprofit development, or professional services environment
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage complex schedules with competing priorities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• High degree of professionalism, discretion, and ability to handle confidential donor information
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience with database systems; Salesforce or CRM experience strongly preferred
• Ability to work independently, anticipate needs, and exercise sound judgment
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively with donors, senior leadership, faculty, and diverse stakeholders
• Customer service orientation and collaborative work style
• Problem-solving mindset and resourcefulness
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends for donor events and cultivation activities

Salary Grade 7: $62,500 - $65,000 per year (depending on experience)

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.

Compensation at WPI

FLSA STATUS
United States of America (Exempt)

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals from all backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.

To apply, visit:

About WPI
WPI is a vibrant, active, and diverse community of extraordinary students, world-renowned faculty, and state of the art research facilities. At WPI, we have competitive and comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, long-term care, retirement, tuition assistance, flexible spending accounts, work-life balance and much more.

Diversity & Inclusion at WPI
WPI is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected; a place where every student, faculty and staff member can be themselves, so that they can study, live, and work comfortably, to reach their full potential, and make meaningful contributions in order to meet departmental and institutional goals. WPI thrives on innovative practice and welcomes diverse perspectives, insight, and people from diverse lived experiences, to enhance the community environment and propel the institution to the next level in a competitive, global marketplace.

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