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
1. Provide comprehensive administrative support to the Associate Vice President of Advancement
2. Provide comprehensive administrative support to the Assistant Vice President, Leadership & Planned Giving
3. Manage AVP's complex calendar including strategic scheduling of donor meetings, cultivation activities, campus appointments, and team meetings
4. Coordinate scheduling across multiple stakeholders including President, Provost, Deans, faculty, donors, prospects, and gift officers
5. Make travel arrangements including flights, accommodations, ground transportation, and detailed itineraries for donor visits
6. Process expense reports, reimbursements, and budget tracking for AVP's office and revenue generation area
7. Screen and prioritize incoming communications, inquiries, and meeting requests for AVP attention
8. Draft routine correspondence on behalf of AVP including emails, thank-you notes, and internal communications
9. Prepare AVP for donor meetings by compiling briefing materials, donor profiles, giving history, cultivation strategies, and talking points
10. Take meeting notes, track action items, and follow up on commitments to ensure completion
11. Manage confidential donor and prospect information with utmost discretion
12. Serve as primary point of contact for AVP's office, providing excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders
Donor Relations & Cultivation Support
13. Assist with donor stewardship and cultivation activities for AVP's personal portfolio of principal gift prospects
14. Coordinate donor meetings, campus visits, and cultivation events including scheduling, logistics, briefing materials, and follow-up
15. Prepare thank-you letters, impact updates, and stewardship communications for AVP's signature
16. Track donor interactions, meeting outcomes, and next steps in advancement database (Salesforce)
17. Compile research and background information on prospects and donors from database and external sources
18. Support proposal development by gathering supporting materials, coordinating campus input, and formatting documents
19. Coordinate presidential and dean engagement in donor cultivation including scheduling, briefing, and follow-up
20. Manage gift acknowledgment and stewardship timelines for AVP's portfolio
21. Maintain organized donor files with proposals, correspondence, and relationship history
Team Coordination & Communication
22. Support AVP's leadership of revenue generation team including major gifts, principal gifts, leadership annual giving, planned giving, and foundation relations staff
23. Coordinate team meetings including scheduling, agenda preparation, materials distribution, and follow-up on action items
24. Facilitate communication between AVP and direct reports, ensuring smooth information flow
25. Track team goals, metrics, and performance indicators for AVP reporting
26. Support onboarding of new development staff with orientation materials and coordination
27. Coordinate team professional development activities and training sessions
28. Maintain team calendars, tracking major solicitations, proposals in progress, and key milestones
Database & Reporting Support
29. Maintain accurate records of AVP's donor interactions, proposals, and cultivation activities in advancement database
30. Generate reports on AVP's portfolio activity, pipeline progress, and fundraising metrics
31. Track proposal submissions, pending asks, and expected closures for AVP's portfolio and team
32. Assist gift officers with data entry and expense reporting
33. Coordinate with Advancement Operations on data requests, portfolio assignments, and reporting needs
34. Ensure data quality and completeness for revenue generation area
35. Support campaign tracking and reporting for revenue generation functions
Project & Meeting Coordination
36. Coordinate divisional and cross-functional meetings involving revenue generation staff
37. Support special projects and strategic initiatives as assigned by AVP
38. Assist with campaign activities, donor events, and recognition programs
39. Manage logistics for AVP-hosted events including donor dinners and cultivation gatherings
40. Coordinate materials preparation for VP meetings, Board presentations, and leadership reports
41. Maintain organized filing systems for AVP's office
42. Support revenue generation planning processes and strategy sessions
Qualifications
43. Bachelor's degree
44. 2-4 years of administrative or project coordination experience, preferably in advancement, nonprofit development, or professional services environment
45. Strong organizational skills and ability to manage complex schedules with competing priorities
46. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
47. High degree of professionalism, discretion, and ability to handle confidential donor information
48. Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
49. Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
50. Experience with database systems; Salesforce or CRM experience strongly preferred
51. Ability to work independently, anticipate needs, and exercise sound judgment
52. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively with donors, senior leadership, faculty, and diverse stakeholders
53. Customer service orientation and collaborative work style
54. Problem-solving mindset and resourcefulness
55. 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.
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.