Position Summary:

The Director of Advancement Services at Fort Lewis College (FLC) is a strategic leader with the ability to envision, implement, and steward a thoughtful approach to information management, prospect development, gift administration, and process improvement in support of the FLC Foundation’s growth and future comprehensive fundraising campaign efforts. Reporting to the FLC Foundation Chief Finance & Operations Officer (CFOO), the Director will build and maintain mutually respected relationships with the Office of Advancement staff and colleagues across FLC to understand priorities and policies, identify challenges and socialize new business practices, reports, and tools.

Job Description:

Key elements of this role will be staff supervision and overseeing all aspects Advancement Services Operations and the centralized donor database (Blackbaud CRM) and other tools to optimize gift administration, fund management, and prospect strategies.

Leadership & Strategic Operations (30%)

• Provide strategic leadership to enhance the effectiveness of the Advancement Services operations.
• Provide recommendations on tools, technologies, and systems that would improve the quality and efficiency of Advancement Services operations and fundraising and volunteer engagement coordination, while meeting compliance requirements.
• Lead data strategy and governance practices and policies for the Office of Advancement.
• Lead counts and statistics for external reporting, including to the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and Voluntary Support of Education (VSE).
• Provides analysis of data and reports to assist fellow leaders in understanding results and trends and to inform business decisions.
• Regularly update the FLC Office of Advancement manual, ensuring procedural operations for gift processing, data entry, and related functions are clearly defined ensuring data access and security protocols are continuously met.
• Supervise advancement services staff while providing education regarding industry specific best practices, mentoring and offering opportunities for professional development.
• Set clear expectations for performance and hold staff accountable for meeting their responsibilities, ensuring they understand and align with FLC’s overall fundraising and engagement goals.

CRM Management & Reporting (25%)

• Serve as the primary expert and administrator of the centralized donor database (Blackbaud CRM), and its partner software, ensuring its effective utilization across all Advancement Services functions, fundraising, alumni, gift processing, donor tracking, and volunteer engagement.
• Oversee the ongoing maintenance and management of the CRM ensuring that donor, prospects, and alumni records are accurate, complete, and up-to-date.
• Work collaboratively with Alumni Engagement, Outreach & Engagement, and Marketing & Communications (MarCom) to ensure a seamless data connection between additional software, plugins, websites, email, and registration tools. 
• Develop proactive strategies to improve data integrity, address accuracy issues, and ensure interconnectivity with internal departments such as the Information Technology (IT), MarCom, Financial Aid, and other campus partners.
• Manage vendor relationships, contract details, trainings, integrations and assess all potential technology add-ons.

Gift Administration & Processing (20%)

• Provide vision and practical guidance to optimize productivity and effectiveness of gift administration and fund management business processes.
• Support CFOO with management for all aspects of gift acceptance and processing, ensuring compliance with FLC Foundation and FLC policies and procedures and ensuring successful audits through established reconciliation between systems. Maintain record keeping best practices, staying up to date on current privacy laws, and ensures gift records are maintained with the goal of long-term stewardship and engagement efforts, in alignment with CASE guidelines, FASB/GAAP, and IRS regulations.

Advancement Analytics (25%)

• Utilizing data analytics to understand trends, giving patterns, and optimize annual fundraising solicitations and donor prospect portfolios for Advancement team members, deans, select campus partners, senior leaders, and college president. 
• Establish annual fundraising projections, goals and metrics in coordination with VP of Advancement. 
• Support and track effectiveness of overall annual giving communications and engagement strategies analysis for continued improvements.

• Work with CFOO to oversee and monitor all related reporting including financials, prospecting, and stewardship, ensuring accuracy and timelines.

 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with minimum 3 years of related professional experience
• At least one year of supervision/people-management experience.
• Supervision of gift processing functions or comparable experience
• Ability to effectively manage a small team, meeting goals and deadlines
• Strong planning, problem solving and analytical skills to manage projects, assist users and recognize and troubleshoot technical problems
• Understanding of and commitment to the mission of an advancement office and its relation to an institutional mission

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in an academic setting
• Experience building systems and procedures within an advancement office
• Understanding of software programs used by the college and the ability to recommend their appropriate application to improve efficiency and effectiveness
• Specialized knowledge of how to fully utilize web-based resources within FLC's software systems

 

Reports to/Supervisory Responsibility:

This position reports to the Chief Financial and Operating Officer.

The position will supervise the Advancement Services Specialist

Work Conditions
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that an employee can expect while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Moderate noise (i.e. business office with computers, phone, and printers, light traffic)
Ability to sit at a computer terminal for an extended period of time
 

Travel

Less than 10% is expected. Travel to Durango twice a year and potential travel to conferences.

FLSA Status/ Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
Exempt
Full Time 1.0FTE
Permanent
Full Year

Ability to work remote

Salary range is $76,000 to $84,000

Compensation

The salary range is $76,000 to $84,000 , plus a comprehensive benefits package.

Application Process
A complete application packet includes:

• ​Cover letter addressing interest and qualifications for the position
• Resume
• Names and contact information for three current, professional references

Application materials received by 11:59 PM on June 28, 2026, will receive full consideration.

The successful candidate will be required to submit original, official college transcripts, and pass a background check. 

About Fort Lewis College:

On a sage-brushed mesa overlooking downtown Durango and the La Plata Mountains, Fort Lewis College is Southwest Colorado’s premier public undergraduate research institution. With more than half of the 3,300 students identifying as people of color, FLC’s academic programming and campus life thrive on nurturing safe, diverse spaces for intellectual exploration and helping people achieve their career goals. A Native American-serving, Non-Tribal Institution, FLC is committed to promoting economic development in neighboring tribal communities and connecting students with the education they need to be the change in the world they want to see. Degree programs span the arts, business, education, health sciences, humanities, and social and natural sciences. Coursework builds on the natural, cultural, and historical resources found around the Four Corners region. Students work closely with faculty on research projects with real-world implications. Like the mountain town it resides in, FLC promotes a culture of work-life balance for students, faculty, and staff. Skyhawks enjoy unparalleled access to a healthy outdoor lifestyle thanks to 300 days of sunshine a year and more than 300 miles of hiking and biking trails in and around Durango

Notice to Prospective Employees:
 The Fort Lewis College is required by the Clery Act of 1990 to notify prospective employees, current employees, students and applicants where to access our Campus Security Report.  The report is updated and published annually in accordance with the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, Federal Student Right-to-Know, the Federal Drug-free Schools and Campuses Act of 1989. This report contains information about:

• Fort Lewis College's alcohol and other drug policy

• Sexual assault policy

• Campus security policies

• Campus/community resources

• The Colorado Riot Offense Statute restriction on enrollment

• Where to find registered sex offender information

• Crime statistics for the previous three calendar years

• Reporting crimes

 
 The Campus Security Report can be accessed in two ways:
By going to the internet website at:   www.fortlewis.edu/AnnualSecurityReport Fort Lewis College Student Affairs Office will also provide a paper copy of the annual security report upon request.   You can reach them at (970) 247-7331.

Equal Opportunity
Fort Lewis College does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, sex*, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, family or domestic status, political beliefs, veteran status, pregnancy, or genetic information. Accordingly, equal opportunity for employment shall be extended to all persons. The College shall promote equal opportunity, equal treatment, and affirmative action efforts to increase the diversity of students, faculty, and staff. The College is dedicated to building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. To file a report, get resources, read policies, or make an appointment, See www.fortlewis.edu/CARE.

Discrimination Questions?

Office of Compliance and Community Standards
David Pirrone, Director of Compliance
210 Berndt Hall
1000 Rim Drive
Durango, Colorado 81301
(970) 247-7182 djpirrone@fortlewis.edu

Questions about Title IX sex discrimination?    
Office of the Title IX Coordinator
Madeleine Gillman, Assistant Director of Compliance and Title IX Coordinator
210 Berndt Hall
1000 Rim Drive
Durango, Colorado 81301
(970) 247-7049 mgillman@fortlewis.edu

Information about Fort Lewis College’s alcohol and drug policy, sexual assault policy, campus security policies, campus crime statistics, fire safety procedures and fire statistics, and campus/community resources can be found in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Hard copies are available upon request.

* Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Part 106 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, including in admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and CFR 106 to Fort Lewis College may be directed to FLC's Title IX Coordinator and/or to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights of the Department of Education.

ADAA Accommodations
Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact Kristin Polens by phone 970-247-7459 or email kpolens@fortlewis.edu at least five business days before the assessment date to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.