Coordinator, Advancement

WPI•Worcester, MA

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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

Responsibilities

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
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
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
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
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