Development Business and Operations Manager

Envision yourself in a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative work environment that has a deep commitment to position our graduates for success in their professional and personal lives. Visualize applying your energy and skills for an organization that respects and cares about its employees enough to offer some of the best benefits of the industry while encouraging every team member to grow, collaborate, and provide input on how to consistently make the workplace a place people love to work. Imagine working at a college that welcomes everyone — students, faculty, staff, and community members — regardless of their backgrounds, beliefs, or traditions. If what was just described is what you look for in a workplace, welcome to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) !

The Advancement Business and Operations Manager reports to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of University Advancement and supports Advancement Division, with a primary role responsibility of approximately 75% to the Alumni & Donor Engagement and Development (ADD) teams. 

This position is part of the ADD leadership team to make direct contributions and provide leadership, coordination and direction for the broader teams.  This role is responsible for day-to-day fiscal management of department funds, gift administration, compliance, and supports core objectives to enhance and support donor intent. The individual in this role exercises initiative to help achieve organizational goals and objectives. This role engages in broad departmental business management including cross-team workflow leadership, policy and procedure training/alignment, gift administration and processing, internal audits, contributes to campus stewardship initiatives, serves as a liaison to system, the CU Foundation, campus business partners, and serves as the HR representative within the ADD department.  This position is responsible for a broad range of high-level administrative duties in support of the department and coordinates the administrative support for all department functions. This position establishes, implements and maintains effective safeguards to prevent the improper disclosure of highly sensitive and/or confidential information; and develops and maintains positive professional interactions with university constituencies at all levels, and external entities through various modes of contact, including telephone, email, hard-copy written correspondence, and in-person.

The Advancement Business and Operations Manager will be responsible for the division budget process by supporting division and department program forecasted, day-to-day fiscal management of division funds, anticipated and actual operational needs and fiscal resources to ensure sound fiscal management and compliance.  Responsibilities include preparing budgets, purchase orders and requisitions, administering journal entries and performing fiscal year end close functions for the division to maximize a variety of fund types.

University Advancement professionals build various levels of support and affinity for the institution through a coordinated effort as part of the university's primary outreach to the community and region. This includes building support and funding through community engagement and alumni outreach efforts, attendance at key events, representation on important initiatives and the creation of partnerships supporting the university's mission.

Who We Are:

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system and is home to over 9,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students. We have a strong focus in fueling student success by creating, using, and maintaining a multitude of different offices and programs. Overall, UCCS is constantly focused of preparing our students to have success in the future, and we understand that every single employee on our campus has a significant effect on that focus. Find more information about working at UCCS here: https://hr.uccs.edu/work-at-uccs .

The city, which was recently ranked as the number nine Best Places to Live by U.S. News & World Report in 2023, known as Olympic City USA, rests at the base of Pikes Peak, the inspiration for the song “America the Beautiful” and a must-see for residents and visitors alike. With a mild climate and 247 days of sunshine each year, the Springs boasts some of the state’s best recreation opportunities. Find out more about living in Colorado Springs through the Visit Colorado Springs page: https://www.visitcos.com/ .

Job Duties:

Budget/Financial Services (40%)

• Works closely with the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement, Advancement department leaders, Campus Budget and Planning Office, and the Controller’s Office to effectively manage financial, budget, and purchasing operations
• Recommends budget strategies for all fund types and partners with Assistant Vice Chancellor and department leadership on implementation
• Identifies areas of financial risk to the department and makes recommendations to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for risk mitigation
• Oversight and direct processing of day-to-day budget financial transactions to meet the business needs of respective departments inclusive of monitoring revenue and expenditure activity for each source of funds as well as gift related transactions
• Partners with finance office to address general fund and auxiliary budgets monthly for deficits and adjusts as needed
• Assists in preparation of documents for presentations for campus and system budget and projection reports
• Prepares annual budget review and other reports as requested by leadership
• Develops and maintains comparative financial historical data for use in decision making
• Review and approve employee expense reports and vendor invoices
• Review financial reports to ensure financial transactions are recorded in compliance with GAAP, GASB, and CU policies.

Gift Administration (25%)

• Supports and uplifts the Donor Bill of Rights for gift fund creation, administration and compliance
• Oversees and directly supports gift processing and donor gift administration processes to maintain strong donor confidence, confidentiality, and appropriate use of funds
• Maintains current knowledge of University of Colorado (CU) and CU Foundation policies and procedures for compliance enforcement and strong donor relations
• Works in collaboration with the CU Foundation to ensure identified gift fund, gift processing protocols and compliance guidelines are followed
• Works in collaboration with the UCCS Campus Controller to advance campus partner donor fund use and gift fund set-up/process
• Conducts quarterly internal audit and report of gift processing procedures
• Utilizes appropriate databases for confidential donor records and updates

Administration (35%)

• Manages ADD department-level HR, payroll, review, search-processes, onboarding/offboarding and confidential file management for professional and student employee staff and supports division HR needs in partnership with the Executive Assistance for Advancement
• Creates and leads team trainings to support team growth, process improvement and procedural/policy initiatives in partnership with department leaders
• Prepares reports for the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Advancement including department performance, staff performance, dashboards, and alumni/donor engagement
• Contributes to the oversight of the daily operations of the department and planning of workflow coordination
• Educates department leadership and team about CU, CUF and System Advancement applicable policies and procedures
• Responds to internal audit requests and findings and recommends resolutions where necessary
• Supports the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Advancement in administrative functions including scheduling, coordination of meeting logistics and travel arrangements

Supervision Received

This position is supervised by the Assistant Vice Chancellor of University Advancement.

Supervision Exercised

• Business Operations Support Specialist(s)
• Student Employees (oversight)

Collaborative Relationships

This position works closely with the following areas:

• CU Foundation
  • Gift Processing
  • Compliance
  • Gift Administration
• System Advancement
  • Policy, Operations and Technology teams
• UCCS
  • Office of the Controller
  • Human Resources
  • Peers in like roles across the campus
  • Financial Aid/Scholarships
• UCCS Advancement

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Job Competencies:

• Demonstrated high commitment to service excellence, diversity, and equity
• Ability to work collaboratively within a shared governance community
• Ability to work independently, use initiative, and make substantive decisions quickly
• Ability to manage and lead and support direct and indirect reporting lines to achieve contributions to the larger department and team
• Strong interpersonal skills to include excellent written and verbal communications
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with pivot changes
• Knowledge of accounting and finance best practices. This knowledge shall include both practical experience and accounting theory
• Ability to generate and interpret complex data in an end-user friendly manner
• Ability to communicate complex accounting information to top level administrators and fund managers for decision making purposes
• Ability to compile data and prepare reports
• Ability to generate and maintain productive, professional working relationships with internal and external partners
• Ability to support multiple projects simultaneously while effectively managing time and prioritizing tasks
• Ability to adhere to ethical business practices, confidentiality and promote ethical behavior
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Proficient in Microsoft Office programs, technology and other commonly used software programs applicable to business operations
• Ability to work independently
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Work Location: On-site (with hybrid possibilities)

This position has been determined to be exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

What We Offer:

Salary Range: Generally starting at $57,995 - $67,661 per year

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs offers excellent benefits , some of which include:

• Medical insurance, with the lowest cost option being $0 to the employee
• Dental, Vision, Life and Disability insurance
• Generous paid vacation and sick time accruals (14.67 hours of vacation and 10 hours of sick accrued per month, prorated if part-time)
• Mandatory retirement plans. Employees contribute 5% of their annual compensation. CU doubles that and contributes 10%
• Tuition Assistant Benefit available to you or a dependent
• Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of employment
• Off Campus Housing Resources

Tentative Search Timeline:

• Priority will be given to applications submitted by February 11, 2024. However, this posting will remain open until filled.
• The potential dates for interviews with the search committee will be the week of February 12, 2024.
• The potential dates for interviews with the supervisor and appointing authority will be the week of February 19, 2024.
• The potential employee start date is March 1, 2024.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is committed to providing a safe and productive learning, living and working community. To assist in achieving this goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial and/or motor vehicle history check. 

UCCS is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, the University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation or political philosophy in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. Alternative formats of this ad can be provided upon request for individuals with disabilities by contacting the Office of Human Resources at (719) 255-3372.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that verification of employment eligibility be documented for all new employees by the end of the third day of work.

Please note that while the position details both required qualifications as well as preferred qualifications below, we want applicants to be aware that they do not need to have all of the preferred qualifications to be considered for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications, have passion for the work, along with experience in a related field, you are encouraged to apply. We encourage on-the-job training for any additional skills or knowledge that become relevant to the position.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• 4+ years of finance administration experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or Operations Management
• 5+ years of finance administration experience
• 1+ years of supervisory experience
• 1 year of experience in each of the following skills, office administration, human resources, expense reports and timesheets
• 1 year experience within higher education, advancement, or non-profit environment
• 1 year experience with Donor Management software systems such as Salesforce or Advance

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit. Employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. Tasks may involve looking at computer screen continuously for long periods of time. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each of the established essential functions and meet the physical and environment demands described satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, ability, physical and environmental conditions required of the employee on the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, physical and environmental demands.

Applicants with disabilities: If you have a mental or physical impairment, which limits one of your major life activities (e.g. walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, or learning) and require special accommodations for testing or interviewing, it is your responsibility to notify the office scheduling the interview or test at least 3 working days before the interview or test date.  If you need special accommodations at the work site, you must notify the appointing authority or Human Resources.