The Path to Success in Advancement Services & Advancement Operations
1. The Path to Success in Advancement
Services & Advancement Operations
2010 Conference of Jesuit Advancement Administrators
Boston College, Office of University Advancement
Brenda Ricard, Associate Vice President, Advancement Operations Planning
Amy Bronson, Director, Recruitment & Training
2. Do you enjoy:
y j y
Research
Analyzing data
Working with databases
Identifying and working to solve business
problems
Organization development
Managing b d t
M i budgets
Process Management
3. Are you g
y good with:
Numbers
Technology
$$$$
Processes
Meeting deadlines
Details
Benchmarking
4. Do you thrive when y are:
y you
Managing the crisis of the moment
Making order out of chaos
Fielding
Fi ldi unsolicited f db k
li it d feedback
Triaging concurrent priorities
Fielding complaints
5. And can you also…
y
Play an important but less visible role
Be an unsung hero
Clean up other people’s messes
Cl th l ’
Problem solve under pressure
Serve many masters
See the beauty in the details
Make lemonade out of lemons
6. Then
Th a career in i
Advancement
Services is for you!
7. What exactly is Advancement
Services?
A collection of operational units that support the
fundraising i i
f d i i mission
Most often these units include:
− Gift processing
p g
− Records management
− Advancement Information Systems
− Prospect research
ospec esea c
Some also include Administrative Services functions:
− Fiscal planning and budget management
− Human Resources management
− Facilities and office management
− Communications and marketing
− Stewardship and donor relations
8. Career paths
p
Can I have a career in Advancement
Services and never be a fundraiser?
Can I have a career in Advancement
Services if I h
S i have b
been a f d i ?
fundraiser?
9. Career paths
p
What are some of the traditional career
paths?
What are some of the more unusual
paths?
th ?
10. Career paths
p
Where can this take me professionally?
11. Preparing for success
p g
Skill development
Finding the right mentor
Networking
N t ki
Special projects
Initiative
Observation
Self Assessment
12. Identifying that next opportunity
y g pp y
Which one is the right one?
Is the timing right?
Staying t the
St i at th same i tit ti vs. moving
institution i
to a new one
Long term career objectives
13. Identifying that next opportunity
y g pp y
Considerations from the recruiting/hiring
perspective:
− Demonstrated skill
− Directly related experience vs. transferable
− Institutional/departmental fit
14. Advancement Services
Resources
AASP
CASE
NEDRA
APRA
JAA
Networking
Software vendor user groups
Other
Oth
15. Contact Us
Brenda Speight Ricard
Associate Vice President
Advancement Operations and Planning
Office of University Advancement
Boston College
617 552-0382
brenda.ricard.@bc.edu
Amy Bronson
Director, Recruitment & Training
Office of University Advancement
Boston College
617 552-3680
amy.bronson.1@bc.edu