Alumni Relations Corporate and Foundation Relations Fundraising Gift Planning Programming and Events University Development
Management Professional Supervisory Support
Penn State Job Catalog
Development and Advancement Manager – Senior Manager (PSU2531)
Additional Levels
Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.
Missing levels within the leveling matrix can be added based on business need.
Job Summary and Representative Duties
The Development and Advancement Manager provides leadership, direction, and oversight for multiple development and advancement functions within the University; develops and implements strategic fundraising, advancement, and campaign plans to advance University philanthropic priorities; establishes performance goals, metrics, and reporting processes to evaluate progress and results; leads data-informed initiatives to strengthen fundraising effectiveness, organizational readiness, and operational capacity; ensures alignment among fundraising, communications, stewardship, events, donor relations, and campaign activities with broader University and unit strategies. Duties are performed at various levels within the defined job category.
- Oversee multiple development and advancement functions within a large fundraising unit or in a University-wide capacity, including stewardship, events, annual and planned giving, campaign management, prospect tracking, and donor relations; establish priorities, develop growth strategies, and ensure effective integration of activities across functional areas
- Provide strategic leadership for fundraising initiatives; develop innovative approaches to advance philanthropic priorities, strengthen donor engagement, increase fundraising effectiveness, and achieve established goals and outcomes
- Establish performance measures, key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, and reporting processes; monitor progress toward established goals; analyze results and trends; prepare data-informed updates and recommendations for University and division leadership, development teams, and campaign volunteers
- Establish and oversee campaign structures, committees, governance processes, and systems for gathering, evaluating, prioritizing, and tracking philanthropic initiatives; assess proposed priorities, identify operational gaps and opportunities, and implement improvements that strengthen fundraising capacity and effectiveness
- Develop and manage integrated project plans for major priorities and initiatives, establishing deliverables, timelines, responsibilities, dependencies, and milestones; oversee progress, identify and mitigate risks, resolve implementation barriers, and maintain alignment with established objectives
- Develop and implement integrated strategies and annual action plans across assigned development areas; evaluate the feasibility, resource requirements, and potential impact of proposed initiatives; ensure alignment among fundraising, communications, stewardship, and campaign plans with broader University and organizational strategies
- Lead and manage a multi-function development team; establish goals and performance expectations; evaluate results; assign priorities and oversee workflows across functional areas; provide coaching, mentorship, and professional development; promote accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
- Coordinate internal and external communications in partnership with DDAR and University stakeholders; communicate priorities, progress, and outcomes
- Engage and cultivate relationships with volunteers, board members, committees, professional networks, and other key stakeholders to build and sustain coalitions of support around shared philanthropic priorities
- Prepare, administer, forecast, and revise unit budgets; allocate financial and operational resources; evaluate resource utilization; and prepare financial reports and recommendations to support leadership decision-making
- Represent the organization and development function with internal and external stakeholders, University executives, senior leadership teams, and other institutional partners; communicate strategic priorities, provide recommendations, and advance collaborative initiatives
Level Matrix
- Level:
- – Senior Manager
- Base Description:
- – Manages direct reports where primary duty is the management of a working unit.
- Level Summary:
- – Demonstrates advanced skills in critical functions related to unit's success. Demonstrates advanced knowledge of emerging technologies and processes. Monitors completed work of others to ensure effectiveness and adherence to requirements. Sets clear expectations and holds team accountable. Establishes a shared team/unit vision. Demonstrates ability to evaluate and enhance team/unit practices that promote a strong commitment to inclusionary practices. Coaches others using appropriate strategies. Demonstrates diplomacy. Demonstrates ability to serve as liaison between senior-level management and staff. Resolves complex, controversial, or unprecedented issues and problems.
- Supervisory Responsibilities:
-
– Oversees large team or teams of individual contributors and/or supervisors/managers
– Leads a department or functional area
- Fiscal Responsibilities:
-
– Monitors and tracks large budgets
– Plans, forecasts, and/or develops budgets
– May approve budgets for specific area
– Typically has final signature authority for specific area
- Problem Solving:
-
– Encounters highly varied and complex problems that impacts the team and possibly the unit
– Develops creative and/or novel approaches to resolve problems that are difficult in nature
– Independently resolves complex and/or unprecedented issues and problems
- Independence of Action:
-
– Work results are not clearly defined
– Generally sets own goals and determines how to accomplish results with few or no guidelines to follow
– Monitors completed work of others to ensure soundness of approach, effectiveness of meeting requirements, the feasibility of recommendations and adherences to requirements
– Delegates more advanced tasks to others
- Communication and Collaboration:
-
– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members and various areas across the University
– Fosters collaboration between units and engages others' coordinated efforts to reach desired outcomes with broad scope
Salary Structure
- Comp Grade – 15
- Minimum – $115,860.00
- MidPoint – $144,804.00
- Maximum – $173,844.00
Critical Skills
- Budgeting
- Business relationship management
- Collaboration
- Data-based decision making
- Financial Management
- Fundraising
- Influence & Persuasion
- Process improvement
- Project Management
- Prospect Management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Stewardship
- Strategic Planning
- Trend analysis