Executive Director

The Opportunity

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is seeking an experienced and strategic leader to serve as Executive Director, Advancement Data Analytics. This position provides leadership for the advancement data strategy, data quality, analytics, governance, and information management functions within Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement.

The Executive Director is responsible for establishing and leading a comprehensive advancement data services program that ensures the integrity, accessibility, quality, and strategic use of constituent and fundraising data. This role serves as a key partner to advancement leadership, providing actionable insights that support fundraising performance, donor engagement, campaign execution, forecasting, and executive decision-making.

Working collaboratively across Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, Information Services, Institutional Reporting, and other university stakeholders, the Executive Director develops and implements data strategies, governance frameworks, performance metrics, and operational processes that strengthen the university's fundraising and alumni engagement efforts. This position plays a critical role in advancing a data-informed culture by ensuring advancement data is accurate, reliable, secure, and positioned to support both current and future organizational priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Data Analytics

• Lead the advancement data quality, analytics, strategy, and governance functions in support of fundraising, alumni engagement, and campaign goals.

• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership by providing insights related to fundraising performance, donor engagement, campaign progress, forecasting, and operational effectiveness.

• Develop and implement a multi-year roadmap for advancement data management and analytics aligned with university priorities and business objectives.

• Establish performance metrics, benchmarks, dashboards, and reporting frameworks to measure data health, operational effectiveness, and fundraising outcomes.

• Identify opportunities to improve business processes, strengthen decision-making, and increase the division's ability to leverage data strategically.

Data Quality and Information Management

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive data quality program focused on improving the accuracy, completeness, consistency, and reliability of advancement data.

• Establish standards, procedures, and controls that support continuous improvement and long-term data integrity.

• Oversee master data management processes, including record creation, maintenance, deduplication, cleansing, merging, and data governance activities.

• Manage constituent information updates and ensure accurate maintenance of alumni, donor, corporate, foundation, and other constituent records.

• Develop monitoring tools, scorecards, dashboards, and trend analyses to evaluate and improve data quality performance.

Data Governance and Strategy

• Lead advancement data governance efforts in collaboration with university stakeholders and enterprise data governance initiatives.

• Establish and maintain standards for data stewardship, access, security, definitions, business rules, and appropriate data usage.

• Ensure data-related requirements are documented, communicated, and incorporated into operational planning and strategic initiatives.

• Collaborate with campus partners to address issues related to data sourcing, integration, storage, reporting, and accessibility.

• Promote shared accountability and stewardship of advancement data across the organization.

Operational Leadership

• Provide leadership and oversight for advancement records, reporting and analytics, gift processing, and related information management functions.

• Establish service standards, internal controls, quality assurance measures, and reconciliation processes that support operational excellence.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives designed to streamline workflows, reduce manual effort, and improve efficiency and service delivery.

• Manage internal and external data flows, ensuring effective data exchange, processing, validation, and reporting.

• Foster a service-oriented culture that supports frontline fundraisers, alumni engagement professionals, and university partners.

Collaboration and Partnership

• Partner with advancement leadership, fundraising teams, alumni engagement staff, Information Services, Institutional Reporting, and other stakeholders to advance data-driven decision-making.

• Support the development and implementation of data practices that enhance fundraising strategy, stewardship, campaign reporting, prospect development, and constituent engagement.

• Serve as a trusted resource on advancement data management, governance, reporting, and analytics.

• Build strong cross-functional relationships that promote collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• Ensure advancement data practices balance integrity, usability, compliance, and responsiveness to organizational needs.

About us

For nearly 100 years, Embry-Riddle has been the world's leading aviation and aerospace university, educating more than 30,000 students across residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, as well as through a global network of Worldwide locations and online programs. With more than 165,000 alumni around the world, our impact reaches every corner of the aerospace, aviation, defense and technology industries.

Today, our faculty, researchers and professional staff are advancing innovation across aviation, space, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, autonomous systems and next-generation engineering. Working alongside industry leaders, government agencies and innovators, they are solving real-world challenges and shaping the technologies that will define tomorrow.

Whether you are an educator, researcher, administrator, technologist or industry professional, your work at Embry-Riddle will contribute to something bigger than a job. Join a community driven by discovery, purpose and excellence—and help shape the future of aerospace.

Perks Await You at Embry-Riddle!  

• Generous Time Off:Enjoy up to 18 days of paid leave in your first year, including 3 days granted upon hire and 15 days accrued throughout the year. You'll also receive 9+ paid holidays, including the day after Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.

• Tuition Coverage:Get 100% tuition coverage for yourself for one undergraduate and one graduate degree, and discounted rates for your spouse and dependent children up to age 26.

• Retirement Contributions:ERAU contributes 6% of your base salary to your retirement plan and offers a 4% matching contribution – with no vesting period.

• Personal Leave:Relax with 15 days of personal leave for non-exempt employees or 18 days for exempt full-time employees in your first year. 

Required Education

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Data Analytics, Business Analytics, Computer Science, Information Management, or a related field.

Required Experience

• Eight to ten years of progressively responsible experience in advancement services, advancement operations, information management, data quality, data governance, fundraising analytics, or a related field, preferably within higher education, nonprofit, healthcare, or similarly complex organizations.

• Demonstrated experience leading data strategy, data quality initiatives, data governance programs, or records management functions.

• Experience managing staff and overseeing technical, operational, or data-focused workflows.

• Experience working with advancement CRM platforms, reporting tools, and constituent relationship management systems.

• Experience working with relational databases, reporting environments, and enterprise data structures.

• Experience managing multiple data sources, data integrations, third-party data providers, and cross-functional data processes.

• Experience with system implementations, upgrades, integrations, or major business process redesign initiatives.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of advancement services operations, fundraising data management, CASE reporting standards, gift compliance requirements, and advancement data governance principles.

• Ability to develop and implement data governance frameworks, quality standards, and performance metrics that support organizational goals.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills with the ability to identify trends and develop actionable solutions.

• Ability to translate complex technical and data-related issues into practical business recommendations and operational improvements.

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative partnerships and work effectively across departments and stakeholder groups.

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to develop teams, manage priorities, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

• Sound judgment, attention to detail, discretion, and the ability to manage confidential information appropriately.

• Strong commitment to customer service, accountability, innovation, and operational excellence.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and adapt in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within higher education advancement, university fundraising, alumni relations, healthcare philanthropy, or large nonprofit organizations.

• Experience with advancement technology platforms and tools such as Kindful, EverTrue, GiveCampus, Ascend, or similar advancement and fundraising solutions.

• Experience supporting comprehensive fundraising campaigns, donor analytics, prospect development, stewardship reporting, or advancement performance measurement.

• Knowledge of enterprise data governance frameworks and institutional reporting environments

To submit your application for this opportunity, please visit theEmbry-Riddle Career Siteand search for requisition number R311729. Please attach all relevant materials to your application when you apply online. Complete submissions include:

• Cover letter

• Full CV

• Contact information for at least three professional references (please note that references may be contacted as part of the interview/screening process)

Current Embry-Riddle employees:Please apply directly through the ERAU Employee Hub Central application within Workday.

Embry-Riddle is committed to fostering a workplace where all individuals are valued and respected. We strive to ensure that all faculty, staff, and students are treated fairly and provided equal opportunities for employment, advancement, compensation, training, and other benefits of employment. Embry-Riddle makes employment decisions — including hiring, promotions, compensation, and other terms of employment — based on individual merit, qualifications, and abilities. Embry Riddle is strongly opposed to discrimination and harassment, and such behavior is prohibited by university policy. Embry Riddle does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, veteran status, predisposing genetic characteristics, age, religion, or pregnancy status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law, in its employment, educational programs, admissions policies, financial aid, or other school-administered programs or activities. For further information, please visit ourwebsite. 

Embry-Riddle is not seeking assistance from staffing or recruitment agencies. All agencies are directed to contact[email protected]and should not reach out to hiring managers or staff.