Description
This position directs fiscal and gift services operations for Advancement and The Evergreen State College Foundation, serving as the division’s subject-matter expert on philanthropic revenue accounting, financial compliance, and fund management. Reporting to the Director of Advancement, this position provides strategic oversight of financial operations, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and adherence to donor intent, institutional policies, and federal and state regulations.
This position supervises the Fiscal Analyst 2 (working title: Senior Gift Processing and Accounting Analyst), providing guidance, quality control, and professional development while maintaining accountability for the accuracy and timeliness of gift processing, revenue classification, and reconciliations. The position leads the development and implementation of fiscal procedures, monitors internal controls, interprets policies and regulations, and ensures audit readiness and compliance for all financial and gift-related activities.
The incumbent oversees a broad portfolio of fiscal responsibilities, including procurement, accounts payable, credit card and travel card administration, budget development, and reporting. The position evaluates fiscal data to identify trends, discrepancies, and operational risks, and recommends improvements to enhance efficiency, strengthen internal controls, and support strategic decision-making. This position plays a critical role in safeguarding donor funds, ensuring accurate reporting, and advancing the Foundation’s fiduciary responsibilities while promoting best practices and continuous improvement in all fiscal and gift operations.
Gift and Fund Management
Develop and implement Advancement’s fiscal procedures to meet the business needs of Advancement and comply with industry best practices and Business Services protocols.
Supervise Advancement fiscal staff responsible for gift processing, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and responsive services to internal and external stakeholders. Oversee data and gift-entry processes, ensuring accuracy, consistency, efficiency, and timely completion; perform gift processing tasks as needed. Provide oversight and ensure accuracy of online giving forms and workflows in collaboration with Advancement fiscal staff. Ensure the Foundation’s chart of accounts and fund records are maintained with accurate information on donor restrictions for all accounts. Administer gift acceptance policy review for complex or non-standard gifts to ensure compliance with Foundation policy and IRS regulations. Coordinate system access, user permissions, and platform settings across Raiser’s Edge NXT, Banner Finance, and related fiscal systems.
Fiscal Management
Oversee spending of Foundation funds by offices across campus, ensuring funds are spent according to donor intent; communicate with campus partners proactively regarding the use of Foundation accounts, including balances, allowable expenses, and applicable restrictions, and make authorized purchases. Process and reconcile transfers of expenses and revenues within the Foundation and between the College and the Foundation. Monitor Foundation and College endowed funds, ensuring new contributions are invested in a timely manner, annual distributions are implemented according to policy, and reports are generated for individual endowed funds; ensure endowment records are accurate and complete. Establish and maintain internal controls for Advancement fiscal operations, ensuring proper authorization, documentation, and compliance. Coordinate the annual production of endowment reports to donors in collaboration with Advancement communications staff, ensuring financial data accuracy and timely delivery. Interpret and apply College and Foundation policies in fiscal management and recommend courses of action based on policy interpretation.
Reporting and Fiscal Monitoring
Prepare and review all reports, including monthly fundraising reports for the Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees, Endowment Contribution Report for the Finance & Investment Committee, Assessment Fee Reports, Foundation 10 Year Trends, Quid-Pro-Quo Budget Report, Monthly Pledge Reports, and Voluntary Support of Education, ensuring consistency and accuracy using data from Raiser’s Edge NXT, Banner Finance and financial statements.
Prepare ad hoc and executive-level fiscal analyses and reports for the Director of Advancement Services, Audit Committee, Budget Coordinators, Finance & Investment Committee, and other stakeholders as needed.
Develop and refine reporting tools, templates, and processes to improve data accuracy, transparency, and usability for Advancement leadership.
Analyze financial data to identify trends, discrepancies, or potential compliance risks; develop recommendations to improve fiscal operations, efficiency, and internal controls.
Compliance and Audit
Oversee the management of the Foundation’s financial operations, including external filing with federal and state agencies, liability insurance, directors and officers insurance, annual external audit, multi-state registrations, and maintenance of fiscal records. Procure insurance for the Foundation, negotiating on behalf of the Foundation and evaluating policies using advice from legal counsel. Ensure the foundation’s fiscal records and procedures comply with industry best practices, UPMIFA, IRS regulations, and Foundation policy. Coordinate Advancement’s engagement with the Foundation’s external auditor, including responsibility for adapting business processes to meet discrepancies or noncompliance cited by foundation auditors.
Lead the request for proposal process to secure a new audit firm on behalf of the Audit Committee of the Foundation. Conduct ongoing risk assessment for Advancement fiscal operations and update procedures to strengthen compliance and audit readiness.
Budget Management
Develop, maintain, and revise annual student aid budgets utilizing information from endowed, non-endowed, and annual giving funds, make revisions to the budgets, and partner with the Undergraduate Scholarship office, graduate programs, Tacoma campus, and Native Pathways Program to ensure scholarships are used according to donor intent. Develop recommended annual fund budget, support Director of Advancement Services in securing board approval, and partner with Business Services to ensure the budget is loaded in Banner. Develop and track budgets for a variety of funds, including the student emergency fund, program endowments, and special projects funded by philanthropy. Monitor all Foundation budgets, assuring that monies are used legally and in keeping with donor intent. Provide fiscal forecasting and multi-year planning support for Advancement leadership, using historical trends and donor revenue patterns to inform budget decisions.
Financial Operations
Manage and execute procurement, travel, purchasing, and payment activities, ensuring transactions are accurate, properly documented, and compliant with state, College, and Foundation policies. Administer the Foundation’s credit card program, including cardholder onboarding, policy enforcement, monitoring activity for compliance, and maintaining strong internal controls.
Perform monthly reconciliation and analysis of procurement, travel, and Foundation card activity, identifying discrepancies and ensuring timely resolution and compliance. Prepare and approve complex journal entries, including inter-fund and inter-chart transactions, exercising independent judgment to ensure proper coding, compliance, and audit readiness prior to submission to the general ledger. Review and coordinate vendor contracts using approved templates, ensuring compliance with Foundation and College protocols. Oversee travel arrangements for staff and leadership, ensuring compliance with institutional policies, proper documentation, and timely reimbursement; review and approve travel plans and adjustments as needed. Submit blanket in-state travel authorizations for all staff at the start of the fiscal year and review individual travel requests as needed. Review and process vendor payments and staff reimbursements, ensuring accurate coding, complete supporting documentation, compliance with fiscal policies, and timely submission to Accounts Payable.
Other Duties
Train Advancement colleagues in interpreting gift records and fiscal data. Provide technical support to Advancement leadership regarding gift records and fund management.
Recruit, onboard, and supervise student and temporary employees supporting Advancement fiscal operations. Manage the department’s CASE membership administration, including adding new staff and removing former employees in the CASE system, and ensuring access records are current. Submit Electronic Personnel Action Forms, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
Work at occasional major Advancement events, such as Return to Evergreen and Art of Giving, which occur on weekends and in the evenings. Complete required training related to fiscal policies, internal controls, Advancement systems, and donor confidentiality. May serve on committees and attend meetings as assigned. Other duties as assigned, including assisting at campus events and fielding customer service requests and needs from across campus.
Requirements
Advanced knowledge, skill, and abilities with budget and financial management, planning, and processes.
Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in fiscal work.
Knowledge of fundraising finance, charitable gift administration, nonprofit accounting standards, and relevant IRS and UPMIFA regulations.
Skill in analyzing complex financial data, identifying discrepancies, and implementing corrective actions to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Knowledge of budgeting concepts (revenue vs. expenditures), fund levels, and encumbrances within a complex budgeting system.
Ability to develop, manage, and track a broad array of state and foundation budgets.
Project planning and management skills and abilities.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365, including advanced skill with Excel, financial and budget software, and integrated databases such as Banner and Raiser’s Edge, with the ability to design and produce complex fiscal reports, dashboards, and data visualizations using tools, such as Tableau and Power BI.
Advanced knowledge of governmental and nonprofit accounting principles, fiscal policies, reconciliation practices, and gift processing standards and financial reporting requirements.
Strong organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize daily workloads, meet deadlines, and manage recurring tasks.
Ability to adapt to new systems, processes, and changing priorities while ensuring consistent, accurate, and timely completion of tasks.
Ability to respond to difficult situations with a respectful and professional demeanor, as well as to serve as a leader in the facilitation of positive resolution in such situations.
Strong knowledge of gift record best practices, IRS regulations related to 501©(3)s, and foundations.
Ability to generate, improve, and develop and use complex reports utilizing a variety of data sources.
Ability to work effectively as a team leader while producing own work; ability to train, inspire, and motivate staff.
Ability to supervise, train, mentor, and evaluate the performance of employees, providing clear work direction and constructive feedback in accordance with college policies and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
Understanding of fundraising principles, methodologies, and best practices.
Outstanding organization skills and practices; ability to manage multiple complex tasks and projects simultaneously while addressing the needs of the office.
Ability to work collaboratively with diverse populations and the ability to value diverse perspectives.
Ability to independently interpret and apply federal and state regulations, Foundation and College policies, donor restrictions, and IRS charitable contribution requirements to complex fiscal operations, ensuring compliance and reliable reporting.
Unwavering commitment to ethical standards.
Effective interpersonal leadership skills and abilities to establish and maintain professional working relationships with co-workers, management, and other constituents.
Ability to analyze complex problems and formulate plans for resolution.
Ability to communicate complex technical fiscal information clearly and professionally to non-technical staff, senior leadership, board members, auditors, and external stakeholders in both written and verbal forms.
Skill in hiring, supervising, and motivating others, including recruitment, recordkeeping, assigning and checking work, providing training, evaluating performance, and addressing performance issues as needed.
Ability to work effectively under deadlines and with high volume of work.
Ability to demonstrate a high degree of discretion and strict confidentiality in handling sensitive donor, financial, and institutional information in full accordance with applicable state, federal, and institutional policies.
Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings to support Advancement events (Return to Evergreen, Art of Giving, and other major college events).
