Advancement Operations Manager

OPEN DATE: May 16, 2025                  

CLOSING DATE: May 30, 2025 *This job will close once 100 applications are received which may be sooner than the closing date.*              

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE:  Trust Indefinite    

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC 

Non-Sensitive/Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants 

What are Trust Fund Positions?

Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care). 

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.

The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States.  Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

OVERVIEW

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo—shaping the future by preserving heritage, discovering new knowledge, and sharing our resources with the world. The National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) is a national museum for the study and exhibition of African American history and culture. We are seeking the position of Advancement Operations Manager to join the NMAAHC Advancement Team.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Advancement Operations Manager provides donor and donation management, database and systems management and supervision. In this position, you will: 

• Manage and oversee all gift processing functions and procedures, including timely entry of donations, review of gift documentation and issuance of acknowledgement letters. 
• Track the Museum’s total fundraising performance, number of gifts, overall fundraising status, and year-to-date fundraising performance.
• Oversee and manage all the processes required for gift acknowledgement and receipting according to IRS rule 1771, IRS regulations and “Donor Bill of Rights.” This includes ensuring that gift recording and acknowledgement systems are in place for accurate and timely execution.
• Act as primary liaison between the Smithsonian’s and NMAAHC’s finance teams to ensure financial reconciliation for monthly reporting and the annual audit. 
• Serve as the principal advisor to the Chief Advancement Officer on all matters associated with audits.
• Work closely with the Chief Advancement Officer, prepare budget estimates for senior staff and program directors for various budgets and budget calls from central administration. 
• Assist staff in developing budget estimates for Federal and Trust budgets for budget calls, internal use and gifts, grants and contracts.
• Provide management officials with procedural and regulatory guidance concerning availability of or limitations on the use of funds.
• Review and approve all Cash Management Module (CMM) transactions for accuracy.
• Work with NMAAHC Financial Management to establish new accounts and ensure that fundraising and financial data are accurate and reconciled.
• Reconcile reports from SI Advancement and serve as departmental resource and point of contact for the Pan-Institutional Database for Advancement (PANDA) to the SI Gift Registrar
• Ensure the integrity, consistency, and accuracy of data. Design, run and maintain reports and queries to monitor the integrity of data stored in the database.
• Oversee the development and implementation of policies and procedures related to biographical data entry, gift processing and administration, the confidentiality of constituent information and PII. 
• Initiate and supervise the development, dissemination, implementation and adjustment of systems policies and procedures.
• Provide ongoing analytical reports to aid in planning, executing, monitoring, and reporting of Institutional Advancement activity, such as annual and campaign fundraising, membership, and related fund management.
• Supervise all Advancement Operations Staff. Develops performance standards, plans and schedules ongoing, production-oriented work to be accomplished by subordinates, set and adjust short-term priorities and prepare schedules for completion of work.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for this position, experience is needed that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. 

In addition to the basic qualification requirement above: Demonstrated experience is required in advancement operations, including gift/data processing and financial reconciliation; experience preparing and managing budgets in coordination with multiple stakeholders; demonstrated supervisory experience, including managing team performance and supporting professional development; strong understanding of advancement database systems and data governance best practices. 

Applicants who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should submit their resumes and a cover letter by May 29, 2025. Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week. 

 Any false statement in your application may result in your application being rejected and may also result in termination after employment begins. Relocation expenses are not paid. 

 What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact ThomasDo@si.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures. 

About Smithsonian Institution
Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex of 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and 14 education and research facilities. There are more than 6,500 Smithsonian employees, including approximately 500 scientists. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at more than 157 million.