About the Opportunity
Job SummaryThe Director of Application Management provides strategic leadership, governance, and continuous improvement for Advancement's technology applications and platforms. Reporting to the Vice President of Advancement Resources, the Director serves as Product Owner for Advancement applications, translating business needs into technology solutions that enable fundraising, engagement, stewardship, and operational effectiveness. The role oversees the Advancement technology roadmap and application portfolio, serves as the primary liaison between Advancement and Information Technology Services (ITS), and leads the Application Management team. The Director collaborates with stakeholders across Advancement, ITS, external vendors, and university partners to deliver scalable, sustainable solutions that align technology investments with Advancement priorities, strengthen business processes, improve user experience, and maximize the value of enterprise platforms.
Minimum & Preferred Qualifications
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree required.
• Seven or more years of experience in advancement technology, CRM administration, enterprise application management, business systems, or a related field.
• Experience managing enterprise applications and technology projects.
• Demonstrated ability to translate business requirements into technology solutions.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing competing priorities.
• Strong understanding of CRM systems, application governance, and software lifecycle management.
Preferred Qualifications
• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience in higher education advancement or nonprofit fundraising environments.
• Experience with Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, Experience Cloud, Cvent, Shopify, or similar engagement platforms.
• Experience working with Agile methodologies, product ownership, or technology governance frameworks.
• Experience partnering with central IT organizations and external vendors.
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities
Advancement Technology Strategy & Roadmap Management
Lead the development and execution of the Advancement technology roadmap. Establish priorities for system enhancements, evaluate technology opportunities, and ensure applications support fundraising, engagement, stewardship, and operational goals. Partner with Advancement leadership to align technology investments with organizational strategy.
Product Ownership & Application Governance
Serve as Product Owner for Advancement applications. Establish governance processes for intake, prioritization, and evaluation of enhancement requests. Manage application portfolios and ensure technology solutions align with business requirements, user needs, and institutional standards.
Project Management & Technology Delivery
Oversee application enhancement projects and technology initiatives from planning through implementation. Coordinate resources, timelines, testing, training, and stakeholder communications. Monitor project outcomes and ensure successful adoption of new capabilities.
Partnership with ITS & Technology Vendors
Serve as the primary liaison between Advancement and ITS. Translate Advancement business needs into technical requirements and advocate for Advancement priorities. Coordinate with developers, architects, and vendors to ensure effective delivery of technology solutions.
Team Leadership & User Experience Optimization
Provide leadership and direction to Application Management staff. Foster a service-oriented culture focused on continuous improvement, user adoption, and operational excellence. Monitor application performance and identify opportunities to improve user experience and efficiency.
Key Competencies
• Expertise in CRM, advancement technology, and enterprise application management
• Strong product management and project prioritization capabilities
• Ability to balance business needs, user experience, and technical constraints
• Effective collaboration with IT, vendors, and business stakeholders
• Strategic planning and technology governance
• Change management and stakeholder engagement
• Leadership and team development
Supervision
Directly supervises:
• Salesforce and Marketing Cloud Associate Director
• Business Systems Analyst
• Additional Application Management staff as assigned
Position Type
Information TechnologyAdditional Information
Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.
Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Compensation Grade/Pay Type:
113SExpected Hiring Range:
$113,865.00 - $165,105.00With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree
- Seven or more years of experience in advancement technology, CRM administration, enterprise application management, business systems, or a related field
- Experience managing enterprise applications and technology projects
- Ability to translate business requirements into technology solutions
- Experience supervising professional staff and managing competing priorities
- Understanding of CRM systems, application governance, and software lifecycle management
- Master's degree
- Experience in higher education advancement or nonprofit fundraising environments
- Experience with Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, Experience Cloud, Cvent, Shopify, or similar engagement platforms
- Experience with Agile methodologies, product ownership, or technology governance frameworks
- Experience partnering with central IT organizations and external vendors
Northeastern University Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northeastern University and has not been reviewed or approved by Northeastern University.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off is described as extensive, including 22–26 vacation days, 12 sick days, 13 holidays, and paid parental leave for birth/adoption. Additional paid leave is also outlined, including up to 26 weeks of paid medical leave and up to 12 weeks of paid family leave for eligible employees.
-
Retirement Support — Retirement support is positioned as a standout, with an employer contribution described as 10% when an employee contributes 5%, alongside immediate vesting once eligible. This is presented as unusually generous relative to typical employer retirement offerings.
-
Parental & Family Support — Family-oriented benefits are emphasized through tuition assistance for employees and dependents and access to backup childcare and family-care resources. Tuition remission/discount structures are highlighted as a major value driver, especially for employees with children and for long-tenured staff.
Northeastern University Insights
What We Do
Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university with a distinctive, experience-driven approach to education and discovery. The university is a leader in experiential learning, powered by the world’s most far-reaching cooperative education program. We integrate classroom study with opportunities for professional work, research, service, and global learning in more than 100 countries. The same spirit of collaboration guides a use-inspired research enterprise focused on solving global challenges in health, security, and sustainability. Northeastern offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools, and select graduate programs at campuses in Boston, Charlotte, N.C., San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Toronto. Campuses in Burlington, MA, and Nahant, MA, are home to research institutes for homeland security and coastal sustainability, respectively
