Our Mission

We in Boston University Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) harness the power of philanthropy to make an excellent education accessible and welcoming to all, and to advance BU’s global leadership in research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice. To support our work, we have built—and are continuing to build—an outstanding team of dynamic, mission-driven advancement professionals who constantly strive to create an environment where everyone belongs. Where it’s not just about a job, but a career and a community.

Now, our Business Intelligence team is looking for a Salesforce Business Data Lead who, via managing and supporting the operations of Salesforce CRM and related products, as well as partnering with multiple collaborators within BU’s Development & Alumni Relations (DAR), will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of evidence-based decision making so that DAR’s various advancement objectives in philanthropy and in engagement can be achieved.

Business Intelligence & Prospect Strategies at Boston University

The mission of Business Intelligence & Prospect Strategies is to uncover and provide data, information, knowledge, insight, and wisdom that will maximize impact for stakeholders and decision-makers within DAR, within Boston University, and beyond.

As such, Business Intelligence & Prospect Strategies is comprised of three teams: Business Intelligence, which optimizes the impact of data quantitatively and/or visually to achieve DAR business objectives Prospect Research, which provides key wealth-, relationship-, and inclination-related details on individual constituents; and Prospect Management, which oversees prospect-, portfolio-, and pathway-related processes, leading to developing strategies for its clients within DAR.

Leveraging industry best practices in computational philanthropy and prospect development, Business Intelligence & Prospect Strategies aims to support the engagement and fundraising efforts of DAR to not only meet but exceed its engagement and philanthropic goals.

Salesforce Business Data Lead

Reporting to the Senior Director of Business Intelligence, the Salesforce Business Data Lead is responsible for, but not limited to, the following: (1) maintaining and managing the data integrity of the information collected and process in Salesforce CRM, (2) providing end-user support for data entry and access, (3) identifying and collaborating with BU’s DAR IT team (DAR Apps) to create system enhancements that will increase both data accuracy and thru-put, (4) writing all detailed functional specifications and test all new systems programming and work with Advancement Information Strategies and University staff to establish and maintain priorities, (5) and producing Salesforce CRM data-related internal and external reports.

Responsibilities:

Database Mechanics

· Provide knowledge of processes, procedures, settings, business and coding rules of code tables, imports, global changes, and other related Salesforce CRM

· Possess a thorough understanding of constituent engagement in a large, higher-education nonprofit organization, specifically regarding the processes and procedures proprietary to BU through Salesforce CRM

· Have expertise on and perform database integration related processes such as merging of data from Salesforce CRM and other databases and/or data sources at various units of analysis (i.e., at the transaction level, at the constituent level, at the household level, etc.)

· Be responsible for modifications and scheduling of various Salesforce CRM products and processes generated and/or run at regular cadences

· Monitor status alerts (e.g., scheduled job failure) for Salesforce CRM related products and/or procedures

· Make outreach to external data vendors data exchange issues

Reporting Duties

· Report on Salesforce CRM data and metadata (mainly engagement-related) maintained by DAR to both internal- and external-to-BU agencies or processes including, but not limited to, the VSE, U.S. News & World Report, Chronicle of Philanthropy, CAE and CASE surveys, BU campaign reporting, and fiscal year-end reporting

· Field internal and external data requests, as well as data requests requiring Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL) queries

· Create, maintain & disseminate regular/periodic engagement-related reports (e.g., journeys)

Data Stewardship, Integrity, & Hygiene

· Run global changes for solicit codes, merges, and deletions

· Create batch/import templates, importing and committing batches as necessary

· Help identify anomalies in data under purview and collaborate in cleanup/ mitigation efforts

Regulatory & Departmental Compliance & Alignment

· Comply with CASE, IRS, FERPA, GDPR, and accepted peer reporting and data stewardship standards, regulations, and best practices

· Implement, maintain, and evolve protocols designed to maximize quality and minimize downtime time in processing and receipting of all gifts while maintaining compliance with IRS and Massachusetts regulations pertaining to same

· Establish and maintain relationships across the University including, but not limited to, the Treasury Office, Comptroller’s Office, General Accounting, Human Resources, Office of Sponsored Programs, Analytical Services & Institutional Research, and Editorial

Best Practices, Advocacy, & Improvement

· Represent Business Intelligence as the Salesforce CRM expert to the rest of DAR

· Work closely with DAR Apps to inform and understand the data architecture

· Represent the office on various committees on system upgrades, document storage, document imaging, and web-based data

Current Technology, Best Practices, & Education

· Explore current technologies & best practices most applicable to computational philanthropy and evaluate their utility to accomplishing the philanthropic mission of BU DAR

· Develop new technical or interpersonal skills and share with the team

Required Skills

Qualifications:

· A cover letter is required for consideration.

· 5-8 years’ experience in computer science, CRM, data warehousing, data analytics or similar field required.

· Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred with demonstrated work experience substituted for advanced degree.

· Self-directed and an analytical, creative, and strategic thinker.

· Proficiency using Salesforce CRM and SOQL dialect is required. Experience in SQL databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, or SQL Server, as well as with Application Programming Interfaces (API) and File Transfer Protocols (FTP), are highly desirable.

· Experience with PowerBI or Tableau, as well as with R or Python, preferred.

· Understanding of the university’s goals and objectives for the campaign and the division’s activities and strategy.

But that’s not all we’re looking for; we want someone who embodies our values:

· Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect , because we value every member’s contributions and know that leadership can come from anywhere.

· Diversity, equity, inclusion , and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.

· Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.

· Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.

· Continuous growth and improvement , both as individuals and as a team.

· Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter.

If this resonates with you and you want to help us in our ambitious next campaign—and maybe do some of your best work as an advancement professional— we encourage you to apply. If you are hesitant to apply because you have not previously performed every responsibility listed in the description, but you do possess transferable skills and the defined qualifications, we still want to hear from you and welcome your application as well.

To learn more about Development & Alumni Relations at Boston University, and other job opportunities, please stop by the DAR Talent website: https://www.bu.edu/dar-talent/ .

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to complete the employment application process, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at 617-358-1796.

Required Experience