Senior Director of Advancement and Foundation Administration

Oversees financial accounting and reporting functions for University Advancement and the WMU Foundation, providing supervision and strategic direction.

• Maintains and monitors all department and WMU Foundation funds. Prepares financial statements, researches and resolves deficits, and ensures that transactions are reported accurately and timely.
• Leads strategic planning and enforces financial policies for University Advancement and the WMU Foundation. Prepares reports, budget analyses, and forecasts to support transparent reporting and informed decision-making.
• Manages and prepares various financial reports for internal and external constituents. Assists leadership in the preparation of the WMU Foundation’s annual audited financial report.
• Oversees all financial operations of the division, ensures compliance with regulatory changes and reporting requirements, and monitors University Advancement benchmarks, providing recommendations to the Foundation Board of Directors.
• Approves divisional payroll and disbursements ensuring adherence to University policies and procedures.
• Leads divisional budget planning and enforces policies to maintain budget integrity, while responding to internal and external inquiries.
• Ensures regulatory compliance with charitable foundation policies and reporting standards as outlined by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Monitors and interprets IRS regulations relevant to institutionally related foundations.
• Serves as property manager for Arboretum properties, overseeing service coordination, payment processing, vendor management, and all related financial and reporting responsibilities.

Minimum qualifications based upon job documentation and industry best practices. Any current employees not meeting these qualifications will be grandfathered until they move to a different job.

• Bachelor's degree in related field from an accredited institution.

• Five years' relevant experience.
• Experience with financial reports and analysis.
• Working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), accounting standards.
• Strong Interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Experience with budget, institutional and fund management.
• Experience with office software, including word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software.

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Office or other indoor work with minimal physical demands such as occasionally lifting or moving materials less than 25 pounds.

Work is generally performed in a well-lit, temperature-controlled indoor environment with occasional exposure to the outdoors or any number of elements.

Revised: 2025-08-01