CRM Solutions Architect

Reporting to the Director of College Relations Data Services, the CRM Solutions Architect will play a key role in enhancing the constituent experience, for alums, donors, and staff, among others. Following a Salesforce go-live in April 2026, the project team is focused on the next phase of implementation, including data stabilization, process refinement, reporting, and user adoption.

The successful CRM Solutions Architect will provide strategic and technical leadership through the continued development of a scalable technology environment, leveraging the power and flexibility of the Salesforce ecosystem (including managed package CRM Kindsight ascend) and knowledge of the institution’s business strategy, to develop and implement solutions that support the Division of College Relations in meeting its fundraising and engagement objectives, furthering the College’s mission.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Solutions Architecture:

• Collaborate with functional units to understand and analyze business operations and objectives, facilitate business requirements gathering, and recommend business processes and systems solutions that provide the greatest return on investment for the College
• Translate business goals into technical specifications, working with stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions
• Analyze business requirements to determine whether to solve with standard configuration, custom programming utilizing Apex, or a third-party application
• Develop process maps and user stories to facilitate a shared understanding of the business processes, requirements, and design
• Communicate solutions and design tradeoffs effectively to business stakeholders and provide a delivery framework that ensures quality and success
• Build automations to increase efficiency, enhance data quality, and establish approval processes utilizing Salesforce Flows
• Plan and execute solution test strategies and user acceptance testing criteria
• Work collaboratively across the organization to maintain the integrity of Salesforce data through continuous data quality oversight and maintenance, including managing batch data imports, data mapping, and data analysis
• Manage Salesforce and ascend licenses, user creation, and assignment of system permissions; collaborate with Library, Information, and Technology Services (LITS) to resolve security issues as needed
• Design system permission sets and groups

Platform Architecture and Governance:

• Act as the technical advisor and trusted partner for leadership and delivery teams
• Drive best practices around platform usage, solution scalability and sustainability, and technical debt management
• Develop custom objects and custom metadata
• Co-design Salesforce solutions with the LITS technical team utilizing Apex and Lightning Web Components (LWC), ensuring alignment on architecture and reusable component strategies
• Partner with LITS to conduct code reviews, architecture reviews, and technical risk assessments
• Serve as the technical lead for Kindsight Connect (alum Portal), overseeing application architecture, configuration, and managed package governance 
• Administer ascend’s integration with applications including Kindsight Connect, Blackthorn, and GiveCampus applications; collaborate with vendors to resolve issues
• Collaborate with LITS to design ascend’s integrations with enterprise systems including Workday and Slate
• Collaborate with LITS and Director of College Relations Data Services to manage cycle of system and application upgrades

Documentation and Training

• Oversee onboarding and training of end-users, to build expertise and self-sufficiency with Salesforce across the organization. Empower users to utilize tools that meet common use cases, such as building reports or data views
• Identify and facilitate the sharing of best practices related to configuration and end-user processes 

Team Management:

• Supervise one technology and data professional responsible for process documentation, staff training, and some CRM administration functions

SKILLS/ KNOWLEDGE/ EDUCATION/ CERTIFICATIONS:

Required

Qualifications:

• Strong experience administering Salesforce managed packages, including configuration, upgrades, and ongoing support
• Extensive experience utilizing Salesforce declarative solutions required
• Experience configuring and managing Salesforce security, access, and role-based permissions
• Experience in gathering business requirements, requirements analysis, business analysis, and systems development life-cycle
• Strong understanding of advancement business use cases
• Ability to collaborate and influence project stakeholders and developers, and work in or lead cross-functional teams; ability to build relationships with people in various levels and areas of the organization (e.g. LITS colleagues, fundraisers, senior leadership)
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills and ability to bridge communication between non-technical user-base and technical development needs
• Demonstrated critical, logical, and innovative thinking
• Propensity for attention to detail, organization, and time management
• Evidence of initiative, ability to work with minimal direction, and a strong sense of ownership
• Demonstrated ability as a leader and supervisor, capable of motivating a team and cultivating a collaborative environment

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in a related field
• 7 years experience working in Salesforce architecture and implementation
• Salesforce Platform Administrator Certification required    

Preferred

• Understanding of Apex programming language and Lightning Web Components (LWC) strongly preferred
• Experience with Kindsight products, Blackthorn, and GiveCampus applications preferred
• Experience with Agile methodology preferred
• Salesforce Platform Administrator II and Salesforce Platform App Builder Certifications preferred