Gift Operations Specialist

Bethel University is a leader in Christ-centered higher education with approximately 4,700 students from 50 states and 32 countries enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and adult education programs. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Bethel offers bachelor's and advanced degrees in nearly 100 fields. Educationally excellent classroom-based and online programs equip graduates to make exceptional contributions in life-long service to God and the world.

About the Role

As Bethel's Gift Operations Specialist, you’ll play an important role in helping Bethel’s mission come to life. Every gift to Bethel represents a donor’s investment in students and the University’s Christ-centered mission. You’ll ensure those gifts are processed accurately, recorded appropriately, acknowledged promptly, and managed with care and integrity. This role combines numbers, technology, and problem-solving as you work in Salesforce and other financial systems, process a wide variety of charitable gifts, maintain accurate financial and donor records, and partner closely with colleagues in the Business Office and Advancement team.

You’ll have opportunities to identify ways to make processes more efficient, improve data quality, and use technology to reduce manual work. We’re looking for someone with a strong foundation in accounting, finance, business, data analytics, or a related field who is curious, detail-oriented, eager to learn, and excited to become an expert in the systems and processes that support charitable giving. Most importantly, you’ll be part of a Christ-centered university community where your work connects to something bigger than the numbers.

Responsibilities

• Gift Management & Acknowledgement (50%)
  • Serve as the lead for processing and recording all charitable contributions (check, cash, credit card, stock, DAF, crypto, matching gifts, grants, sponsorship, pledges, estate/planned gifts, etc.) on a daily basis.
  • Generate timely acknowledgments and tax-compliant receipts, engaging with external donors and constituents to provide support in their giving.
  • Create, maintain, and update donor records, constituent profiles, and fund designations with care and precision.
  • Manage all gift designation records in the CRM, including coordination of new fund/GL setup with the Business Office and relevant stakeholders.
  • Respond to internal questions about gift crediting, coding, and processing policy.
  • Act as the central point of quality control for gift data, resolving exceptions and ensuring consistent crediting and coding.
• Data Integrity & Reporting (20%)
  • Monitor and validate giving data for accuracy, consistency, and compliance with IRS and university standards.
  • Assist with regular and ad hoc reporting for fundraising performance, donor activity, and giving trends.
  • Generate pledge reminders, year-end statements, and routine update reports for campus partners and academic leaders.
• Financial Collaboration & Compliance (15%)
  • Serve as the primary liaison between Advancement and the Business Office on all gift-related financial matters, including fund setup, financial coding, reporting, and reconciliation communication.
  • Partner with the Business Office to ensure proper fund setup, financial coding, and routine reconciliation of gifts and the general ledger.
  • Support documentation and audit prep for charitable contributions and donor records.
• Process Analysis and Optimization (10%)
  • Serve as the subject-matter expert for gift workflows within Salesforce.
  • Partner with the Salesforce Solutions Analyst to improve automation, reduce manual entry, and enhance the donor experience through form and process design.
  • Develop internal documentation, workflows, and training materials for Advancement gift entry procedures.
• Department and Organizational Support (5%)
  • Support emerging departmental needs and initiatives by taking on additional responsibilities as priorities evolve.
  • Contribute to additional initiatives and projects as needed to advance university priorities.

Requirements

• Required Education
  • Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, data analytics, or a related field—or equivalent experience.
• Preferred Training
  • Training or certification in Salesforce, fundraising operations, financial analysis, or process improvement.
• Required Experience
  • 1–2 years of professional experience in a CRM-driven environment such as fundraising, advancement services, donor relations, operations, or financial management.
  • Demonstrated comfort working with financial data, including an understanding of basic accounting concepts such as fund accounting, general ledger structure, and reconciliation.
  • Exposure to process documentation, systems troubleshooting, or collaborative problem solving.
• Preferred Experience
  • Experience with Salesforce (especially NPSP or Nonprofit Cloud) or comparable CRM.
  • Prior involvement in gift processing, fundraising analytics, or financial reconciliation.
  • Experience supporting internal users with reporting, data interpretation, or process improvement.

Additional Responsibilities

Bethel’s mission is to educate and equip students to lead lives of impact through transformative academics in a Christ-centered community. Employees are expected to actively participate in creating this Christ-centered community by agreeing with and abiding by Bethel’s core beliefs in the Affirmation of Faith and supporting all other beliefs as Biblical, responsible, and thoughtful approaches while avoiding dissension and divisiveness. Employees teach and mentor students and help one another uphold our Community Covenant commitments. All University employees act as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ by actively partnering with the University to carry out its mission and foster Bethel’s Christ-centered covenant community.

The essential functions, tasks, and responsibilities of this position may change from time to time. Bethel University reserves the right to add or omit duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the University or its leadership.

Pay

$60,000 to $65,000 USD per year.

Schedule

This is a full-time, 12-month per year, in-person role in Arden Hills, MN. Typically, days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, with the expectation to work specific schedules and hours as identified and communicated by management. On a limited occasion, evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Benefits

Bethel is committed to offering meaningful benefits to our employees including health insurance, retirement plans, and a generous time off package. Learn more about these offerings here.