Gift Services and Donor Relations Specialist

About the role

The Gift Services and Donor Relations Specialist supports the Development Office by ensuring accurate processing of gifts and pledges, maintaining donor records, coordinating donor stewardship activities, and planning and executing advancement events that strengthen relationships with alumni, donors, and community partners.

Responsibilities

• Record, code, and process gifts, pledges, payments, bequests, matching gifts, and other contributions in compliance with IRS, CASE, FASB, and university regulations.
• Maintain the integrity of donor and gift data in the CRM/database, including creation of new designations and appeal codes.
• Reconcile gift transactions with Finance and prepare regular assurance and reconciliation reports.
• Generate gift receipts, pledge reminders, adjustments, and write-offs.
• Prepare monthly and ad hoc reports on giving, campaign progress, and donor activity.
• Support leadership with data for feasibility studies, campaign planning, and donor strategies.
• Provide insight into donor trends and long-term philanthropic planning.
• Write, prepare, and disseminate correspondence, including acknowledgment letters, impact reports for endowments, reports for major gifts non-endowed, and other Advancement communications.
• Serve as a key resource for CRM/database training and support to Development staff.
• Maintain data integrity, security, and accuracy across advancement systems.
• Ensure that policies and procedures for gift processing and donor relations are up to date and consistently followed.
• Manage event guest lists, RSVP tracking, seating assignments, and post-event follow-up activities.
• Evaluate event effectiveness through attendance metrics, participant feedback, and outcomes analysis, making recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Ensure events reflect the University's brand standards and deliver exceptional experiences that cultivate and strengthen donor relationships.
• Create and use workflows in the CRM to assist and enhance donor stewardship.
• Support internal and external compliance audits related to charitable contributions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business, nonprofit management, communications, hospitality, event management, public relations, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Two (2) years of experience in advancement services, donor relations, gift processing, event planning, fundraising support, or related higher education/nonprofit work.
• Experience coordinating events, meetings, or donor engagement activities.
• Strong organizational, analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Experience with advancement databases/CRMs and event management systems preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education advancement.
• Experience planning donor, alumni, or fundraising events.
• Familiarity with Blackbaud, Raiser's Edge, Workday Advancement, or similar CRM systems.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation or related event certification preferred.
• Knowledge of CASE standards and donor stewardship best practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business, nonprofit management, communications, hospitality, event management, public relations, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Two (2) years of experience in advancement services, donor relations, gift processing, event planning, fundraising support, or related higher education/nonprofit work.
• Experience coordinating events, meetings, or donor engagement activities.
• Strong organizational, analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Experience with advancement databases/CRMs and event management systems preferred.