Philanthropy Specialist, Gift Operations

About the role

The Philanthropy Specialist plays an essential role in managing and optimizing the donation process within the Gift Operations team at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. This position ensures gifts are accurately recorded, allocated according to donor intent, and processed in compliance with legal and ethical standards. The role supports donor stewardship through accurate gift processing, data management, reconciliation activities, reporting support, and exceptional customer service. The Philanthropy Specialist collaborates with internal stakeholders, finance partners, and external vendors to ensure timely and accurate handling of philanthropic contributions while maintaining the highest standards of data integrity.

The ideal candidate possesses strong analytical skills, experience managing detailed transactional processes, and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in data accuracy, customer service, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Gift Processing (70%)
  • Process all online credit card donations accurately and within established timelines
  • Process special event-related donations with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
  • Serve as backup support for Annual Fund donation processing activities
  • Serve as backup support for Institutional donation processing activities
  • Serve as backup support for Matching Gift donation processing activities
  • Serve as backup support for Peer-to-Peer donation processing activities
  • Assist with gift confirmation and donor record validation within the Peer-to-Peer CRM platform
  • Support special projects, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Adopt-a-Family initiatives, and organizational events
  • Reconcile deposits and resolve gift exceptions through detailed donor and gift research
  • Investigate discrepancies and implement appropriate resolutions to ensure accurate gift processing
• Gift Data Management (20%)
  • Manage the capture and maintenance of gift data across various electronic systems
  • Research and resolve gift data discrepancies to maintain data integrity
  • Apply independent judgment and complex analysis to identify appropriate solutions
  • Utilize accounting best practices and departmental guidelines to support decision-making
  • Maintain accurate documentation and records supporting gift transactions
  • Collaborate effectively with Finance and Gift Operations team members
  • Ensure compliance with organizational policies and data governance standards
  • Utilize Microsoft Excel, Teams, OneDrive, and related tools to track and store data
• Research, Reconciliation & Compliance
  • Perform detailed reconciliation of deposits and gift transactions
  • Research donor and gift information to identify inconsistencies
  • Resolve donation disputes, processing errors, and donor account inquiries
  • Ensure gift revenue allocations align with donor intent and organizational requirements
  • Maintain accurate records supporting audits, reporting, and operational compliance
  • Monitor data quality and proactively address exceptions affecting gift processing
• Customer Service (10%)
  • Respond to cases and email inquiries in a timely and professional manner
  • Assess the purpose of requests and route inquiries to appropriate Philanthropy staff when necessary
  • Work independently with minimal supervision to resolve donor and stakeholder concerns
  • Maintain a positive attitude while managing a high-volume, fast-paced workload
  • Communicate resolutions clearly to internal and external stakeholders
  • Serve as a subject matter expert and resource for team members
• Collaboration & Operational Support
  • Partner with Gift Operations colleagues to ensure efficient donation processing workflows
  • Collaborate with internal departments and external vendors on operational initiatives
  • Support donor stewardship efforts through the delivery of timely and accurate information
  • Contribute to continuous process improvement and operational excellence initiatives
  • Adapt to multiple campaigns, projects, and priorities occurring simultaneously

Requirements

• Education
  • Required: Bachelor's Degree
• Work Experience
  • Required: One year clerical, office, administrative, organizational, or related support experience or may substitute required Bachelor's degree with additional years of equivalent experience on a one-to-one basis
  • Preferred: Fundraising/non-profit, government agency, marketing, advertising, or public relations, law, healthcare or related industry

Pay

Minimum $25.48/hour - Midpoint $31.73/hour - Maximum $37.98/hour

Benefits

• Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week
• Optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance
• Accruals for PTO and Extended Illness Bank, plus paid holidays
• Wellness, childcare, and other leave options
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service
• Access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups
• Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System
• Voluntary retirement plans
• Employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs

Schedule

Full-Time, Regular, Days

Work location: Remote