Philanthropy Data and Operations Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Philanthropy Data and Operations Specialist

Position Summary

The Prospect Research and Gift Processing Specialist plays a critical role in supporting the University’s Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement team by ensuring accurate gift processing, maintaining data integrity, administering database operations, and conducting in-depth donor research. Multiple people will be hired for this position, and duties will be shared.

This position requires exceptional attention to detail, curiosity, and tenacity to uncover information that informs fundraising strategies. The Specialist manages gift entry processes, supports the acknowledgement process, maintains constituent records in Raiser’s Edge, and delivers high-quality research, reporting, and lists to advance annual, major, and principal gift efforts, events, and engagement campaigns. In performing this work, the Specialist applies analytical judgment to interpret donor data, identify potential major and principal gift prospects, and compile actionable intelligence that informs fundraising strategy and engagement planning. The role regularly exercises discretion in evaluating confidential donor and institutional information and determining appropriate data management practices, and will coach student workers on tasks related to this role. This is an exempt, full-time position.

Key Primary and Secondary Responsibilities:

The following outlines the essential functions of the position and is not to be considered a detailed description of all duties inherent in the position.

Gift Processing & Data Management

• Enter and balance daily gifts and pledges in Raiser’s Edge, interpreting gift documentation and determining appropriate coding in accordance with University policies, including: cash, checks, EFT/ACH, wire transfers (WT), stock gifts, planned gifts (PG), gifts-in-kind (GIK), payroll deductions (PRD), and pledges.
• Scan gift checks using bank transmission software for deposit to the University’s account; reconcile deposits to daily batches.
• Collaborate with team member who produces gift receipts, President’s acknowledgment letters, and pledge reminders using Raiser’s Edge exports, Excel, and Word; ensure timely and compliant receipting.
• Monitor, download, and process online giving from donation platforms and vendor partner sites; review transactions and resolve exceptions or duplicate records.
• Validate and maintain integrity of all gift records and related data points; review transactions for accuracy and apply appropriate audit designations, soft credits, appeals, batches, and tribute/recognition fields.
• Uphold policies and procedures for accurate data entry and retrieval from Raiser’s Edge and integrated systems
• Serve as a point of contact for gift inquiries and directives, triaging questions as needed.

Prospect Research & Reporting

• Conduct in-depth research on prospective donors to assess wealth capacity, philanthropic interests, professional background, affiliations, and connections; analyzing available information from sources such as public records, alumni directories, news, SEC filings, social media, and licensed tools (AlumniFinder, iWave) to compile actionable intelligence and identify insights that inform fundraising strategy.
• Prepare donor profiles, qualification briefs, event briefings, and research reports for gift officers, senior leadership, and the President; synthesizing research findings while ensuring accuracy, citation of sources, and confidentiality.
• Demonstrate curiosity and persistence in uncovering relevant donor information; proactively identify data gaps and recommend follow-up actions.
• Deliver accurate and timely lists, reports, dashboards, and exports from Raiser’s Edge and reporting tools (Business Objects); developing appropriate query criteria to support segmentation and targeted outreach.

Data Requests & System Operations

• Execute data requests as needed, reviewing request parameters and determining appropriate query criteria.
• Perform geographic explorations and radius queries to support travel planning, regional events, and market analysis.
• Conduct system cleans on a semi-regular basis, including linking parents, deleting obsolete attributes, merging duplicates, standardizing salutations, and coding staff vs. faculty.

Constituent Updates & Communications

• Manage the alumni updates; triage requests and process updates from constituents, alumni forms, colleagues, and campus partners.
• Search for and verify new emails, phone numbers, and addresses using AlumniFinder/iWave, NCOA, and other sources; evaluating reliability of information and documenting data provenance and change history.
• Process BW employee updates (add new, mark former); maintain employment fields and relationships in Raiser’s Edge.
• Add alumni success news and obituaries to Raiser’s Edge with proper coding, sources, and privacy considerations.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience:
  • Minimum 2 years in gift processing, data management, prospect research, or advancement services within a nonprofit or higher education setting.
  • Proficiency with Raiser’s Edge/Blackbaud NXT and related platforms (NetCommunity, Colleague, GiveCampus, Touchnet); experience with Business Objects preferred.
• Skills:
  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy and integrity.
  • Exceptional organizational and time-management skills; ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
  • Ability to handle confidential information with discretion; familiarity with FERPA/PCI considerations a plus.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook); comfort with list segmentation, exports, and mail merges.
  • Demonstrated curiosity and tenacity in research and problem-solving; resourceful and solutions-oriented.
  • Clear, concise written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to perform complex database queries, handle a large volume of data entry with a high level of attention to detail.
  • This position follows typical business hours with occasional evenings and weekends required to support special events.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies

• Sense of humor
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Accuracy and data governance mindset
• Collaboration and customer service orientation
• Initiative, persistence, and follow-through
• Adaptability in a fast-paced environment

Reporting & Partnerships

• Supervised by: Director of Prospect Development and Data Analytics
• Close partners with:

• additional Prospect Research and Gift Processing Specialist, as there are multiple on the team to ensure back-up coverage,
• front-line fundraisers
• colleagues in the finance and registrar department,
• annual fund team, especially the Coordinator of Annual Fund Stewardship

Working Conditions

Work is performed in a standard office environment. The position is primarily sedentary and involves regular use of a computer and other office equipment. Minimal physical effort is required.

How to Apply

Review of completed applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For strongest consideration, please submit as soon as possible as candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Send resume, cover letter and contact information for three professional references in one (1) Word document or one (1) PDF and submit via the To Apply link on BW’s Employment and Careers’ web page.

Baldwin Wallace University is an EEO employer and educator. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. At BW, we support and encourage diversity in a variety of forms. We value and appreciate inclusive excellence in the classroom, within extracurricular activities and as we engage our community partners.