Gift Operations Specialist

Gift Operations Specialist

Reporting to the Manager of Gift Processing and Data Analysis, the Gift Operations Specialist serves as a key technical and analytical resource within the Office of Advancement responsible for ensuring the accurate, timely, and compliant processing of all charitable contributions, including complex and non-standard gifts. This role exercises significant independent judgment and discretion in interpreting donor intent, institutional gift policies, and IRS regulations while managing highly confidential fiscal, biographical, and demographic donor data. The Specialist performs advanced data analysis to maintain CRM data integrity, resolves complex processing discrepancies, and serves as a subject matter resource to Advancement staff regarding gift entry standards, donor record management, and compliance requirements. Through these responsibilities, the Specialist plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of institutional fundraising data and financial reporting.

Responsibilities

• Advanced Gift Processing
• Process and validate all gift types with exceptional accuracy and attention to detail, ensuring the integrity of donor and financial records, including stock, securities, wire/ACH transfers, donor-advised fund grants, matching gifts, in-kind gifts, planned gift payments, and complex tributes and soft credit arrangements.
• Analyze donor documentation and correspondence to determine appropriate gift classification, fund designation, and crediting structures.
• Independently research and resolve missing, conflicting, or unusual gift documentation and donor intent issues.
• Apply and interpret gift acceptance policies to ensure compliance with IRS, CASE, and institutional standards.
• Data Integrity & Quality Control
• Analyze gift and constituent data to identify systemic data issues, recommend corrections, and implement preventative controls to maintain CRM data integrity.
• Conduct quality review on gift batches entered by other team members.
• Identify and correct biographical inconsistencies, duplicate records, and data conflicts.
• Perform testing after system upgrades and document issues for IT/CRM support.
• Technical CRM Responsibilities
• Perform complex CRM batch management, imports, audits, and troubleshooting.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on CRM gift processing functionality, assisting with troubleshooting, testing system enhancements, and evaluating the impact of system changes on gift processing workflows.
• Monitor and process large-volume online giving feeds.
• Compliance, Receipting & Financial Coordination
• Maintain strict confidentiality while handling sensitive donor financial, biographical, and philanthropic information in accordance with institutional privacy policies and data governance standards.
• Prepare and validate tax receipts and acknowledgment documentation.
• Coordinate with Bursar's Office to resolve discrepancies in deposits and revenue classification.
• Manage pledge reminders, statements, and year-end documentation.
• Support institutional financial reconciliation and audit readiness by ensuring gift transactions are recorded accurately and in accordance with university and foundation accounting standards.
• Stakeholder & Donor Support
• Serve as a primary contact for donor inquiries.
• Partner with colleagues in other areas of Advancement, UMass Chan Finance and the University of Massachusetts Foundation.
• Communicate with matching gift vendors and corporate partners.
• Training & Process Improvement
• Assist in training staff in CRM usage as it relates to Gift Processing policies & procedures.
• Update SOPs and recommend workflow improvements.
• Additional Duties
• Support Office of Advancement events including but not limited to the UMass Cancer Walk and Reunion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 24+ years of gift processing or advancement services.
• Experience with fundraising CRM systems. Experience with Salesforce Education Cloud and/or other Salesforce products a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication skills and exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.