Philanthropy Specialist, Gift Operations

Philanthropy Specialist, Gift Operations

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is a leading institution focused on cancer care, research, education, and prevention. Within the Gift Operations team, the Philanthropy Specialist plays an essential role in managing and optimizing the donation process, ensuring gifts are accurately recorded, allocated according to donor intent, and processed in compliance with legal and ethical standards.

UT MD Anderson relies on the Philanthropy Specialist to support 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 for the Philanthropy Specialist position 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. Education, experience, and certification preferences were not provided; therefore, candidates should be able to successfully perform the listed responsibilities and adapt to evolving operational needs.

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

The work location is Remote.

As a Philanthropy Specialist at UT MD Anderson, you will directly support the institution's mission by ensuring philanthropic contributions are processed accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with donor intent. This role offers opportunities to develop expertise in gift operations, data management, reconciliation processes, and cross-functional collaboration while contributing to meaningful fundraising efforts that advance cancer care, research, education, and prevention.

• Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week, plus 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 and access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups.
• Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System, voluntary retirement plans, and employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs.

• 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

• 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, One Drive, and related tools to track and store data

• 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

• 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…