Operations Officer - Development Office

George Watson’s College is looking for an organised and detail-focused Operations Officer to support the work of our Development Office.

This varied role plays a key part in managing the financial, operational and data systems that underpin fundraising and alumni engagement. The Operations Officer is responsible for accurately processing and reporting philanthropic income, managing the Development CRM ( Raisers Edge) , and working closely with the Finance Team to ensure strong controls, compliance and high-quality information.

We are seeking someone who enjoys working with data and systems, has a keen eye for detail, and values collaboration. In return, you’ll join a supportive school community and contribute to work that helps strengthen connections with alumni and create long-term impact for George Watson’s College.

For further details and to discuss the role please contact:

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, please click the Apply for this job button. Please include a letter of application of not more than 800 words giving us more information about you and why you would like the role, addressed to Ms Emma Lacroix, Director of Development.

Closing date: 11:59pm on Tuesday 3 March 2026

Interviews are scheduled to take place on in the week commencing 9 February 2026.

Finance, Income Processing and Financial Controls

• Take day-to-day responsibility for the accurate processing of all fundraising related income, including donations, pledges, regular gifts, event income and campaign income.

• Ensure all income is correctly recorded within the Development CRM (Raiser’s Edge/NXT) and reconciled regularly with the School’s finance system.

• Prepare and submit income batches, journals and supporting documentation to Finance in line with agreed deadlines and procedures.

• Reconcile Development CRM income against bank statements and Finance reports, investigating and resolving discrepancies promptly.

• Administer and monitor pledged income, including setting up pledge schedules, tracking outstanding balances and supporting follow-up activity.

• Support the administration of Gift Aid claims, ensuring accurate records, audit trails and timely submission in compliance with HMRC requirements.

• Assist with budget monitoring and administration for the Development Office, including tracking expenditure, processing purchase orders and monitoring against budgets.

• Support the Director/Head of Development with financial forecasting, income projections and analysis of performance against targets.

• Ensure strong financial governance, audit readiness and adherence to School financial policies at all times.

• Liaising with suppliers, ensuring that goods and services are received, delaing with returns and payments.

• Monitor departmental credit card, ensuring relevant paperwork is processed and passed to finance.

CRM, Data Management and Reporting

• Maintain the accuracy, integrity and ongoing management of supporter, alumni and donor data within the Development CRM.

• Oversee data entry procedures, imports, duplicate management and general housekeeping to ensure data quality and consistency, working with admin colleagues within the team.

• Produce accurate and insightful financial and fundraising reports (monthly, quarterly and annually) for Development leadership and senior stakeholders.

• Support data segmentation for appeals, events, stewardship and alumni engagement activity, ensuring mailing preferences and consent are adhered to.

• Proactively develop and improve systems, processes and workflows to increase efficiency, data quality and user experience.

• Act as the primary liaison with the CRM provider working closely with the Director of Development, managing user access, training, system issues and development opportunities.

Compliance & Data Protection

• Work with the School’s Data Protection Officer and Finance Team to ensure compliance with GDPR, fundraising regulation and financial controls.

• Support lawful basis assessments, data retention and archiving in line with School policies and regulatory requirements.

• Maintain clear…