Gift & Finance Assistant

Gift & Finance Assistant

Grade and Salary: Grade 5, £26,707 - £31,236 per annum

FTE and working pattern: Full-time (35hrs per week), open-ended

Reward and Benefits: 28 days annual leaveplus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday). Use our total rewards calculator:  to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.

Purpose of Role: This role sits within the University’s Advancement Team and reports to the Development & Alumni Relations Services Manager. Its primary function is to provide dedicated support to Heriot-Watt University’s Advancement function, encompassing Fundraising, Alumni Engagement, the Shaping Futures campaign, and the management of previously gifted philanthropic funds. The Gift & Finance Assistant plays a central role in supporting the operations that underpin the success of fundraising, alumni engagement, and donor stewardship.

Working closely with the Development & Alumni Relations Services Manager, the postholder will manage a wide range of activities including donation processing, data recording, receipting, invoicing, pledge management, reporting, and forecasting using the Raiser’s Edge (RE) database. This role is fundamental to maintaining a high-performing Advancement function by ensuring robust accounting, accurate gift processing, efficient stewardship of funds, and assistance with critical management reporting and income forecasting.

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented, analytical, and highly organised individual with strong administration capabilities. They demonstrate exceptional accuracy in handling data, are reliable under pressure, and can manage competing priorities effectively, particularly within a donor stewardship or fundraising context. They communicate clearly and professionally, collaborate well with colleagues across departments, and engage confidently with internal and external stakeholders. Adaptable and technology-focused, they are committed to maintaining financial integrity and ensuring donor intent is upheld.

Experience in higher education or the non-profit sector is highly advantageous.

• Ensure all gifts are accurately recorded and receipted in a timely manner, in accordance with policies, HMRC requirements, GDPR, and CASE reporting standards.
• Process donations and biographical/prospect data in compliance with policy.
• Record philanthropic income on Raiser’s Edge and elevate complex cases to the Development & Alumni Relations Services Manager and Assistant Principal, Advancement.
• Administer donor pledge reminders and invoicing processes, ensuring accuracy and timely communication.
• Prepare Gift Aid claims in collaboration with Finance to ensure compliance and timely submissions.
• Communicate donor wishes and expenditure restrictions effectively to destination units, in consultation with Finance.
• Provide administrative support for transactions and engagements involving overseas charities.

• Prepare reconciliation of philanthropic income between Raiser’s Edge and Oracle Fusion, ensuring timely, accurate, and transparent reporting.
• Assist with donation and bequest holding accounts, ensuring correct and prompt distribution to destination units and establishment of new endowment funds where appropriate.

• Support the preparation of annual endowment financial reports for donors, where required.
• Assist with internal philanthropic reports, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and timeliness.

• Handle collection, validation, and counting of all datasets contributing to the Shaping Futures campaign, including competitive research funding, corporate sponsorship, philanthropy, and government funding across all campuses.
• Assist with the preparation of campaign counting reports as directed by the Development & Alumni Relations Services Manager.
• Clerk the Campaign Counting and Reporting Working Group, preparing agendas, minutes, and follow-up actions.

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislative and sector developments relevant to fundraising, financial…