Development and Data Assistant

Development and Data Assistant

Final date to receive applications: 22 July 2026

Department: Development Office

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time

Location: Central Oxford

Reporting To: Frankie Burgess

Compensation: £26,707 / year

Magdalen College is seeking to recruit a recent graduate as a Development and Data Assistant to support the work of its Development Office and learn more about the varied elements involved in its successful running.

This 12-month fixed-term training post is designed to provide the post-holder with practical experience of development work within a higher education environment, helping to prepare for future careers in development, data, alumni relations, fundraising or external relations. Training and networking opportunities will be provided and encouraged throughout the appointment.

The Development and Data Assistant will play a vital and varied role in the team, supporting a wide range of activities, but with a particular focus on the varied elements involved in its successful gift administration, data processing and events. The position requires a highly‑organised, data‑driven individual with keen attention to detail, high levels of accuracy, excellent administrative, IT, data and numerical skills.

This is a full-time Office‑based position. Occasionally the post-holder may be expected to attend events in the evenings and at weekends; time off in lieu will be awarded to take account of this.

• Supporting the Development Manager with ad‑hoc data requests for the wider Development Office, including producing lists for fundraising campaigns and events.
• Helping to maintain the alumni database, keeping it up‑to‑date and accurate; inputting changes and additions and flagging to colleagues when relevant information is received; investigating and contacting alumni marked as ‘lost’, and processing returned mail.

• Be responsible for the processing and recording of donations on the database, including all administration associated with the donation cycle.
• With the support of the Data and Analytics Manager, undertake monthly financial reconciliation.
• Proactively manage the giving societies, ensuring membership is up‑to‑date.

• Supporting the Alumni Engagement Manager with event administration, including producing name badges, place cards, menu cards and other event materials.
• Assisting with processing event bookings, adding revenue batches to DARS and adding interactions.

• Responding to general enquiries via email, telephone and letter.
• Answering the telephone and taking messages for colleagues; dealing with incoming post; delivering outgoing post.
• Organising the office environment, including ensuring printers are well‑stocked and working, shredders are emptied; and the office kept in a tidy and organised condition.
• Supporting colleagues with admin‑heavy projects, e.g. printing, collating and circulating documents.
• Preparing condolence letters from a template.

This list includes the principal responsibilities of the role but is not exhaustive. Other duties may be specified by the Development Manager from time to time.

• Educated to degree level.
• Numerate, confident and accurate at handling financial data.
• Aptitude for maintaining and managing information on a database, including utilising Excel.
• Excellent written and spoken English, including accurate grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Ability to manage competing priorities within a busy and demanding environment.
• Initiative, common sense, good judgement and the ability to work unsupervised.
• Strong IT skills, particularly Microsoft Office (including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
• Highly organised, with impeccable attention to detail in all work undertaken.
• Polite telephone manner and good interpersonal skills.
• Professionalism, tact and discretion in dealing with others and handling confidential information.
• Able to work calmly under pressure, prioritise effectively and manage varied workloads.
• High personal and professional standards, a strong work ethic and a sense of responsibility.
• Demonstrates concern for quality, accuracy, thoroughness,…