Gift Operations Specialist

About this position

Bethel University is a leader in Christ-centered higher education with approximately 4,700 students from 50 states and 32 countries enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and adult education programs. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Bethel offers bachelor's and advanced degrees in nearly 100 fields. Educationally excellent classroom-based and online programs equip graduates to make exceptional contributions in life-long service to God and the world.

Bethel University’s Christ-centered mission includes a commitment to equal educational opportunity and equal employment opportunity. Bethel does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, familial status, or age in its admissions, educational programs, or employment practices.

As Bethel's Gift Operations Specialist
, you’ll play an important role in helping Bethel’s mission come to life. Every gift to Bethel represents a donor’s investment in students and the University’s Christ-centered mission. You’ll make sure those gifts are processed accurately, recorded appropriately, acknowledged promptly, and managed with the care and integrity they deserve.

This is a role where numbers, technology, and problem-solving come together. You’ll work in Salesforce and other financial systems, process a wide variety of charitable gifts, maintain accurate financial and donor records and partner closely with the colleagues in the Business Office and on the Advancement team. You’ll also have opportunities to identify ways to make processes more efficient, improve data quality, and use technology to reduce manual work.

You don’t have to be a seasoned gift-processing expert to be successful. We’re looking for someone with a strong foundation in accounting, finance, business, data analytics, or a related field who is curious, detail-oriented, eager to learn, and excited to become an expert in the systems and processes that support charitable giving.

Most importantly, you’ll be part of a Christ-centered university community where your work is connected to something bigger than the numbers. At Bethel, employees are part of a mission-driven community committed to serving students, supporting one another, and using their gifts and talents to make a difference.

If you’re analytical, organized, curious, and energized by working with numbers and systems—and you want your work to have a meaningful purpose we’d love to hear from you.

This is an in-person role in Arden Hills, MN with a starting salary range of $60,000 to $65,000.

Serve as the lead for processing and recording all charitable contributions (check, cash, credit card, stock, DAF, crypto, matching gifts, grants, sponsorship, pledges, estate/planned gifts, etc.) on a daily basis.

Generate timely acknowledgments and tax‑compliant receipts, engaging with external donors and constituents to provide support in their giving.

Create, maintain, and update donor records, constituent profiles, and fund designations with care and precision.

Manage all gift designation records in the CRM, including coordination of new fund/GL setup with the Business Office and relevant stakeholders.

Respond to internal questions about gift crediting, coding, and processing policy.

Act as the central point of quality control for gift data, resolving exceptions and ensuring consistent crediting and coding

Monitor and validate giving data for accuracy, consistency, and compliance with IRS and university standards.

Assist with regular and ad hoc reporting for fundraising performance, donor activity, and giving trends.

Generate pledge reminders, year-end statements, and routine update reports for campus partners and academic leaders.

Serve as the primary liaison between Advancement and the Business Office on all gift-related financial matters, including fund setup, financial coding, reporting, and reconciliation communication.

Partner with the Business Office to ensure proper fund setup,…