Assistant Director, Donor and Philanthropic Services

Position: Assistant Director, Donor and Philanthropic Services - Wittenberg University
Job Description:

Provides operational leadership for the donor and operational services function within the Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement (PAE) division, with primary responsibility for the integrity, management, and optimization of the Salesforce constituent relationship management (CRM) system, gift processing operations, and data reporting. This position ensures that the division's data infrastructure supports effective fundraising, donor stewardship, and alumni engagement, and serves as a key resource and liaison to Finance, IT, and other campus partners on matters related to advancement data and operations.

Essential functions and responsibilities include:

Database Administration and Data Integrity

* Serve as the primary administrator and subject matter expert for Salesforce; maintain system configuration, user accounts, permissions, and security roles

* Establish and enforce data entry standards and business rules to ensure consistent, accurate, and complete constituent records across the division

* Conduct regular data audits, deduplication, and hygiene protocols to maintain the reliability and integrity of the donor and alumni database

* Coordinate with IT and the Registrar's Office on student and alumni data feeds, biographical record updates, and system integrations with other institutional platforms

* Manage annual database cycle preparation, including fiscal year-end procedures, system updates, and rollover processes

* Stay current on Salesforce platform updates, releases, and emerging tools relevant to advancement; represent the division in user communities and professional networks as appropriate

Gift Processing and Compliance

* Assist with the oversight of timely and accurate processing of all charitable gifts, pledges, pledge payments, matching gifts, payroll deductions, and gift adjustments in accordance with IRS regulations, CASE standards, and institutional gift acceptance policies

* Ensure prompt production and distribution of gift acknowledgment letters and donor receipts that meet IRS charitable contribution documentation requirements

* Reconcile gift records with the Business Office on a monthly basis; support preparation of materials for the annual audit and for 990 reporting

* Maintain and update gift fund records, restricted gift documentation, and endowment reporting schedules

* Lead PCI compliance efforts for the division; ensure that all payment processing and data handling practices adhere to current security standards

Reporting and Analytics

* Design and produce standard and custom queries, reports, and mailing lists to support fundraising activity, event management, and stewardship

* Develop and maintain dashboards and tracking tools that support divisional goal monitoring and return-on-investment reporting for advancement leadership

* Prepare and submit required external data surveys, including the CASE Voluntary Support of Education (VSE) survey and other benchmarking reports

* Support campaign reporting, pledge tracking, and donor recognition list production in coordination with gift officers and the stewardship function

Prospect Research Coordination

* Serve as the primary data liaison to the prospect research function, ensuring that portfolio assignments, contact reports, and proposal records are current and accurate in Salesforce

* Coordinate the import and maintenance of wealth screening data and research profiles within the CRM; support moves management workflows in partnership with gift officers and the research team

* Assist in generating prospect identification lists and segmentation queries to support fundraising strategies across annual, major, and planned giving

System Training and Process Improvement

* Provide training, documentation, and ongoing support to PAE staff on Salesforce use, reporting tools, and data entry protocols

* Evaluate current workflows, data processes, and system capabilities; recommend and implement improvements that increase efficiency and reduce manual effort

* Serve as the division's primary point of contact for technology-related needs and IT work requests related to advancement systems

Other Duties

* Maintain the highest standards of confidentiality regarding donor, staff, and institutional information; adhere to PCI compliance, IRS gift acceptance guidelines, and CASE standards

* Demonstrate a commitment to a collegial and inclusive work environment in all aspects of the position

* Perform other relevant duties as assigned

Requirements:

Required Qualifications

* Bachelor's degree required

* Minimum of three to five years of progressive experience in philanthropic and engagement/advancement services, gift processing, or database administration in a higher education or nonprofit setting

* Demonstrated proficiency with Salesforce or a comparable philanthropy and engagement CRM (Blackbaud Raiser's Edge/NXT, or equivalent)

* Working knowledge of IRS charitable contribution regulations, CASE gift counting standards, and gift acceptance policies

* Strong analytical and…