Gift Specialist

THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT FOUNDATION INC•Mansfield, CT

2d•$27

About The Position

The University of Connecticut is a top-ranked national university and health system with its flagship campus located in idyllic Storrs. Designated a Carnegie Research 1 institution, UConn is the state land- and sea-grant university focused on education, research, and service to the state of Connecticut and beyond. The University serves over 33,000 students — 8,550 of them first in family — across seven campuses, with a legacy of national championships. UConn Health is a top-ranked health provider that delivers groundbreaking medical education, research, and hospital and clinical services to over one million patients each year. In addition, UConn has nearly 300 scientists who are in the top 2 percent of researchers globally advancing discoveries in fields ranging from cancer to AI. UConn continues its meteoric rise as a top public university with a record number of applications, continued investment in student success, health, and wellness, recruitment of top faculty, innovation in research, and top-tier athletic programs focused on the holistic success of student-athletes. UConn is proud to have 26 national championships across all sports. This includes the men’s and women’s basketball teams, which have brought home three consecutive NCAA National Championship trophies in the last three years. Guided by the public launch of our most ambitious campaign in history, Because of UConn: The Campaign for UConn Nation, we are moving boldly into the future. The $1.5B comprehensive campaign spans all schools, colleges, campuses, and UConn Health, focusing on four pillars designed to make education more affordable and elevate UConn among its national peers: Students First: making transformative investments in financial aid, student health, career readiness, and life skills to improve time-to-degree and career outcomes. Academic & Innovation Excellence: driving investment in top faculty and graduate fellows and building the innovation ecosystem of the state and beyond. Health & Wellness of People & Planet: focusing on patient care, medical research, and development of life-changing technologies that improve healthcare outcomes. Husky Pride: investing in athletic excellence and supporting a thriving UConn Nation that includes more than 290,000 alumni worldwide. The campaign will have a profound impact on the University, doubling the number of named scholarships, funding scientific breakthroughs and advanced lifesaving therapies, and engaging UConn Nation in the life and mission of the University like never before. We seek the top talent in the country to join The UConn Foundation and help us drive our mission to connect people to the University of Connecticut, growing philanthropy, engaging a thriving alumni and donor community, and building a robust endowment to strategically advance UConn and UConn Health’s educational, research, and service missions. We are committed to a caring and supportive work culture, professional and leadership development, and flexibility for high achievers with a passion for higher education. We’re looking for dedicated professionals to drive success and excellence and exemplify our values of Purpose, Excellence, Culture, Communication, and Integrity. The UConn Foundation is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. We celebrate different perspectives and are committed to a welcoming environment that values your unique experiences and identity. As an organization, we strive for continued growth each and every day. The Gift Specialist supports the Foundation’s strategic business goals by serving as the primary liaison between the Athletics and Gift and Pledge Management team to ensure the accurate recording of donations and pledges into the Athletics Paciolan database and Blackbaud CRM (FELIX) systems. The specialist is responsible for processing all constituent information received through various sources including biographical information, pledges, pledge payments, and gifts ensuring all donor information is properly recorded in both Paciolan and Blackbaud CRM (FELIX) systems. The Specialist is also responsible for documenting procedures and training members of the Gift and Pledge Management team on Athletics processes related to Paciolan and Blackbaud CRM. The Specialist is also responsible for tracking, reviewing and the entry of all philanthropic grants to the Foundation, UCHC, and University. All work must be completed in a timely manner with a focus on quality, attention to the Foundation’s fiduciary responsibility, and with a customer service focus in alignment with the Foundation’s core values.

Requirements

Be a champion for inclusive priorities both internally and externally.
High level of motivation and an ability to exercise independent judgment with regard to responsibilities and prioritization of workload.
Exceptional data entry and analytical skills in relation to using various automated data systems within in a CRM database (i.e. Blackbaud or Paciolan) and document imaging system (PaperSave).
Ability to handle multiple tasks, to assess and order priorities, and to track details in a fast-paced environment.
Strong written and verbal communications skills, along with the ability to be effective and professional in handling situations with donors, Foundation Staff and University Staff.
Strong reconciliation, clerical aptitude, basic mathematics skills and knowledge of office procedures and electronic and paper record keeping systems.
Integrity when dealing with confidential information.
Attention to and concern for others.
Ability to work to the demands of the position, which may exceed a 40-hour work week.
High School Diploma or equivalent.
1+ years of experience in advanced data processing inclusive of entry, reconciliation, and reporting.
Proficient with Microsoft Office (i.e., Outlook, Word, Teams, and Excel).
Demonstrated ability to work in multiple system environments.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of higher education athletics operation, highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary Liaison between Athletics and Gift and Pledge Management.
Review contributions for completeness, determination of fund restrictions and acceptability of endorsement.
Accurately and systematically enter gift and pledge information for each transaction while maintaining an acceptable turnaround time.
Perform standard control procedures to ensure accurate records and gift receipts.
Meet acceptable quality and processing volume metrics as established by the Associate Director of Gift and Pledge Management.
Research, analyze and update biographical constituent records in response to information received through various internal and external sources within FELIX and Paciolan.
Responsible for the maintenance of files, database, and reporting for Paciolan and constantly scrubs the Paciolan database, utilizing FELIX database to ensure accuracy and consistency of data.
Manage the day-to-day credit card donations received within the Paciolan system, which includes pulling reports and batching donations to be recorded within the FELIX database.
Send batches to appropriate staff on a daily basis.
Complete assigned entry and proofing in a timely manner.
Develop, implement, and execute Paciolan training for department employees.
Review processes and procedures to identify improvements that will increase accuracy and/or efficiency of all gift and biographical entry.
Collaborate with University and UCHC staff to receive monthly grants; gather and review details and basic grant information to see if grant is philanthropic in nature and able to be recorded in the CRM (Blackbaud).
Collaborate with Foundation staff to ensure grants held by the Foundation are accurately budgeted and spent accordingly.
Serve as reliable backup support across multiple departmental workflows as needed.
Model and articulate the Foundation’s organizational core values at all times.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Collaborate with Foundation and University stakeholders to support the processing of gifts and pledges in alignment with the Foundation’s campaign and fundraising priorities.
Provide visible leadership across the entire organization by engaging in organization-wide activities such as departmental meetings, all-staff meetings, and staff events.

Benefits

Benefits start from day one. We offer medical, dental, and vision plans and will make an annual contribution to your health savings account if enrolled in one of the high-deductible health plans offered by the Foundation.
We offer a generous contribution to your 403(b) retirement plan to help you plan for retirement.
We place an emphasis on work/life balance. In addition to a hybrid schedule, you will receive thirteen paid holidays, five weeks of paid time off per calendar year, and additional sick time.
We invest in your professional development. Aside from opportunities to participate in various trainings, committees, and conferences throughout the year, you will also be eligible for tuition reimbursement after one year of employment.

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