Administrative Assistant, Gift Planning

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Administrative Assistant, Gift Planning

Job Profile Title

Administrative Assistant B

Job Description Summary

The Office of Gift Planning is responsible for raising gifts in outright, structured, deferred, and blended form from alumni and friends of the University of Pennsylvania; for marketing those gifts to a wide range of constituencies; and for stewarding the donors and other individual beneficiaries of those gifts. It does this through a combination of frontline fundraising, consultation to and collaboration with DAR and University colleagues, internal and external training programs, and comprehensive and targeted marketing outreach. The Administrative Assistant, reporting to the Executive Director, serves as the primary administrative and clerical support for the office and is involved in all aspects of the day-to-day operation of the program.


The Administrative Assistant is responsible for managing records and reports, and for ensuring that office policies and procedures are carried out in a professional and efficient manner. Under limited supervision, the Administrative Assistant must be able to exercise judgment, initiative, and analysis in carrying out administrative and clerical duties. The Administrative Assistant must handle complex and confidential materials with discretion, and must be able to meet deadlines in a goal-oriented environment.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

• Answer telephone calls courteously and professionally, and, as appropriate, respond, refer to relevant OGP staff member, or arrange for prompt follow-up; monitor office voicemail; maintain call log handle incoming and outgoing mail; arrange for external visitors to office.
• Support the OGP team with all aspects of clerical work including filing, scanning, creating mailings and documents, and entering correspondence and communication in database; assist the Office of Gift Management team with clerical work relating to estate administration and recording data in CRM and other software.
• Support the OGP team with all aspects of travel, from assisting with arrangements, to reimbursement, to providing immediate support if travel issues arise.
• Support the preparation, execution, and follow-up of in-person and virtual events.
• Maintain office calendar; and maintain calendar and schedule meetings for Executive Director.
• Work with fundraising and marketing directors to develop and implement electronic (e-mail based and other) messaging for identification, cultivation, and stewardship purposes.
• Support fundraising directors in planning for donor visits, events, meetings, presentations, and conferences, including preparation of informational materials and meeting arrangements.
• Support prospect management needs of the OGP team using Penn’s donor database, while maintaining confidentiality and data i