Development Database Specialist

Compensation Range:

Annual Salary: $62,579.00 - $84,480.00

Position Summary

The Development Database Specialist supports the fundraising and donor stewardship activities of the Office of Advancement and the National University Foundation. Reporting to the Director of Development, they will manage gift processing, database management, donor communications, stewardship support, and administrative coordination essential to successful fundraising operations. The Development Database Specialist plays a key role in maintaining accurate donor records, ensuring timely gift acknowledgment, contributing to donor-facing communications, and supporting the execution of fundraising and donor engagement initiatives. The Specialist requires strong attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Essential Functions:

CRM Administration and Data Integrity

• Serves as the primary administrator and super user of Raiser’s Edge/RE NXT, ensuring optimal system functionality and utilization.
• Maintains accurate donor and alumni records, including constituent updates, global changes, and annual data imports such as wealth screenings.
• Performs regular data hygiene activities using Address Finder, Deceased Finder, and internal auditing tools to ensure clean and reliable data.
• Creates, updates, and manages campaigns, funds, appeals, and event records within the CRM.
• Ensures compliance with data governance standards, institutional policies, and industry best practices for donor record management.

Gift Processing and Financial Reconciliation

• Processes all gifts, pledges, payments, matching gifts, and online contributions in accordance with IRS guidelines and University gift policies.
• Generates accurate gift receipts and coordinates acknowledgements in collaboration with development staff.
• Serves as the primary liaison with Finance & Accounting for monthly reconciliation, general ledger posting, audit documentation, and fiscal year-end closing.
• Monitors restricted, endowed, and scholarship fund allocations to ensure accurate tracking and support donor stewardship requirements.

Reporting, Queries and List Management

• Builds and maintains queries, exports, custom reports, dashboards, and lists to support fundraising, stewardship, alumni outreach, and campaign management.
• Provides timely, accurate data and analysis for donor engagement strategies, leadership reporting, and institutional planning.
• Supports segmentation and list generation for solicitations, newsletters, event invitations, surveys, donor recognition lists, and other communications.

Online Giving and Digital Infrastructure

• Develops and maintains online giving forms, event registrations, and digital appeal pages in Online Express or related platforms.
• Ensures seamless integration between online giving systems, CRM records, and financial processing workflows.
• Serves as technical support for online giving portals and donor-facing digital tools, ensuring accuracy, functionality, and a positive donor experience.

Communications, Stewardship and Program Support

• Collaborates with Advancement and NU Foundation staff on donor communications including newsletters, annual reports, stewardship materials, and solicitation collateral.
• Prepares accurate lists, segmentation files, donor packets, and mailing data for donor communications and engagement initiatives.
• Uploads private grant narratives, budgets, and required documents into Raiser’s Edge modules to support grants and foundation partnerships.
• Assists in generating donor data for endowment reports, donor impact reports, honor rolls, recognition listings, and philanthropic summaries.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities: N/A

Requirements:

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Degree in business, information systems, nonprofit management, communications, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of two (2) to five (5) years of experience with Raiser’s Edge/RE NXT or a similar nonprofit CRM required.
• Experience in gift processing, fundraising operations, donor data management, or advancement services strongly preferred.
• Experience working with Finance/Accounting teams on reconciliation processes preferred.
• Experience in higher education or nonprofit development is a plus.

Competencies/Technical/Functional Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Raiser’s Edge and RE NXT includin