Administrative Assistant, Office of Gift Acceptance

The Pennsylvania State University • University Park, FL

9d • Onsite

About The Position

Penn State is seeking an Administrative Assistant to support the Office of Gift Acceptance within the Division of Development and Alumni Relations. This role is integral to Penn State's fundraising and alumni relations operations. The Administrative Assistant will provide comprehensive administrative and operational support for gift acceptance and planned giving activities, including estate and trust administration, record management, and processing of gift documentation. This position ensures accurate and effective communication across the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, supports estate and trust administration by tracking payments, preparing documentation, and maintaining records, and coordinates guideline agreements and donor intent statements. The role also involves preparing and reviewing bequest expectancy reports, providing backup support for specialized gift types, maintaining donor recognition and membership tracking, and collaborating on workflow improvements. Additionally, the Administrative Assistant will maintain internal procedures, ensure data accuracy, assist with audits and reconciliations, support database enhancements, ensure adherence to policies and legal requirements, serve as a liaison for internal departments, and provide general office support. The successful candidate will possess knowledge of estate and trust administration, exemplary interpersonal and communication skills, the ability to foster an inclusive environment, an understanding of the Division of Development and Alumni Relations' work, strong self-motivation, and a commitment to professional development. Flexible work arrangements may be considered.

Requirements

• Knowledge of estate and trust administration
• Exemplary interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to create and maintain an inclusive and respectful environment for all students and colleagues
• Understanding of the Division of Development and Alumni Relations work
• Proven ability to self-motivate and work both independently and as part of a team
• Commitment to professional development, learning, and being mentored
• If filled as Administrative Assistant - Senior Support: Associate Degree, 4+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted.
• If filled as Administrative Assistant - Intermediate Support: General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or High School (HS), 2+ years of relevant experience.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

• Cover Letter and Resume/CV with completed application

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive administrative and operational support for gift acceptance and planned giving activities, including estate and trust administration, record management, and processing of gift documentation and recording.
• Support estate and trust administration, including tracking payments, preparing documentation, maintaining records, and assisting with correspondence and reporting.
• Coordinate and process guideline agreements and donor intent statements, including routing for signatures, preparing acknowledgment materials, and maintaining tracking systems and archives.
• Prepare and review bequest expectancy reports, ensuring accurate donor records, calculations, and internal coordination for proper recording.
• Provide backup support for specialized gift types, including life insurance and gifts-in-kind, assisting with documentation, donor communication, and record-keeping.
• Maintain planned giving donor recognition and membership tracking, ensuring accurate qualification and follow-up.
• Collaborate in identifying opportunities to improve workflows, tracking systems, and documentation processes to enhance efficiency and compliance.
• Maintain and update internal procedures, guides, and materials related to gift acceptance and planned giving operations.
• Ensure accuracy and consistency of donor and gift data across systems.
• Assist with audits, reconciliations, and data clean-up projects.
• Support implementation or enhancement of databases and reporting tools.
• Assist in ensuring adherence to institutional policies, legal requirements, and donor intent in all gift processing activities.
• Support preparation for internal and external audits by organizing documentation and responding to requests.
• Serve as a liaison for internal departments to resolve issues and stream‐line processes.
• Deliver general office support, including managing communications, processing mail and financial documents, preparing reports, and responding to inquiries related to gift acceptance procedures.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Robust retirement plans
• Substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time
• 75% tuition discount for employees, eligible spouses, and children

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree