Assistant Development Officer, Principal Gifts
About The Position
The Assistant Development Officer (ADO) works under the direction of the Senior Philanthropy Officer, Principal Gifts, to plan and implement processes that support donor engagement and streamline operations for the Principal Gifts Program. The ADO partners with gift officers and administrative staff to establish day-to-day standards and best practices, manage portfolio data integrity, and serve as a liaison and team lead for communications, reporting, prospect management, prospect research, and Gifts Management. The role manages prospect strategy, solicitation, activity, and gift data; produces reports and donor outreach; coordinates recurring meetings and follow-up; and provides organizational support for team meetings, donor touch points, presentations, retreats, and select board meetings. The ADO also supports donor-facing events, prepares visit and event briefings for Penn leadership, and advances priority projects in collaboration with colleagues across Development and Alumni Relations.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree and 1 to 2 years of relevant experience in a fast-paced office environment, preferably in higher education and/or institutional development, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Enthusiasm, initiative, resilience, and a pioneering spirit.
- Willingness to contribute in a team-oriented environment.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a goal-oriented team.
- Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
- Excellent organizational and project-management skills, ability to manage ambiguity and change, and strong attention to detail.
- Exceptional computer skills and data literacy, including familiarity with donor management databases and aptitude for report writing.
- Strong proficiency in preparing numeric- and text-heavy spreadsheets and using PowerPoint and Excel.
- Ability to handle complex and highly confidential information.
- Ability to travel locally and nationally and willingness to work evenings and weekends.
- Valid driver’s license.
- Ability to lift 25 lbs. or less.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with Salesforce.
- Experience in higher education and/or institutional development.
Responsibilities
- Plan and implement processes and programs to streamline day-to-day efficiencies for the Principal Gifts Program.
- Create and manage database processes for tracking prospect strategies, solicitations, and activities to support reporting on team progress.
- Serve as liaison to peer roles in Engagement and Strategy, Penn’s schools and centers, Alumni Relations, Major Gifts, Reports, and Data Analytics and Reporting.
- Manage data integrity for the Principal Gifts portfolio, including prospect research, pipeline entries, and campaign coding; lead team discussions and implementations involving Compass (Salesforce).
- Track and manage gift data, retrieve data, and produce and analyze reports.
- Prepare gift-related donor outreach as needed, including pledge reminders and donor summaries.
- Lead the organization of bi-weekly meetings, including scheduling, coordinating presentations with campus partners, execution, and follow-up.
- Provide organizational support and customized reports for team meetings, donor touch points, presentations, retreats, and select board meetings managed by the PRN team.
- Assist with producing donor-facing events in coordination with the Engagement & Strategy Team.
- Assist with preparing development visit and event briefings for Penn leadership.
- Move priority projects through to completion in collaboration with colleagues across development.
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits.
- Flexible spending accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
- Tuition assistance for employees, spouses, and dependent children at Penn, and for dependent children at other institutions.
- Basic, matching, and supplemental retirement plans, with pre-tax or Roth savings options and investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
- Substantial time away from work during the year.
- Long-term care insurance.
- Wellness and work-life programs and resources.
- Professional and personal development resources.
- Access to University resources, including libraries, athletic facilities, cultural activities, and recreational activities.
- Discounts and special services, including discounts on arts, entertainment, transportation, and other goods and services.
- Flexible work options and hours.
- Forgivable home-ownership loan for eligible employees buying a home or residing in West Philadelphia.
- Adoption assistance reimbursement for qualified expenses, up to two adoptions per household.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
