Assistant Director of Athletics Gifts and Donor Records

James Madison University • Harrisonburg, VA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

James Madison University (JMU), a Division I member of the NCAA and Sun Belt Conference, is accepting applications for an Assistant Director of Athletics Gifts and Donor Records. This is a 12-month position with a full benefits package. The role involves leading and overseeing the timely intake, review, and recording of athletics charitable contributions, analyzing complex gift transactions, managing fundraising configurations, maintaining donor records, and supporting fundraising reporting and data analysis. The position also includes coordinating account audits and monthly reconciliations between various systems to ensure data integrity.

Requirements

• Experience providing detailed reporting and data analytics in an athletic fundraising or similar work environment.
• Experience with database management, reporting and analytics applications and budgeting operations.
• Proficiency in reporting tools and Microsoft Excel to support data analysis and recurring reporting needs.
• Demonstrated skills in enterprise system operations, accurate gift entry and donor record management, transaction tracking and reconciliation, report generation and data analysis, and eCommerce/payment processing, including identifying and resolving data discrepancies across integrated systems.

Nice To Haves

• Hands on experience with Paciolan, Advance, SalesForce (or similar) donor management and CRM softwares.
• Understand college athletics fundraising and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Understanding of general university operations and procedures.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to review complex transactions, apply business rules, and resolve discrepancies impacting donor credit and revenue reporting.
• High attention to detail and organizational skills in managing multimillion-dollar gift activity.
• Ability to interpret policies and exercise sound judgment in non-routine or complex scenarios.
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to explain data structure, reporting outputs, and system processes to diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to coordinate cross-departmental efforts, lead meetings, and ensure follow-through on operational initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the timely intake, review, and recording of athletics charitable contributions in Paciolan, exercising independent judgment to ensure the accurate recognition of multimillion-dollar gift activity across Athletics and University Advancement channels.
• Analyze complex gift transactions to confirm proper donor credit, designations, allocations, gift dating, and compliance with university policies, JMU Foundation standards, and Affinaquest records.
• Proactively evaluate non-routine or complex gifts to determine appropriate system handling, troubleshoot discrepancies, and resolve cross-platform inconsistencies that may affect donor recognition, benefits eligibility, or financial reporting.
• Review and validate transactions entered directly in Paciolan, ensuring accuracy of coding, documentation, and supporting records prior to final posting.
• Identify, investigate, and resolve discrepancies or data inconsistencies, proactively mitigating financial risk and protecting the integrity of donor records and departmental reporting.
• Serve as a liaison with Advancement Information Services to support donor account integration and system enhancements affecting gift intake and data integrity workflows.
• Oversee fundraising configurations within Paciolan to support operational transparency, strategic structure, and effective management of donor and allocation data.
• Maintain and update donor accounts to ensure records remain accurate, properly coded, and aligned with current allocation structures.
• Administer and monitor the Duke Club Priority Point system, maintaining daily functionality and ensuring consistent application of policies and accurate calculation of points as giving structures or designations evolve.
• Ensure accurate donor account coding that enables ticketing access and upholds the integrity of the Duke Club benefits structure.
• Maintain and distribute a standardized portfolio of recurring reports that support Athletics fundraising operations and decision-making.
• Respond to ad hoc fundraising reporting requests from internal stakeholders and leadership.
• Serve as a resource for staff by explaining how fundraising data is structured, sourced, and aggregated, and by fielding questions related to reporting outputs.
• Train staff on how to access and run standardized reports to promote consistency and appropriate self-service.
• Lead and facilitate weekly account audit meetings to review outstanding balances, payment plans, and account activity related to donations and ticketing.
• Delegate action items and ensure appropriate follow-through while coordinating with the Athletic Ticket Office and Duke Club staff to maintain alignment on account status, next steps, and resolution of discrepancies.
• Conduct quarterly reviews of delinquent and past-year payment plans and pledges to support consistency across systems and timely follow-up.
• Lead and oversee monthly reconciliations between Paciolan and Affinaquest to ensure alignment of gift records, donor accounts, and allocations.
• Validate gift entries, investigate discrepancies, and resolve data inconsistencies in collaboration with both Advancement, Gifts, and Records and Athletics staff on a monthly basis.
• Maintain reconciliation documentation and tracking to support internal controls, audit requirements, and reporting accuracy.
• Develop and refine processes that strengthen data accuracy, consistency, and reliability across fundraising platforms.

Benefits

• Generous Leave: Enjoy paid vacation, sick leave, parental leave, community service leave, and 19 paid holidays annually.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access high-quality health insurance options that fit your needs.
• Retirement Options: Plan for your future with retirement benefits through the Virginia Retirement System.
• Employee Well-Being: Our Balanced Dukes program promotes wellness and work-life integration through resources, events, and support.
• Tuition Waiver Program: Advance your education with our tuition waiver program for undergraduate and graduate courses taken at JMU.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed