Associate Director, Gift Administration

Bucknell University • Post, TX

1d • $59,760 - $74,700 • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director of Gift Administration is a critical, highly-detailed position responsible for the operational oversight of daily gift processing, gift documentation, and fund compliance. The Associate Director is a key collaborator to the Director of Gift & Data Administration, ensuring the accurate management of donations and gift funds as well as timely production of gift agreements. This role serves as an internal subject matter expert on a variety of gift types, federal tax regulations (IRS), and institutional policies, safeguarding donor intent and providing essential gift integrity to support the College's mission.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and three years of experience related to gift administration or related fields such as accounting, auditing and compliance, etc. or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills with demonstrated attention to detail; excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills required.
• Ability to draft documents with careful attention to language, anticipating future program needs, policy updates, and compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated high-level organizational and interpersonal skills, including diplomacy, tact, discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to handle multiple deadline-driven projects simultaneously.
• Thorough understanding of IRS guidelines around charitable donations and experience with philanthropic gifts from a variety of sources.
• Experience that demonstrates the ability and commitment to learn how to use a variety of computer-based programs and platforms to perform essential job duties such as Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, CRM database functions and other web-based tools.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Blackbaud CRM or similar advancement systems.
• Experience in a nonprofit, higher education, or fundraising environment.
• Experience using CASE reporting standards.

Responsibilities

• Proactively manage the full lifecycle of gift documentation, ensuring donor agreements are drafted, reviewed, and maintained in alignment with donor intent, institutional policy, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage the gift documentation workflow from request through final execution, including the creation and maintenance of designation and purpose records in CRM.
• Conduct periodic reviews of gift funds to examine compliance with donor intent and appropriate and active use of funds and answer related questions from gift officers and University departments.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on complex gift types, federal tax regulations (IRS), and institutional policies, providing guidance and interpretation to colleagues and stakeholders to safeguard gift integrity.
• Provide direct operational oversight of the daily gift processing, workflow, and systems.
• Ensure the accurate and timely recording, batching, and depositing of all gifts (cash, checks, credit cards, etc.).
• Serve as the primary consultant for problematic gift entries and transactional issues.
• Manage various aspects such as pledge adjustments, fund creation, and documentation maintenance, while also assisting with annual reporting obligations.
• Ensure adherence to IRS regulations, industry best practices, and University policies, particularly for complex gifts, to maintain legal and audit-ready records.
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of operational workflows, policies, and best practices for gift processing and gift documentation.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, enhance system capabilities, and optimize workflow efficiency, tracking metrics to demonstrate impact.
• Serve as a proactive change agent, driving process innovation that supports institutional priorities, staff development, and the integrity of donor records.
• Develop, lead, and execute training for gift processing staff and relevant Advancement partners on operational best practices and the CRM Revenue screens.
• Lead and inspire the GPDM Coordinators to achieve success in an environment where they know what is expected, they trust they will be supported, and they know that expectations will be enforced.
• Mentor, manage and lead direct reports.
• Monitor spending to stay within budget.

Benefits

• Flexible scheduling options determined by role
• Medical, prescription drug, vision, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance options
• An outstanding 10% employer contribution to your retirement plan
• Generous paid time off, including vacation and sick time, a community service day, and 19 paid holidays (including two full weeks off for Winter Break!)
• Tuition remission for themselves.
• Tuition remission for their spouse/spousal equivalent
• Various tuition programs for their children.
• A comprehensive employee wellness program including program incentives
• Parental leave
• An employee assistance program
• Fitness center membership

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level