Development Specialist

University of Texas at Austin

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Development Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of all gifts to the university. This position serves as a critical component of donor stewardship and institutional data integrity, ensuring that gift records, receipts, and financial transactions comply with university policies and regulatory requirements. This position works closely with Texas Gift Operations and Development staff across the university to maintain seamless and audit-ready gift administration functions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, or a related field.
• Minimum one year of experience in a related field, such as operations or higher education administration.
• Strong organizational skill with the ability to oversee complex administrative and gift operations processes in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret, implement, and maintain compliance with institutional policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, exhibiting strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail in documentation, recordkeeping, and reporting, ensuring accuracy and transparency in all gift processing transactions.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with internal and external stakeholders, including development staff across university departments.
• Proficiency with spreadsheet and word processing applications (Microsoft Suite Applications and Smartsheet preferred).
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in development or gift operations in a higher education or nonprofit environment.
• Two or more years of experience in a related field, such as operations or higher education administration.

Responsibilities

• Process checks, credit card transactions, and electronic payments in accordance with established financial controls in a timely and accurate manager.
• Enter and maintain gift records in the donor database, ensuring data integrity and compliance with university policies.
• Generate and distribute gift receipts, acknowledgement letters, and tax documentation to donors within required timeframes.
• Submit daily deposit to the Office of Accounting remotely or in-person at the Bursar’s Office as needed.
• Reconcile daily gift batches and prepare reports for Finance and Accounting.
• Support audit readiness by maintaining thorough and organized gift documentation in compliance with internal controls and external regulatory requirements.
• Research and resolve discrepancies in gift records, donor information, or fund coding in coordination with university colleagues and donor representatives.
• Apply gifts to the correct funds and accounting based on donor intent and university fund structure.
• Maintain confidentiality of donor records and adhere to CASE, IRS, and institutional gift acceptance policies.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with internal and external stakeholders.
• Serve as a point of contact for donors, development staff, and university colleagues on gift-related inquiries, providing timely, professional responses.
• Other related assignments as needed for business continuity.

Benefits

• Competitive benefits package that includes insurance and retirement benefits in addition to other programs and services.
• Professional development opportunities that help every team member accomplish their goals, enrich their skillset and deepen their engagement with UT.

What This Job Offers

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