Gift and Donor Operations Specialist

Autism Speaks•Indianapolis, IN

4d•$55,000 - $60,000•Remote

About The Position

Autism Speaks is seeking a Gift and Donor Operations Specialist to support the administration of charitable gifts and donor-centered operational practices. The role manages complex gift and pledge processes, donor inquiries and acknowledgments, reporting, and cross-functional workflows. It partners with Development, Finance, IT, and other internal teams to ensure gifts are accurately recorded, donor intent is honored, and operational issues are resolved efficiently. The position is home based and can be performed anywhere in the United States. With oversight from the Director, the Specialist serves as a resource on donor operations processes and provides backup coverage for key functions as needed. The position works with the Director, CRM Strategy & Donor Operations to identify process gaps, strengthen controls, document procedures, and implement improvements that support the donor experience and fundraising operations. The Specialist supports gift acceptance and processing, including pledges, restricted and major gifts, donor-advised fund gifts, and other non-standard contributions. Duties include pledge administration, gift reconciliation, donor acknowledgments and inquiries, estate-gift administration, and coordination with external representatives such as donor-advised fund administrators, brokers, financial advisors, attorneys, and executors. The role also supports receivables management, reconciliation, revenue and donor reporting, CRM data quality, and documentation of donor interactions and gift information. The position develops and improves procedures and workflows, identifies recurring issues and operational risks, supports training and knowledge sharing, and participates in projects to improve fundraising and donor operations. The Specialist is responsible for protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of Autism Speaks data and information to which they have access.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
Three to five years of relevant professional experience.
Demonstrated experience with gift processing, donor databases or CRM systems, pledge administration, donor support, or related fundraising operations.
Strong understanding of donor operations, gift processing, nonprofit fundraising practices, and data quality.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to research and resolve complex donor and gift issues.
Demonstrated judgment and ability to identify issues requiring escalation.
Strong customer-service orientation and professional communication skills with donors and internal stakeholders.
Ability to work effectively across Development, Finance, IT, and other functional teams.
Ability to document processes and identify opportunities for operational improvement.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
Ability to independently manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel.
Ability to handle confidential donor and organizational information appropriately.

Nice To Haves

Relevant experience within nonprofit fundraising, advancement services, development operations, donor operations, gift administration, or a related environment.
Experience collaborating with Finance and fundraising teams.
Experience with StratusLIVE or a related fundraising CRM platform.

Responsibilities

Manage and support complex gift acceptance and processing activities, including pledges, restricted gifts, major gifts, donor-advised fund gifts, and other non-standard contributions.
Coordinate with donor-advised fund administrators, brokers, financial advisors, and other external parties to facilitate and resolve gifts.
Administer pledges, including payment schedules, reminders, outstanding balances, and follow-up.
Partner with Development and Finance to ensure gifts and pledges are accurately recorded, appropriately coded, and handled according to organizational processes.
Support gift reconciliation and research discrepancies with Finance.
Serve as an escalation point for complex gift-processing and donor-operations questions and provide backup coverage for core Donor Operations processes.
Manage donor acknowledgment processes, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, appropriate tax language, and a consistent donor experience.
Coordinate customized acknowledgments for major and complex gifts with fundraising staff and the Director, CRM Strategy & Donor Operations.
Monitor and respond to escalated donor inquiries, coordinate complex inquiries across business units, and determine when issues require escalation.
Identify recurring donor-service issues and recommend improvements to address their causes.
Communicate with estate attorneys, financial advisors, executors, and other representatives to support the administration of estate gifts.
Partner with Finance and Development on gift processing, pledge tracking, receivables management, reconciliation, and revenue reporting.
Research and resolve discrepancies involving donor records, gifts, pledges, allocations, coding, or related transactions.
Support processes for restricted gifts and donor intent, escalating questions that require additional review.
Identify workflow gaps, risks, and inefficiencies and partner with the Director on sustainable solutions.
Prepare and support donor and gift reporting, including the Board Giving Report and reports for senior leadership and Development.
Review donor and gift information for accuracy and work with the CRM Data Coordinator and other team members to resolve data issues.
Use the CRM and donor database to research donor history, gift activity, pledges, acknowledgments, and other donor information.
Document donor interactions, gift restrictions, commitments, and related operational information in the CRM.
Develop, document, maintain, and improve Donor Operations procedures, protocols, workflows, and controls.
Recommend and implement process improvements that increase accuracy, efficiency, consistency, and service.
Serve as a resource to Development staff and support training and knowledge sharing on donor operations processes.
Participate in special projects and initiatives to improve fundraising and donor operations.
Protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of Autism Speaks data and information to which the employee has access.