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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Gift Operator

💰 $35,000 - $55,000

Non-ProfitAdministrationData EntryFinance SupportAdvancement Services

🎯 Role Definition

The Gift Operator is a cornerstone of any successful fundraising operation. This role is fundamentally about stewardship and precision, serving as the primary handler for all incoming charitable contributions. You are the guardian of donor data and financial integrity, ensuring that every gift, from a small online donation to a major pledge, is processed, recorded, and acknowledged with impeccable accuracy and care. This position requires a unique blend of technical data entry skills, a deep respect for confidentiality, and a passion for supporting the organization's mission. Your work directly impacts donor relationships, financial reporting, and the overall capacity of the advancement team to secure vital resources.

📈 Career Progression

A position as a Gift Operator is a fantastic entry point into the world of non-profit advancement and offers several clear avenues for professional growth.

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Data Entry Clerk or Specialist
  • Administrative Assistant
  • Bank Teller or Personal Banker

Advancement To:

  • Senior Gift Operator or Gift Processing Lead
  • Gift Processing Manager
  • Advancement Services Coordinator or Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Donor Relations Coordinator
  • Accounts Receivable Clerk
  • Development Assistant

Core Responsibilities

The daily landscape of a Gift Operator is dynamic and detail-oriented, focused on the accurate and timely management of donations.

Primary Functions

  • Accurately and efficiently process a high volume of diverse charitable contributions, including checks, credit card transactions, online gifts, wire and stock transfers.
  • Perform complex and precise data entry of all gift and constituent information into the primary donor management system (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Blackbaud CRM, Salesforce).
  • Meticulously ensure all gifts are coded correctly according to specific donor intent, fund allocation, and campaign designations to maintain absolute financial integrity.
  • Generate and distribute timely, accurate, and personalized gift acknowledgments, receipts, and thank-you letters that comply with both organizational and IRS standards.
  • Diligently reconcile daily gift batches and financial transactions with finance department records, proactively investigating and resolving any discrepancies.
  • Systematically manage and process corporate matching gift claims, tracking submissions and performing necessary follow-up to secure all available matching funds.
  • Handle all confidential donor and financial information with the utmost discretion, maintaining strict adherence to data privacy and security protocols.
  • Act as a detective to investigate and resolve complex gift-related issues, such as returned checks, credit card declines, or ambiguous donor instructions.
  • Proactively create and maintain pristine constituent records within the database, including updating biographical information, contact details, employment, and relationships.
  • Prepare and distribute daily, weekly, and monthly reports on gift processing activity, fundraising progress, and cash flow for key internal stakeholders.
  • Collaborate closely with frontline fundraisers and major gift officers to ensure the proper handling, documentation, and recording of major gifts, pledges, and planned giving instruments.
  • Manage the entire lifecycle of multi-year pledge commitments, including the accurate generation and sending of pledge reminders to donors on a regular, predetermined schedule.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist in the meticulous preparation of financial documentation and detailed reports required for annual external audits and internal financial reviews.
  • Actively participate in ongoing database cleanup projects to improve data quality, merge duplicate records, and enhance overall system hygiene and usability.
  • Provide crucial back-end support for major fundraising events by processing event registrations, sponsorships, and any on-site donations collected.
  • Serve as a mentor and trainer for new staff members, student workers, or volunteers on gift processing procedures and best practices for database usage.
  • Stay current with evolving IRS regulations and industry best practices related to charitable giving, gift acceptance policies, and receipting.
  • Professionally and courteously field inquiries from donors regarding their giving history, payment status, or receipt questions, providing excellent customer service.
  • Support the broader Advancement Services or Development team with ad-hoc data requests, mailing list generation, and other special projects as they arise.
  • Meticulously document and update all gift processing procedures and internal workflows to ensure operational consistency and create a comprehensive team knowledge base.

Required Skills & Competencies

To thrive in this role, an individual needs a strong foundation of technical prowess combined with impeccable personal and professional habits.

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Donor Database Proficiency: Extensive experience with donor management software or CRMs, such as Raiser's Edge NXT, Blackbaud CRM, Salesforce for Nonprofits, or similar platforms.
  • Data Entry Excellence: Exceptional data entry skills characterized by high speed, accuracy, and efficiency, often demonstrated by 10-key by touch capability.
  • Microsoft Office Suite: Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, for data manipulation, creating reports, and performing reconciliations.
  • Basic Accounting Principles: A solid understanding of basic accounting concepts, financial reconciliation processes, and cash handling procedures.
  • Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with IRS regulations and guidelines concerning charitable contributions, non-profit gift acceptance, and tax receipting.
  • Payment Processing: Experience with or understanding of online payment gateways and electronic funds transfer (EFT) processing platforms.

Soft Skills

  • Meticulous Attention to Detail: A relentless focus on precision and a commitment to producing error-free work, no matter how small the detail.
  • Organizational Prowess: Superb organizational and time-management skills to effectively manage a high volume of work and consistently meet critical deadlines.
  • Discretion and Integrity: The ability to handle sensitive and highly confidential information with the highest level of professionalism and integrity.
  • Analytical Problem-Solving: Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills to independently investigate and resolve complex data or financial discrepancies.
  • Clear Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for composing acknowledgments and interacting professionally with donors and internal staff.
  • Collaborative Spirit: A positive, team-oriented attitude with the ability to work effectively both independently with minimal supervision and as a key member of a collaborative team.

Education & Experience

A combination of relevant experience and formal education is key to success.

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or equivalent (GED).

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's or Bachelor's degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Finance or Accounting
  • Non-Profit Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1-3 years of experience in a role involving data entry, financial transactions, or administrative support.

Preferred: We find that candidates with direct experience in a non-profit, fundraising, or higher education environment tend to acclimate quickly. Hands-on experience with gift processing, donation entry, or in an accounts receivable role is highly desirable and will set you apart.

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