Advancement Information Specialist chez California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

The purpose of Advancement and Alumni Relations (AAR) is to foster a thriving and engaged community of support for Caltech. By engaging the people who share and support Caltech’s mission and values, we will ensure the Institute receives the necessary resources to achieve Caltech’s aspirations and sustain its excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship in perpetuity.

The Advancement Information Specialist is an entry level position reporting to the Director of Advancement Information. Ensuring our institutional memory as recorded in the Institute’s development database is a high priority. The position’s primary responsibility is to ensure a robust and accurate institutional memory through the creation, maintenance, and verification of all information entered into the Institute’s alumni/development database (Advance). In addition, the Advancement Information Specialist will help create and maintain Advancement and Alumni Relations (AAR) training and procedural documentation for their primary area of responsibility within the alumni/development database.

The Advancement Information Specialist must possess the ability to complete accurate work with attention to detail, exercise advanced problem solving skills, and possess excellent verbal and written communication skills. They must maintain the highest levels of confidentiality and cope with interruptions while managing multiple concurrent assignments and deadlines commensurate with a busy professional office.

Essential Job Duties

• Enter all gifts, pledges, pledge payments, and other financial transactions into the alumni/development database with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Verify all gifts received using their corresponding source materials; maintain the database chart of accounts and synchronize with Finance Office; batch transactions for gift processing; prepare all gift transactions for bank deposit; reconcile daily batch and deposit totals; carefully manage and prepare receipts and acknowledgment of each gift transaction.
• Complete data entry of all demographic information for each Caltech constituent. This includes the creation of new constituent records; update records and verify revisions of information provided from both internal and external sources; monitor and check data being electronically transferred from various campus databases; communicate changes to other departments as necessary.
• Maintain the overall accuracy and integrity of ALL data in the alumni/development database by identifying and researching missing data and gift/pledge problems.
• Assist with database cleanup projects; suggest areas where the database can increase efficiency.
• Develop a specialized knowledge of at least one area within the constituent records or gift records sections in the alumni/development database. Assist with the creation and maintenance of training and procedural documentation for that module, keeping it up to date and accurate at all times.
• Build and maintain expertise of the entire alumni/development database and how it functions to support AAR and the Institute at large, including a holistic knowledge of all procedures related to the data entry functions assigned across AAR.
• Assist staff members with questions relating to database functionality in support of ALL advancement programs; respond in a timely manner to questions regarding database information from all sources/departments.
• Run reports and perform data retrievals from the database as necessary for ad hoc information that will assist in answering/solving questions about any constituent’s data or for daily processing needs.
• Understand the ramifications of IRS, FASB, CAE, PCI, FERPA, and NACUBO rules governing how the Institute processes and acknowledges donations and maintains records on individual constituents.
• Work with database production support to identify, design, test, and verify newly implemented system features.
• Work in a team atmosphere, contributing whenever needed to fulfill divisional goals.
• Attend all divisional and departmental meetings as required.
• Participate in other AAR events and projects as deemed necessary to support the broader goals of the department.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Due to the nature of this role, availability may be required on designated days between December 20 and January 10, excluding weekends or with prior approval from the Associate Director of Advancement Information.
• Demonstrate the ability to practice and adhere to AAR's Guiding Principles.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to perform data entry and data systems. Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; experience working with databases.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, set priorities, juggle tasks as needed, meet short deadlines, and complete projects within specified timeframes amidst a fast-paced work environment.
• Possess strong organizational and problem-solving skills, as well as excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Possess strong attention to detail with the ability to monitor and apply policies, guidelines, and a defined set of rules. 
• Ability to deal with confidential matters with tact and sensitivity.
• Demonstrated ability to practice and adhere to organizational values.
• Possess a positive attitude, flexibility, and willingness take on new projects

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity working in development and/or a higher education setting.
• Familiarity in a not-for-profit institutional advancement setting.
• Familiarity in gift processing or records management.

Required Documents

• Resume.
• Cover Letter.