Development Operations Associate
Avon Old Farms School
Title: Development Operations Associate
Reports to: Director of Donor Relations and Operations
Position Type: Non-Exempt, 12-Month Staff
SUMMARY
The Development Operations Associate plays a central role in the success of the Alumni and Development (A&D) team by ensuring the accurate, compliant, and efficient management of gift processing, constituent data, and development operations while supporting team-wide coordination and school-wide engagement activities.
This position leads all activities related to gift administration at Avon Old Farms School and serves as a key resource to donors and development staff in the recording, recognition, and reconciliation of gifts.
Additionally, this role provides operational infrastructure support for alumni engagement and giving initiatives, including event logistics coordination and communications production.
This role supports the philanthropic mission of Avon Old Farms by ensuring gifts are processed, recorded, and stewarded with care and integrity, while also enabling the broader advancement team through reliable systems, data, and execution support. The position regularly works with sensitive donor, financial, and institutional information and must uphold the highest standards of discretion, confidentiality, and responsible data stewardship.
The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment. This individual thrives on precision, demonstrates strong administrative and systems skills, and effectively manages competing priorities in support of a seamless experience for alumni, donors, and members of the Avon community.
This is a 35-hour per week on-site position; in-office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Gift Processing and Data Integrity
- Process and record all gift types (cash, checks, credit cards, wires, securities, pledges, matching gifts, and in-kind gifts) with exceptional accuracy and attention to detail
- Reconcile A&D gift records with the Business Office to ensure complete and consistent financial reporting
- Code and track gifts to ensure donor intent, recognition, and reporting are accurate and properly documented
- Produce and distribute the daily gift report
- Serve as the primary point of contact for gifts of stock and other non-cash contributions
- Ensure compliance with institutional policies, legal requirements, and advancement industry standards related to gift acceptance, processing, receipting, and reporting
Donor Acknowledgement
- Generate timely and accurate gift acknowledgements, tax receipts, tribute notifications, and pledge reminders
- Partner with A&D colleagues to ensure donor communications related to giving are accurate, consistent, and aligned with donor intent
Constituent Data Management
- Maintain and update constituent records, gift histories, appeals, and fund allocations in Raiser’s Edge (system of record for Alumni & Development)
- Perform ongoing data hygiene, including updates, deduplication, and record maintenance
- Research and update records for lost, inactive, or deceased constituents
- Produce queries, reports, and data exports to support development, alumni engagement, communications, and campaign reporting as needed
- Maintain strict confidentiality and safeguard sensitive donor, financial, and institutional information
Development Operations and Systems Support
- Support the operational infrastructure for alumni engagement and giving initiatives through data, reporting, and systems management
- Support segmentation lists and data pulls for alumni engagement, annual giving, and reunion-related initiatives
- Assist in maintaining consistency and accuracy across Development systems, platforms, and workflows
- Assisting with management of A&D calendars (development and communications calendar)
Office Operations
- Support management of the department’s operating budget
- Process expense reports and manage purchase orders for the Alumni and Development office
- Coordinate closely with the Business Office on daily gift reporting and monthly reconciliation; serve as primary liaison for gift-related financial coordination
- Maintain internal documentation for operational processes and workflows
Event & Communications Support (as capacity allows)
- Provide operational and logistical support for select A&D and school-wide events, including registration, attendee tracking, and nametags
- Assist with execution of event-related communications using established templates and systems, including invitations and follow-up
- As needed, support mailing list preparation, segmentation, and distribution logistics, and liaise with internal partners to ensure coordinated execution
- Staff major programs such as Reunion, Family Weekend, and Grandparents Day
Note: This role may support event and communications execution but does not own event strategy, program design, or content development.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Previous experience in a development office strongly preferred
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, with ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
- Experience with data management and database systems required; Raiser’s Edge strongly preferred
- Strong ability to interpret and apply consistent policies to gift and data transactions
- Demonstrated discretion and professionalism when handling confidential information
- Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in a highly collaborative, team-based environment
- Ability to support colleagues proactively while maintaining ownership of operational responsibilities
- Commitment to supporting the mission of Avon Old Farms through accuracy, reliability, and service orientation
The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to successfully perform the job.
Avon Old Farms School does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, color, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its policies and programs. Candidates are selected by their qualifications to meet the needs of the position.
