Development Operations Specialist

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston Texas Rice University is ranked among the nations top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system which supports students intellectually emotionally and culturally through social events intramural sports student plays lectures series courses and student government. Developing close-knit diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rices culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name RICE Responsibility Integrity Community and Excellence.

About Baker Institute:

Founded in 1993 Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy is one of the premier nonpartisan public policy research organizations in the country. As an integral part of Rice University the Baker Institute has a strong track record of achievement based on the work of its fellows scholars and staff. The institute collaborates with experts from academia government media business and nongovernmental and private organizations.

Position Summary:
Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy is seeking well-qualified candidates for the position of Development Operations Specialist to assist with the organization and management of the Institutes fundraising activities. Reporting to the Director of Development the position supports the development team and provides administrative and operational support for all development activities. The Development Operations Specialist plays a key role by efficiently managing administrative functions of the department ensuring smooth operations and effective communication within the team and with external stakeholders.

Ideal Candidate Statement:
The ideal candidate will be highly organized attentive to detail and have previous experience working closely with donors and/or other constituent groups for a nonprofit organization or in a higher education setting.

Workplace Requirements:
This position is primarily on-site requiring most duties to be performed in person. Limited remote work arrangements may be possible to provide flexibility. Occasional evening work is required for donor Rice policy 440 work arrangements may be subject to change.

Proposed Hiring Range: $56000 - $65000 per year

*Exempt (salaried) positions underFLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement additional related experience above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
• 2 years of related work experience
  • In lieu of the experience requirement additional related education above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong client service orientation
• Strong data analysis and organizational skills with attention to detail

Preferences:

• Prior experience with constituent database software especially Blackbaud CRM
• Experience working in development or member relations in a nonprofit or higher education setting

Essential Functions:

• Manages all gift processing and reporting for the Baker Institute by creating gift memos generating membership renewals and invoices and processing and monitoring financial transactions including resolution of membership discrepancies
• Maintains paper and digital donor records and files
• Produces and distributes routine fundraising communications and appeals
• Serves as the administrative liaison for the Institutes Roundtable membership groups including answering membership inquiries drafting correspondence and supporting member events
• Compiles data to produce reports on donor inquiries renewals acknowledgments and turnover
• Assists in the planning and execution of donor-related stewardship and recognition events including attending key donor events
• Coordinates with the events team and Institute staff on administration of events including post-event expense reconciliation

Additional Functions:

• Assists the development and communications teams to keep fundraising and membership web content updated
• Manages donor recognition activities including updating lists of donors for the Institutes annual report print publications website and public spaces within Baker Hall
• Creates and maintains donor information using the universitys constituent management system Blackbaud Customer Relationship Management
• Liaises with Rice Development and Alumni Relations Office on gift processing database maintenance and donor communications
• Plans and schedules meetings and events resolves scheduling conflicts and arranges travel as needed
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Rice University HR Benefits: Mission and Values:Mission and Values Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race color religion age sex sexual orientation gender identity national or ethnic origin genetic information disability or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process please contact Rice Universitys Disability Resource Center at or for support.

If you have any additional questions please email us at Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.