Development Data & Systems Analyst

Obama Foundation; Springfield (IL); Remote; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Obama Foundation is seeking a Development Data & Systems Analyst to optimize and maintain Salesforce CRM systems, dashboards, and reporting for principal gifts and grants. This role leads the development data ticketing and trains staff while supporting QA and data integrity across the platform.

The position focuses on designing workflows for duplicate management, activity tracking, and grant reporting, with cross-training in gift intake for coverage during peak periods.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years hands-on experience in database management, data analytics, or systems administration in a nonprofit setting.
• Proficiency with Salesforce CRM in a nonprofit context; build complex reports, dashboards, and fields.
• Experience managing a data request queue or help desk system and translating technical concepts for non-technical staff.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage the Development team’s Salesforce ticketing system and SLA-bound requests.
• Design, build, and enforce Salesforce workflows for donor naming, recognition, and bespoke benefits.
• Develop dashboards and reports to capture lifecycle, milestones and triggers for gifts and grants.
• Perform regular data QA, cleaning, deduplication, and documentation of configurations and standards.

Skills

Database management

Data analytics

Systems administration

QA and data hygiene

Tools

Salesforce CRM

NPSP / Nonprofit Cloud

Job description

At The Obama Foundation, our mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. We seek to build an active democratic culture where people are equipped and motivated to make change in the communities where they live, work, and play. Right here on the South Side of Chicago, we're building a home for this vision, a global center for change with a range of opportunities - coordinated programming, community outreach events, educational moments, and more - that invite visitors from down the block or across the globe to turn hope into action.

Achieving our ambitious goals starts with an exceptional team built on our Hope to Action Values - Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope. A Framework that anyone, anywhere, can use to build trust, activate participation, and expand opportunity in their community.

Reporting directly to the Manager of Development Data, the Development Data & Systems Analyst is a critical technical role responsible for optimizing, maintaining, and innovating within the Foundation's Salesforce CRM ecosystem. As the Foundation expands its Principal Gifts function, this role ensures our data architecture, donor recognition tracking, and reporting pipelines run with peak efficiency.

The Analyst serves as the primary technical lead for the Development division's internal data ticketing system, fulfilling custom report requests, troubleshooting user issues, and delivering technical support to frontline fundraisers. Additionally, this role co-designs and tests new Salesforce workflows - specifically for duplicate management, activity tracking, and complex grant reporting - while performing regular database quality control audits. While not a primary gift processor, the Analyst maintains cross-training in gift intake to serve as strategic backup during peak fiscal thresholds and PTO coverage.

Division Ticketing Lead & Technical Support

Help Desk Management:

Take direct ownership of the Development team's Salesforce ticketing system. Receive, prioritize, triage, and resolve incoming data, reporting, and system access requests from frontline fundraisers and operations staff within established SLAs.

Frontline Technical Support & Training:

Provide technical guidance and user support across the team. Assist in drafting technical documentation, SOPs, and user guides, co-leading quarterly database training sessions for development analysts and lead onboarding Salesforce training for new Development staff.

Salesforce Systems Optimization & Custom Tracking

Partner with the Manager to design, build, and enforce standardized Salesforce workflows to accurately track donor naming opportunities, physical/digital recognition, and bespoke benefit fulfillment for OPC and Principal Gift donors.

Grants & Gift Reporting Architecture:

Build custom tracking frameworks, reports, and dashboards in Salesforce to capture the full lifecycle, financial milestones, and reporting triggers for complex institutional gifts and grants. Conduct rigorous quality assurance (QA) testing in the Salesforce sandbox environment for new features, bug fixes, third-party integrations, or automation flows that are deployed to production.

Data Hygiene, Auditing & Quality Assurance

Data Integrity & Auditing:

Execute regular data cleanup initiatives, quality control queries, mass data uploads, and duplicate record merges to maintain a pristine CRM database. Identify manual, repetitive data entry pain points across the department and recommend automated solutions. Maintain comprehensive, up-to-date documentation of database configurations and data standards.

Rapid, high-touch resolution of all internal data ticketing requests, maintaining reliable and timely responses to internal stakeholders, in support of strong customer service to donors and prospects. Standardized, fully functional Salesforce tracking systems, reports, and dashboards for donor benefits, OPC recognition, and fundraising revenue. Clean, accurate, and regularly audited Salesforce data, ensuring a trusted source of truth for the Development team. Comprehensive, updated user documentation and technical knowledge-base resources for the Development team.

• 1-2 years of hands-on experience in database management, data analytics, or systems administration, specifically within a non-profit development/advancement environment preferred.
• Proficiency with Salesforce CRM in a non-profit context (Salesforce NPSP or Nonprofit Cloud experience strongly preferred); ability to build complex custom reports, dashboards, and fields.
• Proven experience managing a data request queue or ticketing help desk system, with a track record of translating complex technical concepts for non-technical frontline staff.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and quality-assurance skills; meticulous attention to detail regarding data accuracy and hygiene.
• Familiarity with non-profit fundraising mechanics, including major gifts, principal donor recognition, multi-year pledge schedules, and grant tracking.
• Commitment to the values and mission of the Foundation.
• This is a remote role based in the Chicago area.

The Foundation is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws.