Development Operations Associate — Donor Data & Relations

Mercatus Center; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental coverage

Unlimited PTO

Disability & life insurance

403(b) plan

Parking benefits

GMU credits

Job summary

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is seeking a Development Associate to join our Development Operations team. This role records donors’ gifts in Salesforce, ensures timely acknowledgements, and supports fundraising with meticulous attention to detail.

The ideal candidate will bring customer service experience and a proactive, team‑oriented mindset. Responsibilities include daily donation data entry, donor communications, and coordination with Development, Finance, and GMU Foundation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and work experience.
• Strong attention to detail in data entry and donor acknowledgement.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or a similar CRM.
• Experience in fundraising, prospect research, customer relations, or data entry.
• Ability to manage multiple daily tasks and meet tight deadlines.
• Self-starter with the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Clear understanding of donor confidentiality and the importance of professional customer service.

Responsibilities

• Records and tracks all incoming donations in Salesforce.
• Reports daily to the Development Team on donations recorded.
• Conducts monthly prospect research and reports findings to Donor Relations Team.
• Maintains accurate gift documentation with Development, Finance, and GMU Foundation teams.
• Investigates and troubleshoots payment issues with the bank and internal stakeholders.
• Maintains donor acknowledgement supplies and restocking as needed.
• Responds to donor inquiries in a timely manner.
• Oversees the formatting and distribution of thank-you letters and receipts to donors.
• Assists with handwritten thank-you notes as needed.

Skills

Data entry

Attention to detail

Customer service

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is seeking a Development Associate to join our Development Operations team. This role records donors’ gifts in Salesforce, ensures timely acknowledgements, and supports fundraising with meticulous attention to detail.

The ideal candidate will bring customer service experience and a proactive, team‑oriented mindset. Responsibilities include daily donation data entry, donor communications, and coordination with Development, Finance, and GMU Foundation