Development Specialist, Cockrell School of Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive health benefits

Tuition assistance

LinkedIn Learning access

PTO & holidays

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin is seeking a Development Specialist for the Cockrell School of Engineering. This role provides administrative and operational support to the development team, oversees endowment and compliance, drafts donor materials, and coordinates donor relations across departments.

Reports to the Chief Development Officer and may supervise the Development Associate. Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree and at least one year of related experience, with strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, management or related field.
• One year of experience in specialized development, administration, or related field.
• Experience providing administrative or operational support to a multi-faceted team.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strategic and creative thinking with ability to manage multiple projects.
• Ability to work effectively in a team or independently.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and operational support to the Cockrell Development Team, including travel arrangements, reimbursements, and drafting materials.
• Oversee the development associate and supervise project support.
• Coordinate donor visits, materials, and information across departments.
• Assist with endowment processes, donor recognition, and compliance.
• Serve as a member of the Development Team and support other duties as assigned.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Skills

Administrative support

Communication

Teamwork

Strategic thinking

Creativity

Independence

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/ management or related field

Bachelor's Degree in English/ Journalism/ Communications

Job description

Job Posting Title:

Development Specialist, Cockrell School of Engineering

----

Hiring Department:

Cockrell School of Engineering

----

Position Open To:

All Applicants

----

Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

----

FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

----

Earliest Start Date:

Oct 19, 2026

----

Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

----

Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

----

As a top-10 engineering school with the No. 1 program in Texas, the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) has been a global leader in technology innovation and engineering education for over a century. With 11 undergraduate and 13 graduate programs, over 20 research centers and a faculty community that boasts one of the highest number of National Academy of Engineering members among U.S. universities, Texas Engineering has launched some of the nation's most accomplished leaders and pioneered world-changing solutions in virtually every industry, from space exploration to energy to health care. Situated in the heart of Austin - named "America's Coolest City" by Expedia and "The Best Place to Live in the U.S." by U.S. News and World Report - the Cockrell School embodies the city's innovative spirit. Major companies with Austin campuses, such as Dell, National Instruments, Apple, IBM, Samsung, Google and many others, continue to recruit Cockrell School students at a remarkable rate, launching thousands of successful careers and developing Texas Engineers into industry leaders.

UT Austin, recognized by Forbes as one of America's Best Large Employers, provides outstanding employee benefits and total rewards packages that include:

• Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
• Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
• Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with 8.25% employer matching funds
• Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
• Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities
• Tuition assistance
• Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
• Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card
• Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card

Purpose

The Development Specialist partners with the Cockrell School of Engineering (CSE) Development Office to further the School's strategic priorities by acting as administrative and operational support to Cockrell Development team. This position will oversee endowment process and compliance for the team and support creation of best practices. This position reports to the Chief Development Officer (CDO). This position will also assist with the supervision of the Development Associate, who provides administrative support to the team.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and operational support to the Cockrell Development Team through the following: making travel arrangements and handling reimbursements; initiating Requests for Travel Authorizations; preparing travel documents; development of donor profiles and briefing materials for meetings and events; drafting and editing letters, proposals, reports, and other materials for major donors and prospects; supporting endowment creation, compliance and record keeping for the team; assist with the maintenance of current information in VIP system for donors; Coordinates the management of donors' records for the office and for other departments. Trains appropriate personnel in the use and requirements of the electronic system, which maintains the alumni/donor database. Support the oversight of the timely acknowledgement of all gifts; including merging and preparing thank you letters for the appropriate person's signature, as well as drafting and producing correspondence, reports, and follow-up materials.
• Oversee the development associate who provides direct support to the gift officers and/or other projects as assigned.
• Interact with Cockrell School colleagues and other University departments to obtain and share information and materials for donor visits and other purposes. On request, assist the Stewardship Team and other parts of the development operation with meetings, student tours, fundraising and stewardship functions.
• Assist with the endowment process, to include assisting the development team in the creation of endowment agreements for donors, coordinating internal approval process with Endowment Services and Compliance. Additional responsibilities include assisting with donor recognition (plaques and certificates).
• Serve as a member of the Development Team. Provide backup support to other administrative personnel in the Engineering Development and Alumni Relations team and other duties as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, management or related field.
• One year of experience in specialized development, administration, or related field.
• Experience providing administrative or operational support to a multi-faceted team.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and creatively, work well under pressure, and manage details of several concurrent projects.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment or independently.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in English, Journalism, or Communications.
• Two or more years of relevant experience.
• More than a year of experience in a supervisory role.
• More than two years of experience with fundraising at UT Austin.
• Demonstrated knowledge of project management skills.
• Thorough understanding of the development process and the integral role stewardship and development communications play in overall fundraising strategy.
• Working knowledge of UT Austin's policies and procedures.
• Experience with VIP database and DEFINE.

Salary Range

$55,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in a standard office environment.
• Repetitive use of keyboard at workstation.
• May work around standard office conditions
• Occasional evening and weekend work may be required for events or during peak periods.

Work Shift

• Standard work schedule is Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Periodic work outside of normal business hours, to include evenings and weekends, may be required on a periodic basis or for special events.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• Letter of interest
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

----

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.