Gift Administration Specialist

Stony Brook University; Stony Brook (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Stony Brook University is seeking a Gift Administration Specialist to support Advancement by processing and reconciling gifts, ensuring donor intent aligns with university policies, and maintaining accurate records across systems.

The role handles thousands of annual transactions, collaborates with development and data teams, and reports to the Associate Director of Gift Administration, contributing to ongoing donor relations and trust in the university's fundraising program.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; foreign equivalent acceptable.
• Three years of full-time work experience.
• Experience in fundraising, gift administration, finance, or related field.
• Experience in higher education, government, large non-profits, or healthcare systems; proficiency with CRM systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee, process, and monitor gift transactions (checks, wires, credit cards, online donations, payroll deductions, EFTs, donor-advised funds, stock transfers, corporate matching gifts, charitable gift annuities).
• Reconcile gift and financial transactions across systems, identify discrepancies, and ensure audit-ready records.
• Review and approve daily sessions in Salesforce and maintain documentation.
• Strengthen relationships with internal/external stakeholders and support policy compliance for gift acceptance.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Ascend

Ellucian AdvanceWeb

Job description

Job Description - Gift Administration Specialist (2603098)

Gift Administration Specialist

Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume): Bachelor's degree (foreign equivalent or higher). Three (3) years of full-time work experience. Experience in fundraising, gift administration, finance, or a related field. Experience in higher education, government, municipal environments, large non-profits, or healthcare systems. Proficiency with CRM systems such as Salesforce, Ascend, or Ellucian AdvanceWeb.

Preferred Qualifications: Familiarity with IRS and/or CASE gift reporting standards. Experience processing charitable contributions and/or financial transactions.

Brief Description of Duties: The Stony Brook University Advancement Gift Administration Specialist position plays a vital role in supporting Advancement's mission by building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between donors and Stony Brook University. The Specialist will ensure funds are used in accordance with donor intent and institutional policies, encouraging continued and increased giving. This role involves overseeing and processing over 25,000 annual gift transactions, utilizing predictive tools to manage constituent records, and handling various types of gifts. The Specialist will report to the Associate Director of Gift Administration and will collaborate closely with the Gift Administration team, Data Services, and the Development team to support the goals of Stony Brook University Advancement.

• Project Management:
  • Oversee, process, and monitor gift transactions, including checks, wires, credit cards, online donations (GiveCampus), payroll deductions, EFTs, donor-advised funds, stock transfers, corporate matching gifts, and charitable gift annuities ensuring all transactions are completed in a timely and accurate manner while proactively communicating updates to the team.
  • Reconcile gift and financial transactions across multiple systems, identifying discrepancies, verifying documentation, and correcting errors to maintain accurate, audit-ready records.
  • Identify errors, discrepancies, and opportunities to improve system functionality, escalating complex transactions appropriately and assisting with quality-control reviews.
  • Review and approve daily sessions in Salesforce.
• Relationship Development:
  • Strengthen relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including development officers, deans, account directors, and other Stony Brook University departments, through regular communication and collaboration.
  • Support the management of policies and processes related to gift acceptance, documentation, and compliance.
  • Facilitate and attend meetings and events to build partnerships and promote shared success in achieving Advancement's goals.
• Communication:
  • Develop and edit clear, concise internal communications for the Gift Administration team that align with Advancement objectives.
  • Ensure that all communications are professional, accurate, and compliant with university policies.
  • Interact with constituents, staff, and university partners to resolve issues related to faculty and staff giving, online donations, refund requests, and recurring gifts.
  • Serve as the initial point of contact for donor inquiries, addressing routine payment questions and routing potential major gifts. Escalate complex or exceptional matters as needed.
• Administrative & Customer Support:
  • Support the Gift Administration team by improving efficiency and organization in administrative tasks.
  • Perform database maintenance, which includes merging duplicate records, updating return mail, and editing information in Salesforce.
  • Create donor receipts and manage the gift acceptance and documentation processes.
  • Monitor and respond to inquiries sent to shared email inboxes and Monday Boards, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
• Growth/Development:
  • Encouraged to seek opportunities for growth and learning to improve, enhancing both personal and team performance.
• Other duties as assigned.

Special Notes: The Research Foundation of SUNY is a private educational corporation. Employment is subject to the Research Foundation policies and procedures, sponsor guidelines and the availability of funding. This is a full‑time appointment. FLSA Exempt position, not eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Minimum salary threshold must be met to maintain FLSA exemption.

For this position, we are unable to sponsor candidates for work visas.

Stony Brook University is committed to excellence in diversity and the creation of an inclusive learning and working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.

In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act a copy of our crime statistics can be viewed here.

The starting salary range (or hiring range) to be offered for this position is noted below, it represents SBU’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Job Number:

2603098

Official Job Title:

Administrative Staff Assistant III

Job Field:

Administrative & Professional (non-Clinical)

Primary Location:

Department/Hiring Area: Advancement

Schedule:

Full-time

Shift:

Day Shift

Shift Hours:

8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Posting Start Date:

Sep 2, 2026

Posting End Date:

Sep 17, 2026, 3:59:00 AM

Appointment Type: Regular

Salary Grade: E3

SBU Area: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York at Stony Brook