Records Specialist

University of South Florida in; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and life insurance

Retirement plan options

Tuition programs and generous leave

Job summary

University of South Florida Advancement seeks a Records Specialist (Finance) to maintain biographic data in Ellucian CRM Advance and to review, research, and record all gifts and pledges for the USF Foundation. The role requires strict adherence to gift acceptance policies and donor confidentiality, with cross-training across Central Records duties.

The position emphasizes accuracy, discretion, and collaboration within the Division of University Advancement and Central Records, supporting the

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent with 3 years fiscal support experience.
• Knowledge of gift acceptance rules and donor confidentiality.
• Experience with biographic data maintenance and donor records.

Responsibilities

• Reviews, approves, and processes gifts, pledges, and pledge payments.
• Autonomously researches and verifies data completeness for gift functions.
• Reconciles and balances deposits for accuracy.
• Maintains accurate receipt and batch journals.
• Investigates discrepancies and maintains confidentiality.
• Completes projects related to biographic data maintenance.
• Cross-trains on other Central Records tasks.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Biographic data maintenance

Gift processing

Donor relations

Attention to detail

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Associate’s degree (preferred)

Bachelor's degree (preferred)

Tools

Ellucian CRM Advance

Job description

Records Specialist (Finance)

USF Advancement connects the university with donors who want to make a difference by providing philanthropic support to promote student success, research, academic excellence and other strategic priorities. With an endowment that now exceeds $700 million in value, our dedicated team of approximately 200 professionals, including 60 fundraisers, encompasses alumni, development and foundation operations. The team is responsible for raising more than $150 million annually and has broken records year after year with more than $184 million raised in fiscal year 2025.

This position, as a member of the Central Records staff in the Division of University Advancement, is responsible for biographic data maintenance of all records in Ellucian CRM Advance as well as independently reviewing, researching, and recording all gifts and pledges donated to the USF Foundation using specialized duties that include clerical, accounting, and donor relations skills. This position requires in depth knowledge of USF policies of the rules for gift acceptance and requisite knowledge of the Ellucian CRM Advance System. The position requires attention to detail and high degree of accuracy as well as adherence to the business processes that govern the entry of gift data. Sound judgment and discretion is required in all facets of this position’s daily activities as related to donor confidentiality and record accuracy. Central Records staff cross-train on all Central Records Department functions.

Employees of USF Advancement live out the values of responsibility, innovation, service, and excellence in each of its highly collaborative departments. We use trusted data and ethical AI to enhance decision-making, strengthen engagement, and enable our teams to focus on what matters most: relationships and impact. This position requires a High School diploma or equivalent with three years of work experience in positions with fiscal support duties. College or other relevant post‑secondary coursework may substitute for the experience requirement on a year for year basis. Associate’s degree and four years fiscal support related experience; or, six years directly related administrative experience is preferred.

Degree Equivalency Clause

• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor's degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master's degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
• Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

This job description does not constitute an employment contract.

• Reviews, approves, and processes gifts, pledges, and pledge payments for current and future commitments to the USF Foundation.
• Autonomously researches and verifies data completeness for all gift, pledge and pledge functions.
• Reconciles and balances deposits for completeness and accuracy.
• Maintains accurate receipt and batch journals.
• Investigates discrepancies and incomplete items.
• Follows CASE guidelines and IRS tax-deductibility rules.
• Reviews past due pledges and writes off outstanding pledge balances.
• Must maintain strict confidentiality.

Completes projects and updates related to biographic data maintenance and gift and pledge processing as assigned by Director of Central Records. Creates reference documentation of how to handle tasks in a timely manner (right after each task is learned).

• pick up and delivery of deposits from and to the Foundation Business Office;
• verify and prepare daily receipts to be mailed;
• research and update addresses for returned mail;
• handling, scanning, logging, filing and storing of deposits.

Cross-trains on other tasks related to biographic data maintenance and gift and pledge processing in order to learn and handle when teammates are out-of-office.

Performs other duties as assigned.