"Associate Director, Gift Administration"

Job Summary

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) seeks an Associate Director, Gift Administration to join Institutional Advancement (IA).

The Associate Director, Gift Administration reports to the Director, Gift Administration + Recording Secretary and is responsible for ensuring the timely management of Gift Agreements/Statements of Intent between donors and RISD. The incumbent is responsible for managing gift and fund record reporting, the process for securing gift agreements, from drafting through review, and creating and auditing digital gift agreement documents in Soft Docs. The Associate Director, Gift Administration proactively engages with fundraisers in developing gift agreements and provides information to and responds to inquiries from the Office of Finance and Administration regarding gift accounting.

The successful candidate will thrive in a campus environment that is committed to advancing the principles of social equity and inclusion, environmental and climate justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities.

Essential Functions:

Gift and Fund Records Management and Reporting

• Manage new gift reporting to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement (VPIA) and internal leadership for new expendable and endowed gifts, and reporting of new funds and fund relationships to Donor Relations and Engagement
• Conduct regular reconciliation of restricted expendable and endowment funds with the Office of Finance and Administration to ensure accuracy of Raiser’s Edge fund records
• Monitor and maintain Fund Records in IA’s central database, Raiser’s Edge, ensuring accuracy and completeness of fund records, their associated attributes and relationships, including stewardees and founding donors
• Create and maintain digital files for all fund-related documentation, including executed gift agreements, amendments, and inbound and outbound correspondence from RISD faculty/ staff, donors, attorneys, stewardees, and other related parties
• Support time-sensitive gift processing functions as needed at the guidance of the Director, Gift Administration, and Recording Secretary

Gift Agreement Management

• Leverage knowledge of RISD’s Gift Acceptance and Naming Policies to translate and prepare Gift Agreements/Statements of Intent
• Seeks and gathers input from fundraisers, IA Communications, IA Stewardship and other IA colleagues to develop language for Gift Agreements in accordance with RISD’s Gift Acceptance and Naming Policies and donors’ intentions
• Manage workflows for moving Gift Agreements/Statements of Intent from templated drafts to executed documents through Asana project management and a rigorous approvals process. Recommend workflow improvements, modifications, and/or software solutions.
• Resolves issues in accordance with established Gift Agreement Guidelines. Escalates issues to the Director, Gift Administration + Recording Secretary, and/or VPIA when necessary for outreach to RISD’s General Counsel or VP Finance as required by proposed gift terms and considerations

Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in business, finance, or accounting, or equivalent level training and/or experience with legal contracts or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum of five (5) years of fundraising, gift administration, or non-profit accounting experience
• Ability to work and communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of divisional and institutional colleagues, within an environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Previous experience with relational databases/constituent relationship management software
• Strong attention to detail, including close reading and comprehension of text. Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to shift priorities and deal with changing demands in an effective manner
• Demonstrated ability to engage as a positive team member who establishes productive relationships, demonstrates respect, and facilitates understanding by considering and integrating diverse viewpoints.
• Intermediate knowledge of MS Office and Google Suites
• Demonstrated ability to work with a high degree of speed and accuracy. Ability to analyze and adjust work procedures to achieve maximum efficiency and donor responsiveness
• Appreciation for a collaborative environment with involvement of multiple stakeholders in Gift Agreement/Statements of Intent management

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of IRS and CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) guidelines on gift management and reporting
• Knowledge of fundraising, gift administration, and/or non-profit accounting
• Experience with Project Management software

Union: No

Work Schedule: 35 hours per week; 12 months per year

Employment Status: Full-time; Exempt; Regular

Grade: 540EX

Work Modality: Hybrid Eligible

Documents Needed to Apply:

Resume (Required)

Cover Letter (Required)

Salary Grade Structure

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.

RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.