Philanthropy System Analyst

About the role

The Philanthropy System Analyst will partner with the Advancement Services team and IT to ensure the Ascend CRM platform meets the needs of donors, alumni, and fundraising staff. You will support data integrity, user training, and system enhancements to maximize the return on investment for the university’s philanthropy initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Create lists, queries, and data extracts from Ascend CRM based on specific criteria.
• Collaborate with IT to configure and improve Ascend CRM functionality.
• Provide user support, conduct user acceptance testing, and assist with new releases.
• Develop and execute data quality and integrity audits.
• Design streamlined data entry and extraction processes.
• Document business processes, data dictionaries, code tables, and cross‑system data mappings.
• Perform regular data appending from external sources (e.g., NCOA updates).
• Support Alumni and Annual Giving teams with appeal tracking and performance reporting.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• At least four years of systems analyst experience, preferably in a donor or fundraising environment.
• Proven ability to work with end users and IT teams.
• Strong understanding of data administration and management.

Required skills

• Ascend CRM (or similar donor management systems).
• Familiarity with Raiser's Edge and Salesforce.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and overall Microsoft Office proficiency.
• Experience creating queries, lists, and data exports.

What we offer

• Competitive benefits package including health, wellness, and retirement options.
• Paid leave and 13‑15 paid holidays per year.
• Opportunities for professional development within a supportive university environment.