Development Operations Coordinator
Career GuideKey Responsibilities
- Maintain donor records and contact details in the donor database
- Process donations and ensure gifts are recorded accurately
- Coordinate gift acknowledgments and thank you communications
- Prepare fundraising reports for team leaders and stakeholders
- Support event and campaign administration tasks
- Manage data imports and data clean up activities
- Answer donor questions and route requests to the right team member
- Assist with mailing lists and donor segmentation
- Document processes and suggest workflow improvements
- Support basic compliance needs such as opt out tracking and receipt records
Top Skills for Success
Attention to Detail
Written Communication
Time Management
Customer Service
Problem Solving
Stakeholder Management
Data Entry
Data Quality Management
Reporting
Spreadsheet Skills
Donor Database Administration
Fundraising Operations
Gift Processing
Donor Stewardship
Career Progression
Can Lead To
Development Operations Specialist
Development Associate
Database Coordinator
Gift Processing Specialist
Donor Relations Coordinator
Transition Opportunities
Development Operations Manager
Development Manager
Donor Database Administrator
Business Operations Analyst
Revenue Operations Coordinator
Common Skill Gaps
Often Missing Skills
Advanced Spreadsheet SkillsData Reporting AutomationDonor Database ReportingProcess ImprovementData Privacy Basics
Development SuggestionsBuild confidence with spreadsheets and repeatable reporting, learn the reporting features of a common donor database, and practice documenting workflows. Add basic knowledge of data privacy and donor communication standards to reduce errors and improve donor experience.
Salary & Demand
Median Salary Range
Entry LevelUSD 42,000 to 55,000
Mid LevelUSD 55,000 to 70,000
Senior LevelUSD 70,000 to 90,000
Growth Trend
Steady demand. Many nonprofits are investing more in data quality, donor retention, and reporting, which increases the need for operations focused fundraising support roles.Companies Hiring
Major Employers
American Red CrossUnited WayGoodwill Industries InternationalYMCAWorld Wildlife FundSave the ChildrenFeeding AmericaHabitat for HumanitySt. Jude Children’s Research HospitalOxfam
Industry Sectors
Nonprofit OrganizationsHigher EducationHealthcare FoundationsArts and Culture OrganizationsEnvironmental OrganizationsSocial Services OrganizationsInternational Aid OrganizationsReligious Organizations
Recommended Next Steps
1
Review 10 to 20 real job postings and list the most common tools and tasks2
Strengthen spreadsheet skills with pivot tables, lookups, and clean data practices3
Create a sample weekly fundraising report using a practice dataset4
Learn the basics of one donor database such as Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud or Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge5
Write a simple process document for gift entry and acknowledgments to show operational thinking6
Update your resume to highlight accuracy, volume handled, turnaround time, and reporting outcomes