Development Assistant, Principal Giving and Strategic Initiatives

Development Assistant, Principal Giving and Strategic Initiatives

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Jobs UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER

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Development Assistant, Principal Giving and Strategic Initiatives

Requisition Number:

73635

Location:

Boulder, Colorado

City

Boulder

State

Colorado

Employment Type:

University Staff

Schedule:

Full-Time

Posting Close Date:

09-Aug-2026

Date Posted:

24-Jul-2026

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Job Summary

Job Summary

The Principal Giving and Strategic Initiatives team works with members of the campus community to align institutional priorities and donor passions in ways that ignite transformational philanthropy. By doing so, we help donors achieve their philanthropic dreams through partnerships with the University, and we help CU Boulder accelerate its role in world-changing solutions that positively impact our state, the nation, and the world.

The Development Assistant operates as a key support member of the Principal Giving and Strategic Initiatives (PGSI) team and is an essential part of the Office of Advancement at the University of Colorado Boulder. This position may also manage and/or delegate assignments to student workers as appropriate. This position is critical to increasing the ground-breaking philanthropic efforts for the Office of Advancement at CU Boulder. Under the guidance of the Director for Principal Giving and Strategic Initiatives Operations, this position provides administrative support to a high-performing and collaborative advancement team.

This position will work on a broad array of administrative duties that are variable and complex in nature and is tasked with exercising a high level of discretion and confidentiality, especially as it relates to assigned responsibilities with donors, faculty, staff, and other constituents. This role applies skills and knowledge in multiple administrative functions, but many responsibilities reflect a distinct Advancement component.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

Who We Are

CU Boulder Advancement is committed to a culture of joy, motivated by collaboration, passionate about excellence and driven by impact. These four values define the culture and drive engagement and fundraising success.

We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone matters and all can thrive. This dedication is rooted in our core values and our mission to drive impactful fundraising and engagement. Our team actively engages in learning, reflection, and the transformation of systems, policies, and practices that perpetuate oppressive ideologies-including racism, sexism, ableism, and heterosexism. We recognize our responsibility to lead by example in building a supportive and inclusive culture for both internal colleagues and external partners. We hold ourselves accountable through individual and divisional goals that continuously assess our progress, growth, and outcomes-ensuring alignment with our mission and values every step of the way.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Administrative Support

• Perform administrative support functions for the PGSI team including calendar management, setting, and coordinating meetings and appointments, travel arrangements (which may include detailed itineraries reflecting appointments with donors), and expense report completion.
• Utilize data from donor database to create requested reports, spreadsheets, enter call reports, submit proposals, and pipeline updates, and create donor correspondence, as requested.
• Initiate, schedule, and coordinate internal and external meetings for the PGSI advancement team.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of CU Ascend, the donor database. Leverage Ascend to track cultivation activity related to the PGSI Top 100 list. Track pipeline data through Ascend and the Advancement Intelligence reporting tool.
• Prepare and distribute various administrative materials including financial and administrative reports and personal letters of invitation, thanks, explanation, information, and cultivation.
• Assist in entering and managing proposal process in CU Ascend for the PGSI team.
• In special circumstances, submit required documentation to process gifts, pledge payments, pledges, and other transactions.
• Assist in processing and routing documentation for fund agreements.
• Provide event support and preparation, as necessary.
• Proactively engage with the division's Administrative Team (A-Team) and attend scheduled meetings.
• Assistance with special projects.
• Follow university, campus, and Advancement guidelines regarding management of records.
• Communicate and manage all necessary due dates.
• Meet annual performance goals.

Donor Cultivation and Stewardship Support

• Conduct preliminary research on prospective donors and assist in identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors through research of available databases.
• Update donor database with notes, strategic plans, contact reports, and tasks to ensure the most current and relevant information is available. Share information with other team members.
• Prepare comprehensive briefing reports to be used for cultivation and solicitation meetings.
• Partner with Donor Relations to engage, steward and manage important donors, volunteers, and allies to CU Boulder.

Office Management

• Prepare and submit expense reports; prepare purchase requisitions for various office needs; maintain office supply inventory.
• Serve as a liaison between the PGSI advancement team and various internal and external constituents.
• Research and gather information on various topics as necessary and expedite the flow of information to staff.
• Resolve IT/software related issues for the team.

What You Should Know

What You Should Know

• This is a hybrid work opportunity. Expected to work 40 hours per week.
• This position has the ability to work a hybrid schedule with some days on campus and some days remote.
• This position will occasionally be required to work evenings/weekends.

What We Can Offer

What We Can Offer

The annual salary range for this position is $55,000 - $65,000.

Benefits

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be Statements

Be collaborative. Be dynamic. Be Boulder.

What We Require

What We Require

• Education: Combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor's degree.
• Experience: 1+ years of direct work experience.
• Software Utilized: Microsoft Office products, donor tracking software (CU Ascend), Zoom, Teams, LinkedIn, DocuSign, m-fin, Marketplace, Concur, WorkFront.

What You Will Need

What You Will Need

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in accomplishing tasks.
• Sense of curiosity and the desire to find solutions to complex problems.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Ability to navigate and manage various databases.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities; be able to appropriately manage time and meet deadlines.
• Ability to embrace the shared values of the Office of Advancement.
• Ability to exercise a high degree of diplomacy, discretion, and collaboration in working with a diverse range of constituents including employees, students, volunteers, alumni, donors, and campus colleagues.
• Ability to operate independently; has a self-learner/self-starter mentality.
• Understanding of data compliance and integrity.

What We Would Like You to Have

What We Would Like You to Have

• Experience in or understanding of a non-profit or higher education environment.
• Experience working in customer service and/or an operations-oriented role.

Special Instructions

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

• A current resume.
• A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by August 9, 2026 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu

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The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, pregnancy, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. Click here for a list of ADA and Title IX coordinators. To view the Regent policy, please click here. This organization participates in E-Verify. We will provide the Social Security Administration and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each employee's I-9 form to confirm work authorization.

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