Development Assistant Jobs in Wilmington, NC (NOW HIRING)

Posting Details
Posting Details
Benefits of Working at UNCW
At the University of North Carolina Wilmington, we are driven by a clear purpose: to empower student success, advance innovation, and strengthen the communities we serve. Guided by our strategic vision and commitment to excellence, UNCW offers a dynamic and collaborative environment where employees can make meaningful contributions while growing their careers.
Located in coastal North Carolina, UNCW combines the energy of a thriving academic community with the natural beauty of nearby beaches and outdoor spaces. Here, professional opportunity is balanced with an exceptional quality of life-creating a workplace where you can thrive both personally and professionally.
As a member of the Seahawk community, you'll benefit from a culture that values well-being, lifelong learning, and connection. UNCW offers a competitive and flexible benefits package designed to support your health, financial well-being, and professional growth. From comprehensive health coverage and retirement options to generous paid leave, tuition opportunities within the UNC System, learning and development opportunities, and wellness programs, UNCW is committed to helping you thrive both at work and in your personal life.
Recruitment Range
$45,934 - $50,438
Recruitment Range Details
The salary range advertised is the designated recruitment range for this classification. Final salary offers will be determined by the candidate's education, relevant experience, internal equity alignment, and departmental budgetary parameters.
Vacancy Number
S02900
Position Title
University Program Associate
Working Title
Development Assistant for Gift Agreements
Competency Level
Journey
Home Department
University Advancement - 50000
Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit
The Division for University Advancement (UA) is responsible for the following primary goals:

1. Coordinate a campus-wide, comprehensive effort to raise philanthropic funds that support the strategic plan and mission of the university.
2. Manage an inclusive alumni engagement program designed to serve and engage nearly 100,000 alumni as ambassadors, advocates and donors.
3. Strengthen and expand UNCW's donor pipeline through effective discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies.
4. Ensure that external boards (UNCW Foundation Board, Board of Visitors, Student Aid Association Board, Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Friends of UNCW) are effective in their mission of supporting UNCW.

The division's fundraising efforts are enhanced by effective partnerships with the campus community as well as external constituents including alumni, parents, corporations, foundations, volunteers and friends. Development areas include annual giving, leadership annual giving, major gifts, principal gifts, corporate and foundation engagement and planned giving, as well as alumni engagement. Prospect development, events and board management, stewardship, communications and advancement services are support services for the fundraising activities of the division.
College
University Advancement - 500 College
College/School Information
University Information
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state's coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking.
A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation's only bachelor's degree program focused on coastal engineering.
The university's efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of "Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity" institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.
Location of Workplace
Main UNCW Campus
Brief Summary of Work for this Position
The Development Assistant for Gift Agreements holds a key position in the effective cultivation and solicitation of philanthropic donors through the execution of accurate gift agreement documentation and fund creation. Reporting to the Director of Legacy Gift Planning, this position ensures donor agreements are drafted and executed in a way that fulfills both donor intention and UNCW's mission, maintains documentation and donor record integrity to facilitate the proper management, reporting of the funds and various administrative tasks associated with the Scholarship program. Functioning as a member of the University Advancement staff, a team of development and advancement professionals, this person is a strategic and functional bridge between University Advancement's Major Gifts and Development Operations teams.
Key responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Creating Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding through the use of established templates and in consultation with the Development staff, as well as updating historical agreements per donor request.
• Distributing completed agreements to appropriate division and university staff, assigning "next steps" to ensure funds are created and pledge and/or gift transactions are appropriately recorded.
• Reviewing or compiling brief donor profiles to include key points in agreement drafts.
• Creating and distributing agreements via DocuSign to collect donor and appropriate university leaders' signatures.
• Interfacing with staff and donors to provide information and answer questions related to new and historical gift agreements.
• Completing fund-related data entry in the university's Raiser's Edge donor database.
• Provides backup for the development associates for stewardship prospect research.
• Responding to staff and donor requests for scholarship fund balances (book and market), agreement and criteria updates, recipient information and relevant endowment fund information.
• Expand and finalize the creation of a searchable database of all scholarships and other gift agreements organized and indexed to allow identification of the various data points and information included in the agreements.
• Aid and assist in the stewardship programs created by scholarship and gift agreement creation as needed.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Bachelor's degree; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
Preferred education, professional skills and experience

• Demonstrated experience with various software packages including:
  • MS Office, primarily Word and Excel
  • DocuSign
  • Raiser's Edge NXT donor database
  • SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and Office 365
  • Banner Finance
  • NextGen scholarship management database)
• Strong customer service and written and verbal communication skills, including proofreading.
• Ability to manage, self-prioritize, problem solve, and meet multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong attention to accuracy and detail.
• Familiarity with and interest in development and fund-raising techniques and principles is strongly preferred, as is experience working in privately funded scholarship administration in higher education.
• Ability to identify, analyze, interpret and evaluate data, situations identifying issues that deviate from standard operating procedures and bringing them to the attention of the supervisor.

Required Certifications or licensure
N/A
FTE
1.0 FTE (40 hours per week)
Months Per Year
12 Months
Work Days
Monday - Friday
Work Hours
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Type of Position
Permanent
Anticipated Ending Date if Time-Limited
Position Number
7481
Job Posting Date
08/19/2026
Posting Close Date
08/30/2026
Number of Openings
Single Incumbent
Special Notes to Applicants
PLEASE NOTE: This posting will close at 11:59PM (Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire application, including the 'Work History' section before you apply for this position. Applications must be submitted through the online application system to be considered.
This position is being recruited at the Journey level. If no applicants apply who meet the required competency and training & experience requirements, then management may consider other applicants. Salary would be determined based on competencies, equity, budget, and market considerations.
EEO Statement
UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents - except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs.
Eligibility for Employment
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.
External Link to Posting
https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/40567