Philanthropy Data Specialist

 
POSITION TITLE: Philanthropy Data Specialist
DEPARTMENT: Philanthropy
REPORTS TO: Director of Individual Giving
SALARY: Non-Exempt, $18.63 - $22.04, Commensurate with Experience
LOCATION: In-person (Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity)
ABOUT KANSAS CITY BALLET:
MISSION: To Inspire and Engage Through the Beauty, Power & Passion of Dance
VISION: Outstanding Dance Experiences Accessible to All
Founded in 1957, Kansas City Ballet is a 30+ member professional ballet company under the direction of Artistic Director Devon Carney and Executive Director David Gray. Kansas City Ballet is a resident company at the world-class Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, and each season features an eclectic repertory including traditional classics and exciting contemporary dances. Our professional company, the second company
(comprised of KCB II and Trainees), professional dance school, and partnership programs, seek to nurture and develop our artists, audiences, and students in the values inherent in the creativity, diversity, and joy of dance. Kansas City Ballet reaches more than 20,000 students and adults each year through our many community partnerships and education programs for all ages. The Kansas City Ballet School offers professional dance training for the career-minded student as well as for those simply seeking a healthy lifestyle for over 2,000 students each year in two locations: the Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity in downtown and our South Campus at Meadowbrook in Prairie Village, KS.
 

About the role: Kansas City Ballet seeks a Philanthropy Data Specialist who is a critical member of the Ballet’s philanthropy team and is responsible for managing donor information and supporting the philanthropy department in aspects related to data, the annual fund, records, and gifts. This position requires a highly organized individual with excellent record management and customer service skills.
JOB SUMMARY: The Philanthropy Data Specialist plays a critical role in advancing the organization's fundraising mission by maintaining the integrity and accuracy of its donor database and ensuring its strategic use. This position serves as the primary administrator of Tessitura, managing all aspects of gift entry, donor data, reporting, event RSVPs, and list management for direct mail and email communications. The Philanthropy Data Specialist works closely with the philanthropy team and engages directly with donors to provide exceptional customer service and support a culture of gratitude and stewardship.
Approximate hours per week required by position: 40 Hours per week, Monday-Friday, Some nights and weekends.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Database Administration & Gift Entry
•Serve as the primary administrator for Tessitura CRM, ensuring data integrity across all constituent and transaction records.
•Process and post all charitable contributions (including cash, check, credit card, stock, in-kind, and planned gifts) accurately and in a timely manner.
•Generate pledge reminders and invoices.
•Function as liaison between Development and Finance Departments to provide donor/gift information, account reconciliation and help resolve discrepancies.
•Work with the KCB Guild on Ball reservations and gifts.
•Generate accurate donor listings for KCB performance programs.
•Develop and document data entry standards and procedures for the philanthropy team.
Reporting & Analytics
•Produce dashboards and summary reports for leadership, including annual fund totals, retention rates, upgrade/downgrade analysis, and campaign ROI.
•Monitor pledge reminders and lapsed donor reports, flagging follow-up needs for gift officers.
•Support fiscal year-end reconciliation with the finance department, ensuring gift records align with general ledger postings.
Oversee pledge fulfillment and acknowledgment processes for major, endowment, and corporate gifts.
List Extraction & Direct Mail / Email Support
•Extract, segment, and format constituent lists from Tessitura to support direct mail appeals, email campaigns, event invitations, and cultivation outreach.
•Collaborate with the team to ensure list pulls meet segmentation criteria (giving level, interests, geography, lapse status, etc.).
•Coordinate mail file preparation, including suppression lists (opt-outs, deceased, do-not-solicit), to ensure compliance and accuracy.
•Upload email lists to the email service platform (Wordfly) and ensure data sync.
•Track and document all list extractions and campaign deployments for reporting and audit purposes.
Donor Interaction & Stewardship Support
•Serve as a warm, professional first point of contact for donors calling or emailing with questions about their gifts, tax receipts, pledges, or event registration.
•Generate timely and accurate acknowledgment letters, tax receipts, and pledge reminders in compliance with IRS guidelines and organizational standards.
•Coordinate the acknowledgment workflow, including mail merges, letter printing, and signature routing for senior staff.
•Assist gift officers with donor research, moves management tracking, and portfolio data requests.
Philanthropy Team Support
•Provide day-to-day database support to all members of the philanthropy team, including training new staff on Tessitura workflows and best practices.
•Assist with the preparation of grant reports, board reports, and campaign case materials requiring data.
•Liaise with IT and/or Tessitura consultants on system upgrades, integrations, and troubleshooting.
•Stay current on Tessitura updates, industry best practices, and sector trends in fundraising data management.
•Support additional administrative and project needs of the philanthropy department as assigned.
•Assist with staffing of assigned events.
Additional expectations: