Development Operations Specialist

Development Operations Specialist at Susan G. Komen — Research Report

Introduction

The Development Operations Specialist role at Susan G. Komen sits at the intersection of fundraising, donor systems, and operational precision. For anyone exploring a Susan G. Komen internship or job opportunity in development operations, this position offers strong exposure to how nonprofit revenue systems actually work behind the scenes. The internship/job period deadline is not mentioned, so candidates should move quickly and monitor the posting closely.

This role is valuable because development operations is where fundraising strategy becomes execution. If you want a career path that builds transferable skills in CRM management, donor data integrity, reporting, and cross-functional coordination, this is the kind of role that can accelerate that growth. It also gives you a practical view of how major mission-driven organizations convert supporter engagement into real-world impact.

Overview of Susan G. Komen

Susan G. Komen is one of the most recognizable breast cancer organizations in the United States, best known for funding research, supporting patient services, and leading public awareness initiatives. Its work is centered on breast cancer education, advocacy, community outreach, and financial support programs that help patients navigate diagnosis and treatment.

In the nonprofit health space, Susan G. Komen operates alongside organizations such as the American Cancer Society and Breastcancer.org, but its niche is especially strong in donor-driven breast cancer fundraising and direct community support. That positioning makes development operations especially important, because the organization depends on strong systems to manage donors, campaigns, grants, and recurring contributions.

People want to work at Susan G. Komen because the mission is highly visible and emotionally meaningful, and because roles there often involve measurable impact. The work environment tends to attract candidates who value purpose, professionalism, and operational excellence. For job seekers interested in how to get hired at Susan G. Komen, mission alignment and reliability matter just as much as technical ability.

Development Operations Specialist Role

Role Overview

The Development Operations Specialist supports the infrastructure behind fundraising and donor engagement. Day to day, the role helps ensure donor records are accurate, fundraising campaigns are tracked correctly, and the development team has reliable data for decision-making. In practice, this means the position directly supports revenue operations, donor stewardship, and campaign reporting.

While the title may sound administrative, the impact is strategic. Clean data, accurate acknowledgments, and organized workflows help fundraising teams move faster and communicate more effectively with supporters. In a nonprofit like Susan G. Komen, that operational reliability has a direct effect on donor trust and campaign performance.

Detailed Responsibilities

• Maintain donor records and update constituent data in the CRM.
• Process gifts, pledges, and recurring donations accurately and on time.
• Support donor acknowledgment workflows, receipts, and tracking.
• Prepare fundraising reports for leadership and development staff.
• Monitor data quality, identify duplicates, and correct inconsistencies.
• Assist with campaign setup, segmentation, and list management.
• Coordinate with finance, marketing, and programs teams on shared data needs.
• Support event-related donor operations and post-event reconciliation.
• Document procedures and help improve internal development systems.

Day-to-Day Workflow

A realistic day in this role often starts with checking incoming donations, reviewing records for accuracy, and resolving any issues flagged in the CRM. Midday may involve building reports, supporting email segmentation for a fundraising campaign, or responding to questions from colleagues about donor histories or gift statuses. Later in the day, the specialist may update dashboards, reconcile data between systems, and prepare acknowledgment batches.

Because this is a remote role, written communication is especially important. Much of the work happens through email, shared trackers, project management tools, and virtual meetings. The best candidates are comfortable switching between detailed data tasks and collaborative coordination without losing accuracy.

Tools and Technologies

Development operations roles at nonprofit organizations like Susan G. Komen commonly use CRM and fundraising platforms such as Salesforce, Blackbaud, or similar donor databases. You may also work with Excel or Google Sheets for reporting, Outlook or Gmail for donor correspondence, and collaboration tools like Teams or Slack for internal coordination.

Depending on the team structure, the role may also involve Power BI, Tableau, or built-in reporting tools for dashboard creation. A basic comfort with data cleaning, sorting, formulas, and filters is usually essential, even if the work is not highly technical in the software-engineering sense.

Skills and Requirements

Technical Skills

The strongest candidates bring hands-on experience with CRM platforms, donor data management, spreadsheet analysis, and basic reporting. Knowledge of fundraising operations, nonprofit gift processing, and database hygiene is especially useful. Familiarity with data segmentation, list building, and report formatting can also make a candidate stand out quickly.

You do not need to be a developer to succeed here, but you do need to be comfortable with structured systems and precise workflows. If you have used Salesforce, Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge, Excel pivot tables, or reporting dashboards in prior internships or projects, that experience is highly relevant.

Soft Skills

Communication matters a great deal in this role because development operations sits between frontline fundraisers and back-office systems. The best candidates are organized, dependable, and able to explain data issues clearly to nontechnical teammates. Attention to detail is not optional; it is the core of the job.

Problem-solving is another major differentiator. Hiring managers look for people who can spot a broken workflow, trace the cause, and help fix it without creating confusion. Strong time management, discretion with sensitive donor information, and a collaborative attitude all signal that you can handle the pace of nonprofit development work.

Experience Expectations

For an entry-level or specialist-track candidate, prior experience in fundraising operations, administrative support, CRM work, or nonprofit internships is helpful but not always required. A strong project portfolio can substitute for formal experience if it shows data accuracy, process thinking, and comfort with reporting tools.

There is usually no expectation of a graduate degree for this type of role. A relevant bachelor’s background in nonprofit management, business, communications, public administration, or analytics can help, but practical competence and professionalism matter more than pedigree. GPA may be considered in early-career screening, but it is rarely the only factor.

Salary and Benefits

For a Development Operations Specialist at Susan G. Komen, a realistic U.S. market salary range is roughly $48,000 to $68,000 annually for early-career to mid-level talent, with some variation based on nonprofit size, geographic market, and years of CRM or fundraising operations experience. If the role is structured as an internship or temporary position, compensation may land closer to the equivalent of $18 to $28 per hour, depending on scope and location.

Benefits in nonprofit roles often include remote work flexibility, a mission-driven environment, paid time off, standard health coverage for eligible employees, and professional development opportunities. Some teams also provide training on fundraising systems, data tools, or donor stewardship best practices. Full-time conversion is possible when a temporary or internship role proves that the candidate can handle process ownership, accuracy, and cross-team communication consistently.

Susan G. Komen Hiring Process

Step-by-Step Hiring Stages

1. Application submission through the organization’s careers portal or recruiting system.
2. Initial screening for role fit, nonprofit alignment, and technical keywords.
3. Skills assignment or practical exercise, often involving data, reporting, or workflow judgment.
4. Interviews with the hiring manager and possibly development or operations teammates.
5. Offer stage, followed by references or onboarding steps if required.

Application Timeline

Because the deadline is not mentioned, candidates should apply as soon as possible rather than waiting for a formal cutoff. For nonprofit operations roles, the process often takes two to five weeks, but remote hiring can move faster if the team is filling an urgent need. Early applications tend to get stronger visibility, especially when ATS filters are involved.

Screening Methods

Screening usually focuses on keywords tied to development operations, donor database management, reporting, gift processing, and CRM tools. Recruiters may also look for evidence of nonprofit experience, confidentiality, Excel proficiency, and coordination across teams. A resume that clearly shows measurable outcomes, such as improved data accuracy or faster reporting turnaround, is much easier to shortlist.

Interview Preparation

Example Interview Questions

• How have you managed donor or customer data accuracy in a previous role?
• Describe a time you improved a process that involved multiple stakeholders.
• What experience do you have with CRM systems or fundraising databases?
• How do you prioritize detail-heavy tasks when deadlines overlap?

How to Answer

The best way to answer is with the STAR method: situation, task, action, and result. That structure works especially well for operational roles because it shows not just what you did, but how you think. When discussing data or process work, include specifics such as volume, tools used, error reduction, or turnaround time.

For example, instead of saying you “helped with reports,” explain that you cleaned a spreadsheet of donor records, removed duplicates, created a weekly summary, and reduced reporting errors for the team. That level of detail demonstrates real operational maturity.

What Recruiters Evaluate

Recruiters are looking for accuracy, reliability, discretion, and comfort with systems. They also want to see that you understand the mission of Susan G. Komen and can operate in a nonprofit environment where donor relationships matter. Candidates who sound organized, responsive, and thoughtful about process usually perform well.

How to Get Selected

Practical Tips

• Tailor your resume to development operations language, not general admin wording.
• Show spreadsheet, database, or CRM experience with concrete examples.
• Quantify your impact whenever possible, even for school or volunteer work.
• Demonstrate familiarity with nonprofit fundraising or donor stewardship.
• Write a concise cover letter that explains why the mission matters to you.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Submitting a generic resume that does not mention donor systems or reporting.
• Ignoring accuracy and process detail in favor of broad “team player” language.
• Overstating technical skills without evidence.
• Failing to show interest in nonprofit work or breast cancer advocacy.
• Using a cover letter that sounds copied from another company.

How to Stand Out

To stand out, show that you understand how development operations supports fundraising performance. A candidate who can describe list segmentation, acknowledgment workflows, or donation reconciliation sounds far more prepared than someone who only says they are “organized.” If you have a portfolio, include a sanitized sample report, a process map, or a dashboard mockup that demonstrates clean thinking.

Networking can also help. Connect with current or former nonprofit operations professionals on LinkedIn, attend virtual fundraising or nonprofit tech events, and ask informed questions about tools and workflows. For a Susan G. Komen internship or job, that level of interest signals seriousness and helps you look mission-aligned rather than casually curious.

Final Thoughts

The Development Operations Specialist role at Susan G. Komen is a strong fit for candidates who enjoy structured work, meaningful mission-driven impact, and behind-the-scenes problem-solving. It is one of those roles that quietly powers the success of an entire development team, which makes it both practical and strategic. If you are serious about how to get hired at Susan G. Komen, focus on data accuracy, nonprofit awareness, and the ability to communicate clearly across teams.

Apply early, tailor your materials carefully, and prepare to explain how your skills help fundraising operations run smoothly. If you can show that you understand both the systems and the mission, you will already be ahead of many applicants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Salary Question

The salary for a Development Operations Specialist at Susan G. Komen is typically estimated at $48,000 to $68,000 per year for full-time roles, with internship or temporary compensation often falling in the $18 to $28 hourly range depending on experience and responsibilities.

Competition Question

It is moderately competitive to get hired at Susan G. Komen because the organization attracts candidates who care about mission-driven work and nonprofit impact. Applicants with CRM experience, strong Excel skills, and clear nonprofit interest tend to have the best odds.

Skills Question

The most important skills are data accuracy, CRM proficiency, reporting ability, and strong communication. If you can also show process improvement, discretion with donor information, and comfort working remotely, you will be well positioned for this role.