Athletics Development Coordinator (Advancement Professional I)

Position Summary

Join San Diego State University as an Athletics Development Coordinator and support the fundraising and donor engagement efforts behind SDSU Athletics. In this role, you’ll provide administrative and project coordination support to the Athletics Development team, helping manage donor and prospect information, coordinate stewardship activities and communications, support fundraising events, and keep day-to-day development operations organized and moving forward.

Key Responsibilities:

Development & Donor Support

• Support donor and prospect research, identification, tracking, and movement through the development pipeline.
• Maintain prospect records, contact reports, proposals, follow-up activities, and donor tracking systems.
• Coordinate donor communications, appeals, acknowledgments, recognition, and stewardship activities.
• Assist development staff with tracking fundraising activity and donor engagement.

Administrative & Project Coordination

• Prepare correspondence, presentations, proposals, and other development materials.
• Maintain project timelines, records, procedures, and shared development resources.
• Coordinate calendars, meetings, travel arrangements, and expense documentation for development staff.
• Process travel claims, reimbursements, purchasing documents, and credit card reconciliations.

Donor Data & Research

• Maintain accurate donor and prospect information in advancement databases and tracking systems.
• Conduct preliminary prospect research and assist with donor and prospect lists.
• Coordinate record updates related to gifts, donor information, contact reports, and proposals.
• Support athletic donor and season ticket holder records using Ticketmaster.

Events & Donor Engagement

• Assist with fundraising events and donor engagement activities for the Aztec Club and SDSU Athletics.
• Coordinate registration, guest lists, event communications, materials, and logistics.
• Support game-day donor hospitality, including credentials, parking, guest communications, recognition, and benefit fulfillment.
• Collaborate with Athletics, SDSU Alumni, and campus partners on events and engagement activities.

What We're Looking For:

We’re looking for an organized, service-oriented professional who enjoys coordinating details, working with people, and supporting a busy team.

Experience in areas such as the following is especially valuable:

• Administrative or project coordination
• Fundraising, development, or donor relations
• Prospect research and database management
• Event and meeting coordination
• Marketing and communications
• Travel, expense, purchasing, or reimbursement processing
• Higher education, or public-sector environments

Strong organization, attention to detail, communication skills, and the ability to manage changing priorities will be important in this role.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of Aztec Athletics – Support the development efforts that connect donors, alumni, and supporters with SDSU Athletics.
• Build advancement experience – Gain exposure to donor relations, prospect research, stewardship, fundraising operations, and events.
• Work with a variety of projects – Support everything from donor communications and data to special events and game-day engagement.
• Connect across SDSU – Collaborate with Athletics, University Relations and Development, SDSU Alumni, and other campus partners.

As part of the California State University (CSU) system, San Diego State University helps power one of the largest and most impactful public university systems in the nation. See what it’s like to work at the CSU—watch our video and imagine your future here: Working at the CSU.

Position Information

• This is a full-time (1.0 time-base), benefits-eligible, temporary position with an anticipated end date a year from the start date, with the possibility of reappointment.
• This position is designated non-exempt under FLSA and is eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but may vary based on operational needs (Ability to travel and attend off-campus appointments and events. Evening, weekend, and other work outside of normal business hours is required to support events and departmental needs.)
• The individual hired for this role will work at the SDSU Experience Center in Mission Valley, San Diego.

Department Summary

University Relations and Development (URAD) shares the university’s vision and mission underscored in the SDSU strategic plan. Units of URAD work together to create enduring relationships with alumni, parents, donors, students and the community to generate private support for SDSU students, faculty and a diverse number of programs. URAD handles a range of services encompassing stewardship, events, gift administration, communications and more. The departments of Development, SDSU Alumni, Planned and Annual Giving, Special Events and Donor Relations, Marketing and Communications, Financial Management, Data Management, Prospect Research and Management and Operations are making a tangible difference in the lives of more than 40,000 students.

Our fundraising success can be credited to the university’s goal of building a world-class university campus, research center, and multi-use stadium in Mission Valley to serve higher education, the public good, and the community’s goals and aspirations.

SDSU has been recognized several times for its exceptional development program by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). With the support of loyal donors and in collaboration with SDSU’s visionary faculty and staff, the university cultivates lifelong relationships with more than 500,000 alumni, friends, and community members—advancing SDSU’s mission for generations to come.

The Department of Athletics, utilizing the services of over 150 employees, is responsible for the intercollegiate athletics program at San Diego State Univers