Senior Development Associate

Job Description:

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Major Gifts department is responsible for raising funds from individuals and family foundations who can support GBH at leadership levels for the annual fund, restricted projects, the GBH Endowment, and other strategic initiatives. The team works closely with GBH executives, production units, board members, and other senior volunteers.

JOB OVERVIEW

The Senior Development Associate (SDA) provides donor relations and administrative support to the Major Gifts team connected with all fundraising, stewardship, and cultivation activities. This role reports to the Associate Director of Major Gifts and working closely with the Donor Relations and Compliance Manager, the SDA is responsible for producing broad scope and highly individualized donor communications, writing reports, documenting communications, supporting proposal development, tracking deadlines, providing event support, and tending to other related tasks.

The SDA partners with the Major Gifts Officers on these activities and works closely with one or more national production unit(s) and other GBH departments, serving as the Major Gifts team content expert and liaison for these areas to ensure the department has accurate and timely content to share with key donors and prospects.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Work with Major Gifts Officers and other account managers on donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities. These activities include gathering necessary information from other GBH departments, drafting communications, drafting/editing proposals and reports to funders promptly, ensuring proper funder crediting, and partnering with account managers on the cultivation of funders through email, DVD mailings, and other opportunities.
Partner with account managers in regular portfolio reviews and clean-up.
Manage implementation of donor engagement and stewardship strategies.
Ensure that donor and gift database records are updated and current, including cultivation plans and activity entry, and maintenance of donor files.
Draft emails, acknowledgment letters, tax acknowledgements and other written correspondence.
Coordinate donor events and meetings.
Manage donor crediting schedule.
Support the production of briefings and other relevant materials for Major Gifts Officers in preparation for prospect visits or meetings.
Evaluate and prepare status reports regarding stewardship activities.
Help with relevant administrative support, including database entry and reports, correspondence, and other tasks.
Stay abreast of GBH projects and activities by attending other departments' team meetings, reading proposals and treatments, etc.
Work on special projects and requests as they arise.

SKILL SET

Excellent communication skills, exceptionally written, are essential.
Must be able to write in different voices, for various media, and use on varied platforms. Experience in a fundraising environment is highly desired.
Strong candidates will possess strong organizational, computer, and interpersonal skills. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with the ability to foster productive relationships with colleagues, balanced with an ability to be self-directed and work independently.
Must be a thorough, detail-oriented individual and very effective in managing multiple projects, responding to various requests, and prioritizing and meeting deadlines. Must be willing to handle administrative tasks, be flexible, and work within a team-oriented environment to support the overall goals for the department and GBH.
Familiarity with relational databases and knowledge of database management practices is required.
Experience using constituent relationship management (CRM) software.
Ideal candidates will possess an interest in a career in development and ERG participation.