Development Associate

Job Description

Job Description

Riverdale Country School is a Pre-K through grade 12 independent school in New York City committed to empowering lifelong learners by developing minds, building character, and creating community in order to change our world for the good. Riverdale seeks to reflect that belonging is the foundational core of community building in how we work collaboratively and support the school’s mission and empowers all community members to thrive in mind, character, and community. Riverdale enrolls about 1,300 students who collectively reside in 117 different zip codes.

We seek to employ people who engage in all aspects of work with a student-centered approach, an open mind, passion, and a willingness to support the greater community.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Development and to the Chief Development Officer, this position also works collaboratively with the Directors of the Annual Fund and Alumni Relations. This is an exciting time to be joining the Riverdale Development Team. Kari Ostrem is in her fourth year as Head of School, the annual fund has grown significantly, alumni engagement opportunities are increasing, we are embarking on a campaign to increase endowment and capital projects, and Riverdale is a leader in NYC independent schools. The Associate will have the opportunity to work on an array of projects, including major gift cultivation, prospect research, and special events. This is an excellent opportunity to launch a successful career in development while learning in a robust and growing shop.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Special Events

• Assist in coordination, implementation, and follow-up of on and off campus special events related to all fundraising programs.

• Oversee events from start to finish - invitation lists, invite text, manage RSVPs, nametags, menus, floorplans, and all relevant logistics.

• Maintain a calendar of sponsored assemblies, facilitating associated receptions.

• Assist the Alumni Relations team with Reunion and other local and regional special events.

• Establish relationships and contract services from vendors, including printers, florists, caterers, and gift vendors.

Campaign

• Assist the director with all activities related to the major gifts program

• Help to maintain accurate records for donor stewardship, cultivation, and follow-up

• Coordinate logistics and follow-up for all cultivation activities

• Support Development Committees of the Board of Trustees, including statistics, lists, research reports, etc.

Development Research

• Produce and maintain accurate research profiles on current and prospective donors, trustee candidates, award nominees, stewardship recipients, and other requests as required.

• Stay current on online resources for information.

Administrative Support

• Facilitate travel arrangements, reservations, vendor orders, and conference registrations for the team as needed.

• Manage monthly credit card reports.

• Create and compile volunteer materials for meetings and events.

• Use Veracross database to assist with event-based data management. 

• Other duties as assigned.

  Requirements

• An associate degree is required, and a bachelor’s degree is preferred.

• 1 - 3 years of work experience.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace; familiar with design programs (e.g., Canva, Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, or similar). 

• Experience with database programming, particularly fundraising programs a plus.

• Able to act as project lead, balance multiple priorities, and meet deadlines.

• Ability to work and communicate effectively with alumni, parents, administration, faculty, and students.

• Creative, self-motivated, detail-oriented, and donor-centered.

• Demonstrates an understanding of and commitment to the mission of the school.

• Organized team player with a can-do attitude.

• Light physical work is required from time to time.

• Strong moral character and ability to handle confidential information.

• Ability and willingness to work outside standard business hours, including occasional weekends and evenings, as needed.

To apply for this position, please click on the red “Apply for this Job” button. Please submit a resume and cover letter. If there are pronouns we should use in potential future communications, we invite you to share that information with us. For information about this position and all open positions, please visit the Careers page of Riverdale’s website.

Benefits of Full Time Work at Riverdale Country School

Working at Riverdale Country School is a purposeful and meaningful career choice that comes with many benefits including:

Transportation: Shuttle service is available to/from the 242nd St / Broadway subway station. Limited stops are also available near transit hubs in Manhattan including the Metro North Harlem Station and subway lines – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, A, B, C, and D. If there is need in the community, we can also run a shuttle from the Henry Hudson Parkway / 246th St bus stop which connects to the #7, #10, and Express Buses to/from Manhattan.

Professional Development: A generous professional-development budget provides for conferences, skills training, and onsite training in areas such as mindfulness, coaching, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Grants and Stipends: All employees are eligible for Frankel Fellow grants, known as “passion grants,” which pay for enrichment activities. More than 120 grants have been made to faculty and staff since the program started in 2014. Stipends are available for coaching, affinity group facilitation, advising clubs with significant out-of-school time, and chaperoning trips (including global trips!).

Sabbatical: Full time teaching faculty are eligible for a sabbatical after 10 years of employment.

Health Benefits: Riverdale offers and subsidizes health, dental, and vision insurance. In addition, the school offers a flexible spending account through which employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses.

Retirement: Employees are eligible to join our Defined Contribution retirement plan through TIAA. The school contributes 7% of an employee's annual salary to their retirement account.

Vacation: Riverdale Country School has a generous time-off policy for staff in addition to vacations afforded by the school calendar.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.