Development Associate

Job Description

Job Description

Salary: $53k - $60k

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reel Works is hiring a Development Associate to support fundraising and cultivation activities related to Reel Works.

Location: This position requires candidates to be based in the New York City Metro area, with the flexibility of a hybrid office environment. Three (3) days in office is required. The physical office is located in Brooklyn, NY.

Reports To: Chief Development Officer

Compensation: Full-time 40 hours per week; $53k - $60k + Benefits

Estimated Start Date: July 13, 2026

Application Deadline: May 22, 2026

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Change the storytellers, change the world! At Reel Works, we believe talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Reel Works was founded in 2001 to encourage young people to share their stories through filmmaking. Our work has since expanded to help build a more inclusive media industry and provide emerging talent with the mentorship, skills, and professional networks needed to succeed. Our mission is to educate, train, and mentor emerging talent from all backgrounds to succeed in the media industry. Through the power of storytelling and workforce development, we remove barriers to entry, unlock creative potential, and equip young people and emerging professionals with the tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving media industry.

Our workforce development program, MediaMKRS, was launched by Reel Works in 2019 to address the crisis of inclusion in the media industry with a goal to diversify the media landscape and create equitable solutions. MediaMKRS educates and empowers individuals from diverse backgrounds to succeed in the media industry through comprehensive training, hands-on work experiences, networking opportunities, and unparalleled access to industry professionals needed for a thriving career. To learn more visit reelworks.org and mediamkrs.org.

THE POSITION

Under the supervision of the Chief Development Officer (CDO), the Development Associate will support the mission and vision of Reel Works by providing essential administrative support for all aspects of the Development & Communications department, which is responsible for securing revenue to fund our mission.

WHAT YOULL DO

Administrative (30%)

• Provide general administrative support such as scheduling meetings, maintaining digital files, and updating fundraising materials
• Support the management of donor records by entering and maintaining accurate contact and giving information in Salesforce
• Help run reports and dashboards from Salesforce to support team planning and donor communication
• Assist with drafting and formatting donor communications and event e-blasts in tools such as Mailchimp or Canva
• Support monthly and quarterly accounting reconciliations and reporting

Individual Giving (30%)

• Provide administrative support to the CDO and CEO in support of individual giving, including prospect research, scheduling calls and meetings, providing materials as needed, and recording all gifts
• Assist with stewardship efforts by helping prepare thank-you letters, donor recognition materials, and impact reports
• Help track and report on fundraising benchmarks, such as donor renewals and acquisitions
• Conduct research on potential individual donors, corporate funders, and board prospects
• Manage donor tools and platforms including Benevity, Go Fund Me, Donor Search, Donor Trends, Fundraise Up, etc.
• Coordinate Year End Appeal campaign in partnership with CDO, CEO and Communications Senior Associate
  

Board of Directors (20%)

• Schedule & coordinate board and committee meetings
• Assemble, distribute and archive board meeting materials
• Record and distribute board meeting minutes
• Prepare fundraising reports for board members and assist in preparing board member reports
• Support board member fundraising, track cultivations and report gifts

Events & Stewardship (10%)

• Assist in the planning and publicity of donor events, screenings, and cultivation activities, including the annual gala, film festival, and year-end appeal
• Help coordinate invitation lists, assist with in-house mailings, and manage RSVPs
• Support donor engagement efforts by conducting research on honorees, guests, and prospective partners
• Collaborate with team members to prepare materials like donor bios, lookbooks, and event shot lists
  

Other Responsibilities (10%)

• Support internal outreach for external opportunities and events
• Collaborate across the organization to support student film screenings and film festivals
• Support Grants Manager with researching prospective funders
• Prepare reports as requested to support grant writing and reporting

QUALIFICATIONS

THE SKILLS & EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE

• 2-3 years of relevant professional experience working in an administrative, fundraising, or development roles
• Demonstrated interest in nonprofit fundraising, arts education, or media justice
• Strong research and writing skills with a high level of attention to detail
• Experience with administrative tasks, organizing data, or working on collaborative projects
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and follow through on details
• Familiarity with social media platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook) and digital communication tools
• Proficient using Google Apps [email, drive, calendar, sheets, docs, Google Meet]
• Experience with Salesforce or similar CRM/database systems
• Experience with tools such as Zoom, Canva, Eventbrite, or Mailchimp is a plus
• Experience and passion for inclusion and working effectively with a diverse group of people, including experience working with BIPOC communities
• Experience in the film and media industry a plus
  

THE QUALITIES & ALIGNMENT YOU HAVE

• Eligible to work in the U.S.
• Able to work in a hybrid environment and travel throughout the New York City metro area as needed for program delivery and partner engagement
• Deep alignment with Reel Works mission and core values: Growth, Accountability, Community, Self-expression, Equity, and Impact
• A team-player mindset and a willingness to take initiative and learn
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• High degree of integrity, reliability and trustworthiness and can maintain a high level of professionalism in handling confidential donor information
• A positive, can-do attitude and openness to feedback
• Availability to attend occasional evening events
• A strong relationship-builder who can communicate effectively with students, families, Teaching Artists, school partners, colleagues, and senior leaders
• Clear, concise written and verbal communication skills with good interpersonal skills; comfortable establishing and building good, productive working relationships with a variety of people across all levels
• Personable, approachable, and demonstrates experience in a team-based work environment.
• A passion for youth development, storytelling, and equitable representation in media
  

Reel Works is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating and developing an inclusive staff team. BIPOC, people with intersecting identities - LGBTQIA+, women and non-binary people, people living with disabilities and others with lived experience being part of marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations,the application for all positions at Reel Works includes the option to respond to questions regarding gender, ethnicity, disability, and veteran status (learn more here). This information will not be used as selection criteria in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Self-reporting of personal identifiers is voluntary. While we appreciate your cooperation as we aim to ensure we attract a diverse candidate pool, we respect your right to decide whether to share your personally identifiable information. If you'd rather not share this information, feel free to select "Decline to Answer".

Reel Works is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. For information about when and why we collect personal information on candidates, and how we keep it secure see ourprivacy policy.