Development Assistant

Job Description

Job Description

Summary

The Development Assistant provides high-quality administrative, operational, and development support to the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and the Development function at ElderSource. The position plays an important role in keeping development activities organized, accurate, timely, and moving forward.

The Development Assistant is expected to be exceptionally organized, detail-oriented, dependable, and comfortable managing multiple priorities with limited supervision. This individual exercises sound judgment, anticipates needs, communicates professionally with individuals at all levels of the organization, and handles sensitive donor and organizational information with discretion. Responsibilities may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable circumstances.

I. Essential Duties and Responsibilities

A. Provide comprehensive administrative and operational support to the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. Manage and coordinate calendars, meetings, appointments, deadlines, and development activities; identify scheduling conflicts and help ensure appropriate preparation and follow-up. Assist in organizing priorities, tracking commitments, and ensuring timely follow-through on action items.

B. Prepare meeting agendas, correspondence, briefing materials, professional reports, dashboards, presentations, spreadsheets, and other documents for internal and external audiences. Review work carefully for accuracy, completeness, grammar, formatting, consistency, and presentation quality before distribution.

C. Communicate clearly, appropriately, and confidently with senior leaders, managers, Board and committee members, donors, sponsors, community partners, and other stakeholders. Exercise judgment, tact, discretion, and confidentiality in all interactions.

D. Maintain accurate and complete donor, prospect, sponsor, and partner records. Process and document charitable gifts, assist with timely donor acknowledgements and related correspondence, and maintain appropriate confidentiality when working with donors and financial information.

E. Perform routine data entry, data cleanup, quality control, updates, and report generation within the organization’s donor relationship management system to support accurate, complete, and reliable development records.

F. Provide administrative and logistical support for fundraising campaigns, sponsorship initiatives, donor engagement activities, and special events. Prepare and organize materials, lists, correspondence, and tracking documents; track responses, commitments, deliverables, and follow-up activities.

G. Prepare donor, fundraising, sponsorship, and activity reports for leadership review and internal business needs. Compile, organize, and present information from multiple sources in a clear and useful format and help track progress toward established goals.

H. Use Microsoft 365 applications effectively, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. Effectively use organization-approved artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve administrative efficiency, research, organization, drafting, analysis, meeting preparation, and presentation development. Critically evaluate AI-generated content for accuracy, appropriateness, completeness, confidentiality, and organizational context.

I. Coordinate Development Committee meetings, including scheduling, calendar invitations, agendas, meeting materials, presentations, and logistical support. Attend meetings as requested, prepare accurate minutes, document decisions and action items, maintain organized committee records, and assist with follow-up.

J. Maintain organized electronic and physical records and efficient systems for retrieving information and monitoring deadlines. Coordinate as needed with Fiscal/Finance, Communications, and other departments. Identify opportunities to improve administrative systems, workflows, templates, tracking processes, and information management. Support special projects and emerging priorities as assigned.

K. Other Administrative support duties may be assigned

II. Working Relationships

A. Vice President of Strategic Partnerships: 

• Provides direct administrative, operational, scheduling, reporting, meeting, and project support.

B. Donors, Sponsors, Funders, and Community Partners: 

• Provides professional administrative support and communications as assigned while maintaining confidentiality and appropriate stewardship standards.

C. Development Committee and Board Members: 

• Coordinates scheduling, meeting materials, records, and follow-up.

D. Fiscal/Finance Staff: 

• Supports accurate documentation, processing, reconciliation, and reporting related to development activities.

E. Communications and Other Departments: 

• Coordinates information, materials, schedules, and projects necessary to support development initiatives.

III. Supervisory Responsibilities

None.

IV. Competency

To perform the job successfully, this position should demonstrate the following competencies:

A. Attention to Detail and Quality - demonstrates exceptional accuracy and thoroughness; notices inconsistencies; reviews work carefully; takes personal responsibility for complete, polished, and reliable work.

B. Organization and Time Management - effectively manages competing priorities, calendars, deadlines, meetings, and assignments; distinguishes urgent from important work and reprioritizes appropriately as circumstances change.

C. Problem Solving - identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

D. Written Communication - writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling, grammar, accuracy, and audience; presents information and numerical data effectively.

E. Oral Communication - speaks clearly and professionally; listens and seeks clarification; responds effectively to questions; communicates comfortably with leadership, managers, Board and committee members, donors, and external partners.

F. Emotional Intelligence and Interpersonal Effectiveness - demonstrates self-awareness, professionalism, discretion, tact, and respect; listens well, receives feedback constructively, and adapts communication style to the audience and circumstances.

G. Initiative and Accountability - works independently and takes appropriate initiative without requiring constant direction; follows through on commitments; recognizes when guidance or approval is needed.

H. Adaptability and Coachability - responds positively to direction and feedback, adjusts to changing priorities, learns from experience, and seeks direction when appropriate.

I. Technology and AI Fluency - uses technology to increase effectiveness and efficiency; demonstrates proficiency with standard business applications and confidence using approved AI platforms while exercising appropriate human judgment and quality control.

J. Professionalism - approaches others tactfully, responds appropriately under pressure, accepts responsibility for actions, follows through on commitments, and maintains confidentiality and discretion.

V. Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, this person must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

VI. Education and/or Experience

A. Associate or bachelor’s degree in business administration, nonprofit management, communications, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience, preferred.

B. Two or more years of progressively responsible administrative, executive support, development, nonprofit, or related professional experience, preferred.

C. Experience with a donor management system, CRM, or comparable database; DonorPerfect experience is a plus.

VII. Language Skills

Exhibits strong verbal communication skills and the ability to write clearly, concisely, and professionally for leadership and stakeholder audiences.

VIII. Mathematical Skills

Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations and accurately work with routine development and fundraising data.

IX. Reasoning Ability

Ability to define problems, collect and evaluate information, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, identify appropriate next steps, and recognize when guidance or approval is needed.

X. Computer Skills

Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365 applications, particularly Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. Demonstrated experience using donor database/CRM platforms and associated fundraising tools, programs, and software applications. 

XI. Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

N/A

XII. Other Skills and Abilities

N/A

XIII. Other Qualifications

Dependable, adaptable, and highly organized professional who is comfortable supporting senior leadership and interacting with managers, Board and committee members, donors, sponsors, community partners, and other stakeholders. Demonstrates a strong service orientation, accountability, discretion, and commitment to producing accurate, polished work.

XIV. Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by this position to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, this position is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. This position must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

XV. Work Environment  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those this position encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate

Equal Opportunity Employer - ElderSource values all in everything we do. We welcome the unique insights and perspectives of all persons in our quest to fulfill our mission.