Development Associate

Development Associate The Development Associate is responsible for managing donor and program engagement systems, supporting fundraising initiatives, and coordinating strategic events that advance the organization's mission. This position oversees the CRM system to ensure data integrity across donor and program records, supports donor stewardship efforts, and collaborates with internal teams to align development activities with organizational goals. The role requires strong relationship-building skills, CRM management experience, and the ability to coordinate multi-channel fundraising campaigns and events. The Development Associate works closely with the Development Manager, Programs Team, and Marketing & Communications Team to ensure seamless execution of engagement strategies and contribute to the organization's growth and visibility. Additional Responsibilities and Duties Strategic Growth & Partnerships Support the cultivation of corporate partnerships by assisting with outreach, tracking engagement, and documenting partnership activity within the CRM. Assist the Development Team in maintaining a pipeline of individual and corporate partners. Prepare summaries and materials related to partnership opportunities for review by Development leadership. Fundraising & Development Support fundraising activities including direct mail, digital campaigns, corporate donations, and sponsorships. Collaborate with the Development Manager on campaign execution and donor engagement efforts. Represent the organization at fundraising and community events as assigned. Conduct donor, corporate, and grant prospect research to support fundraising goals. Financial Coordination Participate in monthly meetings with the Finance Department to ensure donations are accurately recorded and reconciled. Assist with tracking fundraising department budget and support the Finance Department with documentation and sponsor monitoring. Identify cost‑saving opportunities across fundraising and operational activities. CRM & Systems Management Maintain and update the CRM system to ensure accurate donor records, stakeholder pipelines, and aligned marketing and communications fundraising plan. Set up and manage donor and program pipelines to support engagement and reporting. Generate CRM reports and dashboards for use by the Executive and Development Team. Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications team to align CRM strategies with communication flows. Provide CRM training and support for staff and troubleshoot system issues as needed. Support staff onboarding and orientation logistics in coordination with HR and leadership. Other duties as assigned. Required Experience, Qualifications and Skill Bachelor's degree in management, human services, or a related field. Minimum 2 years of fundraising experience; track record of raising at least $250,000 preferred. Demonstrated experience supporting donor engagement, proposal development, and event coordination. Proven experience managing CRM systems and donor databases; familiarity with automation tools. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and CRM platforms (e.g., HubSpot, Go High Level, Salesforce, or similar). Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills. Strong organizational, project management, and time management abilities. High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment. Proactive, solution‑oriented mindset with strong problem‑solving skills. Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with external stakeholders. Fluent in English; Spanish is a plus. Must successfully pass a Level II background check. Characteristics Strongly Desired Creativity/Innovation: Develop new and unique ways to improve the image and functional capacity of the organization and to create new opportunities. Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behavior and business practices and ensure own behavior and the behavior of others are consistent with these standards and aligns with the values of the organization. Build Relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization. Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques. Focus on Client Needs: Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of schools, community organizations and individual clients to meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters. Foster Teamwork: Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness. Lead: Positively influence others to achieve results that support the sustainability of the organization. Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization. Organized: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details, data, information and activities. Plan: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create and implement action plans, and evaluate the process and results. Physical Demands: This position is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, speak, and hear. The position requires extensive computer use so the employee must have sufficient hand dexterity to use a computer keyboard and be capable of reading a computer screen. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Limitations and Disclaimer: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job‑related instructions and to perform other job‑related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws. Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an "at-will" basis. We are an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Hiring is contingent to references and Level II background screening and Sex Offender background check successfully passed. #J-18808-Ljbffr