Development Officer

Development Officer

Beacon Education is seeking an experienced and relationship-driven professional for the position of Development Officer – Donor Stewardship, Cultivation & Annual Giving. This outward-facing role will support GLOW Academy and Spark Academy by strengthening donor relationships, expanding annual giving efforts, and building long-term philanthropic engagement.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, mission-focused, and passionate about cultivating meaningful relationships with donors, community stakeholders, and volunteers to advance Beacon Education's impact. This position plays a critical role in stewarding current supporters, identifying new donor opportunities, and executing strategies that increase annual philanthropic and volunteer support.

Areas of Responsibility

Donor Stewardship & Cultivation

• Manage and grow a portfolio of annual giving and mid-level donors through strategic relationship-building and personalized engagement.
• Develop and implement stewardship plans to ensure meaningful donor acknowledgment, recognition, and retention.
• Coordinate donor communications including thank-you letters, impact reports, donor updates, and personalized outreach.
• Create cultivation strategies designed to deepen donor engagement and identify potential major gift prospects.
• Support the organization in donor cultivation and relationship management activities.
• Assist in preparing donor proposals, presentations, briefing materials, and stewardship reports.
• Track donor interactions, giving history, and engagement strategies within the donor database.

• Coordinate donor segmentation and targeted communication strategies for various donor audiences.
• Monitor fundraising progress and provide regular reporting on annual giving goals and outcomes.
• Collaborate on messaging and storytelling that communicates organizational impact and inspires philanthropic support.
• Comfortable and confident speaking in small group settings with donors, community partners, volunteers, and stakeholders to effectively communicate the mission and impact of the organization.

Community Engagement & Events

• Manage donor cultivation events and stewardship gatherings throughout the year.
• Assist with planning and execution of community engagement opportunities that strengthen relationships with supporters and stakeholders.
• Identify and cultivate partnerships with community organizations and third-party fundraising supporters.
• Represent Beacon Education professionally within the community and at donor-related events.

Communications & Donor Relations

• Support philanthropic communications including newsletters, donor impact stories, campaign messaging, and digital engagement.
• Help maintain consistent donor-centered messaging across communication platforms.
• Assist with website updates and donor-facing content related to fundraising initiatives.
• Ensure timely and professional donor acknowledgment and recognition processes.

Volunteer & Board Support

• Support the activities of Boards and volunteer committees related to fundraising and donor engagement initiatives.
• Assist with volunteer coordination and donor-related volunteer activities.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, annual giving, or nonprofit development.
• Experience with donor management/database systems.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work professionally with donors, volunteers, community leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Competency with Microsoft Office, donor databases, and digital communication tools.
• Valid driver's license required.
• Must pass a nationwide criminal history and background check.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience developing and executing donor stewardship and annual giving strategies.
• Demonstrated success in relationship-based fundraising and donor engagement.
• Understanding of donor cultivation cycles and philanthropic best practices.
• Ability to communicate organizational impact in a compelling and authentic manner.
• Experience supporting fundraising campaigns and donor events.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to donor confidentiality.
• Passion for education and community impact initiatives.

Salary

• $49,000-$55,000
• Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

Benefits: Our comprehensive benefits package includes

• Health insurance through the State Health Plan of North Carolina
• Employer-paid dental, long-term disability, and life insurance
• Additional voluntary benefits available at the employee's expense
• An industry-leading 401(k) program with employer match
• Employee-accrued paid sick, annual, and personal leave
• Discounted childcare for employee's dependents at Spark Academy

Organizational Overview:

At Beacon Education, we are driven by the belief that a child's zip code should not determine their destiny. By ensuring equitable access to high quality education, we empower children and their families to close and even reverse the achievement and opportunity gaps. Beacon Education powers the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington (GLOW Academy), an all-girls public charter school, which opened its doors in 2016 with its first 6th-grade class of 100 girls. As of 2023, Beacon Education also powers Spark Academy, a state-of-the-art, Early Childhood Development Program designed to nurture all children Ages 6-weeks to 5 years old.

Learn more about our exciting work: Beacon Education Spark Academy GLOW Academy