Development Associate

Position Title: Development Associate

Supervised by: Development Manager

Supervises: None

Status: Full-Time (Non-Exempt); Hybrid

Wage: $24.30 - $30.00/hr (approx. $47,300 - $58,500/yr) is the initial hiring range and is commensurate with experience

To apply: Resume & Cover Letter required

About us: Sarah's Circle is a non-profit organization working to end homelessness for women in Chicago. Our programs have three overarching goals:

• We welcome all women with safety, respect, and community.
• Support women’s growth in all aspects of wellness: physical, emotional, life skills, economic, and the realization of their unique potential.
• Help each woman find her home.

Summary

The Development Associate is primarily responsible for supporting the Development team’s efforts to increase financial support and awareness of Sarah’s Circle. This person will manage communications (social media, website updates, monthly newsletter, annual report, and draft thank you and solicitation letters as needed). This person will create and/or maintain all marketing materials to be used for individual giving activities. They will also maintain the donor and volunteer CRM database (Bloomerang) including data entry, thank you note generation, and creating reports/dashboards as needed. The Development Associate will oversee volunteer and in-kind donation activities at Sarah’s Circle. This person will have excellent writing skills, an eye for design, and will be interested in building public relations skills.

Responsibilities

Marketing, Communications and Public Relations

• Manage agency social media accounts and online communications.
• Maintain agency website including routine updates.
• Coordinate planning, writing, and development of the Annual Report.
• With development team, plan agency communications calendar.
• Coordinate the development and distribution of the monthly agency newsletter.
• Write and monitor all fundraising email and print appeals.
• Regularly update stories about clients and supporters.
• Create and maintain organization literature, brochures, and other forms of communication (both print and electronic) with consistent branding and messaging.
• Regularly update materials for external speaking engagements.
• Coordinate video and photography projects and maintain the photo library.
• Represent Sarah’s Circle at speaking engagements as needed.
• Track media coverage.
• Develop and manage media relationships and coordinate press inquiries.
• Write press releases and submit articles on behalf of the organization.
• Manage agency profiles and activity on external, third-party sites and apps.
• Maintain stewardship paper supplies.
• Answer administrative phone calls.

Development Operations

• Process donations including timely and accurate data entry, scanning of checks, and generating and mailing thank you letters.
• Maintain constituent records within Bloomerang and recommend improvements for data processes.
• Accurately complete monthly import of donations from external systems into the agency CRM (Bloomerang).
• Generate reports from the CRM (Bloomerang) to assist with monthly financial audits between Development and Finance to ensure consistency across systems.
• Prepare accurate reports and dashboards as needed for planning and analysis .
• Provide support for the Board, the Impact Board and the Associates Board in relation to donor tracking and management.
• Be proficient in all standard operating procedures and assist others as needed.

Volunteer Recruitment, Training, and Coordination

• Recruit, orient, schedule, and provide ongoing oversight of individual volunteers.
• Manage and steward external groups and organizations providing volunteer or in-kind support.
• Engage and collaborate with staff to determine the most effective use of volunteers.
• Ensure volunteer coverage for meal service and other opportunities for volunteer support.
• Communicate with program staff as necessary about updates and changes.
• Coordinate in-kind donations and communicate with staff about current needs.
• Enter and track volunteer and in-kind donation data in the CRM database (Bloomerang).

Events

• Assist Development Team with all agency-led events.
• This position occasionally requires work and attendance of events during evenings and weekends.

Other

• Represent Sarah’s Circle in professional manner
• Protect organization’s value by keeping information confidential
• Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations
• Perform general tasks and other duties assigned by supervisor
• Participate in external networking and fundraising events on behalf of Sarah’s Circle

Attendance at Required Meetings

• All Staff Meetings (as scheduled)
• Development Team Meetings (monthly)
• Supervision Meetings (weekly)

Attendance Required at Events

• All Agency Events
• Additional Speaking Events as Required

Competencies

• Dependability: attends work regularly, submits accurate documentation, and seeks guidance when needed
• Teamwork: establishes collaborative relationships with staff and volunteers
• Receptiveness: accepts feedback and identifies areas of growth
• Interpersonal Skills: communicates clearly (both written and verbally), seeks solutions, and demonstrates flexibility
• Integrity: keeps sensitive information confidential and adheres to personnel policies
• Initiative: brings questions to supervisor and seeks opportunities for further development

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in related field preferred

Job Experience

• 2 - 3 years of nonprofit resource development or related experience preferred, including communications, social media, and database CRM experience

Special Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to consistently meet deadlines
• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills
• Strong computer skills required
• Track record of quickly learning new technologies
• Capacity to work with individuals from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds
• Demonstrated ability to work independently
• Knowledge of systemic, societal issues relating to women and homelessness, and the ability to articulate these issues and Sarah’s Circle programming to the public preferred
• Office 365, Facebook Business Manager, WordPress, graphic design experience, and Bloomerang preferred

Health and Safety Requirements

• Position requires the ability to lift approximately 20 lbs. when receiving food and other donations