Development Associate
For over thirty years, NYC Outward Bound Schools has provided transformative educational experiences in communities that have been historically marginalized. We operate a network of schools in partnership with the NYC Department of Education and bring our most effective and replicable practices to a growing number of public schools outside of our network as well. Our uniquely powerful program combines the Outward Bound approach with the principles of EL (Expeditionary Learning), joining together demanding, engaging learning with an emphasis on community and character.
Serving nearly 200,000 students since our inception, we are redefining what educational excellence looks like in New York City public schools. Thanks to our robust and personalized professional development and coaching model, our transformative field programming, our focus on community and character building, and our understanding and support of students as individuals to unlock potential, our results are strong. Our overall graduation rates regularly surpass the city average by 10+ percentage points and we have achieved particularly impressive results among underserved subgroups. This past year, our Black and Latinx students graduated at rates that were 12 and 14 points higher than their peers citywide, respectively, and our students with disabilities graduated at a rate 27 points higher than their counterparts. Each year nearly all of our graduates are accepted to college.
Position Summary:
Join our highly collaborative, five-person Advancement team and together we’ll work to surpass our $3M annual fundraising goal and boost our organization’s visibility. As the Development Associate you’ll take the reins in managing our department’s data systems and gift acknowledgement processes while providing critical support for fundraising, communications, and Board relations. Our ideal Development Associate is a go-getter who asks questions, connects dots, and is incredibly detail-oriented. We are driven by our mission to ensure that all NYC’s young people have access to a high quality education and are looking for someone who shares that passion and is excited by the opportunity to connect with our schools and students.
This position is a full-time role reporting to the Director of Development.
Essential Functions:
Manage and oversee LiveImpact donor database/communications system, including all data entry, complex coding/tagging of gifts and constituents, revenue reporting and reconciliation, regular data cleaning, and troubleshooting issues with vendor, as well as other data-based tools. Also leverages data to help keep the department on track and improve our fundraising efforts, including surfacing prospects, flagging donors in need of extra cultivation, etc.
Manage acknowledgment process for donations, including drafting and sending thank you letters, coordinating with our President & CEO to include personalized language for gifts, and notifying Board members of gifts received that they have solicited so they can send additional thanks.
Follow-up with donors, funders, and Board members on pledges and other needs, including matching gift administration, tax substantiation, invoicing, etc.
Create, manage, and ensure accuracy of solicitation and email lists for Board member outreach and general appeals, customizing where necessary.
Coordinate and provide support for cultivation/appeal mailings (paper and electronic) and other donor outreach.
Provide support for key events such as our Gala, Board Retreat, College March, and cultivation events.
Contribute to grant proposals and reports.
Assist with Board meeting management via assembling and sending materials, managing invitations and tracking RSVPs, updating Board portal of website, and other related activities.
Professional Experience/Qualifications:
1-3+ years of professional experience and eager to be involved in all aspects of a fundraising/ communications office.
Keen attention to and love of detail.
Experience with cloud-based database administration and fluency with technology.
Ability to work independently, prioritize, plan, and multi-task.
Outstanding organization, judgment, and problem-solving capabilities.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral.
Interest in seeing how their work connects to “big picture” department goals.
Additional Competencies and Desired Skills:
Works collaboratively, adapts to multiple contexts and approaches work with a sense of humor and flexibility.
A lifelong learner interested in continually developing a deeper understanding of the best practices related to the position and of our organizational work.
A personal and professional focus on empathy, compassion, and kindness.
Compensation and Benefits:
We offer a competitive salary which will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.
We offer workplace flexibility/partial remote work to support the wellbeing of our staff.
We offer medical, dental, and vision coverage as well as HRA/FSA/Transit accounts, life insurance, 403(b) with employer match after one year, sick leave, and generous PTO.
NYC Outward Bound Schools is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination against, and harassment of, any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, genetic information, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, military or veteran status, qualified individuals with a disability on the basis of the disability, or any other category which may be protected under applicable state or federal law.
No phone calls please. We appreciate all responses, but due to the high volume of resumes received, we can only contact those applicants whose qualifications best match the position requirements.