Development Associate

 The Chicago Academy for the Arts seeks a Development Associate who enjoys fundraising and is passionate about the power of the arts to transform lives. The right candidate will be detail-oriented, entrepreneurial, customer-service oriented, collaborative, and interested in playing a central role in growing a wonderful organization. The Development Associate must be able to function as a strong day-to-day manager of the school’s fundraising-related data and gift processing work, and act as a key coordinator of the school’s annual fundraising gala and alumni and parent association programs. The right candidate must deliver a high level of quality control and possess a high degree of comfort working with multiple audiences – internal and external, and enjoy leveraging opportunities for revenue growth. This position offers the right candidate valuable exposure to all aspects of running a non-profit organization that is one of just four independent high schools of its kind in the country.

• Bachelor’s degree in non-profit management, marketing, communications or a related field
  
• Minimum of two years of experience in a development office strongly preferred
  
• Proven success in managing a comprehensive set of development functions, which include fundraising goals from a variety of sources and strategies, including annual fund, institutional giving, and special events
  
• Significant experience with fundraising software/database is preferred (e.g. Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce), including the ability to generate complex reports and oversee consistent use and updates within the database
  
• Strong organizational and project management skills
  
• Computer literacy is a must -- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  
• Ability to work effectively with a team
  
• A passion for work with teenagers, families, artists and in the high school education arena
  
• Excellent language and communication skills, with the ability to motivate and build a rapport with a variety of stakeholders, including staff, board, volunteers, and donors
  
• Experience working in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment while demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness when faced with dynamic priorities and needs
  
• Ability to work outside standard work hours when necessary, attending fundraising events, and other meetings and events
  

•  Data Management
  
• Manage and maintain CRM database, including:
• Ensure gifts, grant agreements, payments and report data is accurate and entered into CRM system in a timely manner
• Maintain individual, foundation and corporation files
• Track all progress with prospects and donors as well as funding progress toward goals
• Produce reports monthly, quarterly, annually
• Produce queries, labels, data files as needed
• Manage and maintain constituent records
• make updates to donor records, enter call reports and track event attendance
• Continually update and correct database records
• Maintain list of funding priorities
• Set Campaigns, Funds and Appeal annually
• Produce reports monthly, quarterly and annually
• Maintain and produce Trustee and prospect manager lists
• Gift Management
  
• Process gifts and prepare acknowledgement letters and other correspondence
• Draft and update acknowledgement letters on a weekly basis
• Produce and send pledge reminders and invoices monthly
• Produce gift reports weekly
• Produce monthly reports to inform reconciliation with Business Office
• Special Events
  
• Assist with the planning, management, coordination and execution of the school’s annual gala, in addition to other development-related events
• Attend key Academy events, dinners and meetings, when appropriate
• Track event-related information throughout the year and produce progress reports for administration and volunteer leadership
• Coordinate and support the activities of volunteer leaders and vendors, and work with event co-chairs to execute the event
• Prepare registration materials and manage registration check-in and CRM data entry
• Manage auction solicitation and management
• Manage gala follow-up/closeout
• Design and manage marketing aspects of the gala
• Annual Giving
  
• Help design and implement moves management program for annual donors
• Coordinate production and mailing of spring and year-end appeals
• Auxiliary Groups
  
• Provide support services for Development Committee, Parents Association and Alumni Association
• Manage meeting calendars, including: sending meeting notices and materials, tracking RSVPs, making follow up phone calls and scheduling meetings
• Conduct regular updates of contact, employment and biographical information
• Stewardship and Communications
  
• Work with Director of Development to design and implement a disciplined and robust moves management program that includes a meaningful and effective stewardship component
• Help design and support the management of development-related marketing collateral and development pages of website
• Help design and support the management of development-related content and communiques (social media, email, print)
• Create invitations to various events
• Research and Proposals
  
• Research prospective donors – individuals, corporations and foundations
• Update records in Raiser’s Edge with research findings
• Flag prospects for specific funding proposals
• Assist with proposal submission