Donor Relations Associate

Under the general direction of the Chief Development Officer (CDO), the Donor Relations Associate is responsible for supporting the CDO’s efforts to raise funds to support CommUnify’s mission, including but not limited to maximizing financial gifts from private individuals, family, and corporate foundations, government grants, and bequests. The Donor Relations Associate will also assist with communication and marketing needs pertinent to fundraising.

Come join CommUnify’s team! Our agency provides employees with a positive work environment with the ability to balance work & home. We provide excellent benefits that include: medical, dental, vision/sick, vacation & holiday pay/Retirement Plan with a 5% match. This position is full-time with full benefits and starts out between $23.90 – $28.30 per hour working in Goleta.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Other duties may be assigned.

• Collaborate with CDO to increase CommUnify’s annual and major gift donor program and increase the number of corporate sponsors.
• Provide professional assistance and interaction with donors via phone, computer, and face-to-face.
• Prepare gift acknowledgment letters, board thank you notes, new donor letters, make thank-you calls, and assist with other personalized correspondence at the CDO’s request.
• Work with CDO to build a planned giving program.
• Create content for social media posts.
• Collaborate with CDO and internal program staff to source success stories, testimonials, and other information for the annual report, newsletter, and social media posts.
• Assist CDO with the planning, strategy, and implementation of annual appeal, annual report, and other mailings.
• Provide editorial support to CDO for the writing of video scripts, advertising, collateral, newspaper columns, newsletter, and other written materials.
• Assist CDO with the planning and executing events, such as the annual Champions Dinner, including help sourcing corporate sponsors and creating the video elements for such events.
• Help solicit in-kind donations and vendor discounts for events
• Research biographical information to prepare Chief Executive Officer, CDO, and other leadership team staff for events and donor/prospective donor meetings.
• Support grant writer by providing data research, maintaining annual grants calendar, and tracking or submitting any reports that funders may require.
• Partner with CDO and outside web consultants to ensure CommUnify’s website remains up-to-date and is compelling.
• Provide information to Fiscal staff pertinent to gifts, deposits, reconciliation reporting, and coding of gifts.
• Serve as administrator for Raiser’s Edge donor/development database, including data entry, gift processing, creation of reports, maintenance of data integrity, and data health.
• Process donations (cash, credit card, electronic, stock, in-kind, etc.) and maintain digital donation files.
• Compile mailing lists, and research potential donor lists available for purchase.
• Provide general administrative support, maintain physical development marketing materials, and answer general phone development phone inquiries.

Education and/or Experience Bachelor’s degree, with a minimum of two (2) years of development and fundraising experience, or the equivalent amount of education and work experience AND two (2) years of working experience in Donor Perfect, Salesforce.org, Raiser’s Edge or other donor management/CRM software.

Other Skills In-depth knowledge of private philanthropy as it relates to the not-for-profit organization and experience with the fundamental disciplines of resource development with an understanding of the Moves Management approach to fundraising.

Other critical abilities include:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills to establish, build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, board members, committee members, donors, partners, and volunteers.
• Self-motivated, able to work independently with limited supervision, willing to handle concurrent tasks and make appropriate judgments and decisions.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends, as needed.

Computer Skills To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of contact management systems; database software; internet software; project management software; spreadsheet software and word processing software WITH Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe and knowledge of design programs.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations Current valid California driver’s license and proof of insurance.

Please note: CommUnify has a mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy with ability to request a vaccination accommodation due to medical or religious reasons.

CommUnify, AA/EOE