Fellows Administrative Coordinator

About the American Bar Foundation   

Located in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood, the American Bar Foundation (ABF) is a nonprofit, independent, international research institute committed advancing justice and the understanding of law through empirical, interdisciplinary research on law, legal institutions, and legal processes. The ABF offers a rich intellectual community of scholars with expertise in a wide range of disciplines, and staff have ample opportunities to interact with scholars and legal professionals and to attend book launches and research presentations.    

About the Position 

The ABF invites applications from candidates who are seeking an opportunity to grow their nonprofit development experience and donor stewardship. The Fellows Administrative Coordinator will report to the Director of the Fellows and will be responsible for a variety of tasks as part of a team that generates more than $2 million annually for the ABF through gifts from Fellows of the ABF.  

Recruitment (50%)   

• Contribute to Fellows recruitment efforts by researching print and online sources for vetting potential eligible new nominees 
• Assist with monthly nominee invitation process including processing database import clean-up and updating, printing, and sending materials 
• Update monthly report to track Fellows vacancies 

Development & Donor Services (15%)  

• Assist with Fellows phone and email inquiries 
• Process weekly new Fellows welcome packets 
• Attend and staff Fellows events at ABA Midyear and Annual Meetings 

Administrative (35%)   

• Process returned mail and update constituent records in database with new information as received 
• Update website content including lists of New Fellows, New Life Fellows, and In Memoriam sections, monthly and as needed 
• Assist with Fellows events administration and marketing including pulling invitation lists from the database and sending event reminders, printing name tags, and tracking attendance in database (Raiser’s Edge) 
• Periodically assist with processing gift entry, event registrations, and profile updates in database 
• Be responsive to requests from the Executive Director of the ABF and other managers and work collaboratively with colleagues across all departments of the ABF 

Qualifications 

• Associate’s degree or equivalent required; Bachelor’s degree preferred.  
• Experience working in a professional environment preferred. 
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite products, especially with Excel and mail merge tools. 
• Superb organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.  
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge or other fundraising databases preferred, but not required. 
• Ability to track and manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines. 
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.  
• Ability to interact with attorneys, judges, scholars, and academic professionals. 
• Strong customer service skills, especially on the telephone.   
• Must be an Illinois resident and authorized to work in the U.S. 

Work Environment 

This is a hybrid position that allows some remote days and requires some days reporting to a professional office. All ABF staff reporting to the office must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including receiving a booster shot if eligible. This is largely a sedentary role; however, some filing is required. This would require the ability to lift 15 pounds, open cabinets, and bend or stand as necessary.  

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work  

This is a full-time, non-exempt position. Typical ABF staff work hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT, with a one-hour lunch period. Out-of-state travel is required twice a year and is paid for by the ABF.  

EEO Statement   

The ABF is firmly committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons. All decisions regarding the terms, privileges, and/or conditions of employment, including but not limited to hiring, classification, grading, recruitment, discharge, discipline, compensation, selection for training or apprenticeship, placement, promotion, transfer, renewal of employment, tenure or terms, and benefits, will be made without unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, order of protection status, marital status, disability, military status, unfavorable discharge from the military, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, housing status, parental status, source of income, certain arrest or criminal history records, genetic information, protected activity (such as opposition to or reporting of prohibited discrimination or harassment), or any other status or classification protected by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws. The ABF prohibits discrimination, retaliation, and harassment of individuals on any of the bases listed above and any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and/or local law.