Advancement Associate - Donor Engagement and Operations

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Advancement Associate - Donor Engagement and Operations

Supervisor: Chief Advancement Officer

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Some evenings and weekends required)

Status: Exempt

Term: 12 Months

Salary: $75,000-85,000 commensurate with experience

Job Overview:

The Advancement Associate plays a key role in advancing the organization’s fundraising and engagement efforts. In partnership with the Chief Advancement Officer, this position is responsible for overseeing donor cultivation and stewardship efforts, managing a portfolio of major gift prospects, maintaining the fundraising CRM database, and executing strategic fundraising events. The Donor Engagement and Operations Associate collaborates with key stakeholders—including leadership, board members, and volunteers—to drive philanthropic support for the organization.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree required; minimum of 3 years of nonprofit fundraising, donor relations, and special event experience preferred
• Strong organizational and project management skills with an ability to handle multiple priorities and deadlines
• Expertise in Salesforce CRM management with an emphasis on donor data integrity, reporting, and analytics
• Experience with major gift fundraising, donor cultivation, and stewardship strategies
• Ability to maintain accurate records, develop prospect pipelines, and track donor engagement
• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills with the ability to build relationships with donors, board members, and volunteers
• Self-starter with the ability to think proactively, take initiative, and work independently to meet fundraising goals
• Experience executing logistics necessary to plan and host successful large-scale fundraising events
• Knowledge of marketing and communication strategies to support fundraising and event promotion (video editing is a plus)
• Must be willing to work some evenings and weekends as needed

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

Donor Relations

• Develop and manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, implementing tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies
• Conduct donor research and prepare personalized cultivation and solicitation plans
• Assist in setting fundraising goals and developing strategies for individual giving campaigns
• Oversee stewardship efforts, ensuring timely acknowledgments, impact reports, and donor recognition
• Partner with the Chief Advancement Officer to engage the Board of Trustees and key volunteers in fundraising efforts
• Attend school parent functions and build relationships with stakeholders and families
• Work collaboratively with faculty and program staff to identify compelling funding opportunities

Project Management

• Manage implementation of projects as assigned to accomplish fundraising goals including but limited to: brand and swag orders, expense management, events
• Execute annual fundraising and cultivation events, including managing logistics, sponsorships, and donor engagement
• Recruit, train, and manage high-level volunteers for event leadership and committee roles
• Facilitate event committees and sub-committees, ensuring alignment with fundraising goals
• Develop and implement marketing and publicity plans to promote campaigns and events
• Partner with CAO to secure corporate sponsorships and in-kind donations to support fundraising events
• Oversee project budgets, vendor management, and reporting and analysis

Database and Advancement Operations

• Serve as the primary administrator for Salesforce CRM, overseeing gift entry, acknowledgments, reporting, and data integrity
• Maintain and expand donor pipelines, ensuring accurate donor records and segmentation
• Provide data-driven insights to inform fundraising strategy and measure donor engagement
• Support the development of annual appeals, stewardship materials, and donor communications
• Liaise with the Parent/School Association and faculty to enhance engagement and communication strategies

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement

The Cooke School and Institute provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Cooke complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

The Cooke School and Institute expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Cooke’s employees to perform their expected job duties is not tolerated.