Development & Communications Coordinator

Mission

Partnering with families, La Vida Scholars equips low-income, high-achieving students with access to resources and opportunities to enter top colleges and graduate with minimal to no debt.

Position Overview

The Development & Communications Coordinator will play a key role in supporting La Vida Scholars’ fundraising, donor engagement, and communications efforts. This individual will help strengthen the organization's visibility and brand by sharing compelling stories that highlight the experiences, achievements, and impact of our Scholars and families.

Working closely with the Director of Development, the Coordinator will support fundraising initiatives, donor stewardship, and strategic communications to advance La Vida Scholars' mission and development goals.

Qualifications & Skills

• Commitment to a mission rooted in social justice and inclusion, with demonstrated understanding of the cultures and communities we serve in Lynn & Chelsea, MA
• Strong written communication skills
• Proactive self-starter with strong organizational skills and ability to multitask, problem-solve, meet deadlines, and pay close attention to detail
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, provide strategic thought leadership, and interact well with a variety of constituent groups
• Curiosity, flexibility, and a willingness to learn in a fast-paced environment
• Receptive to a culture of feedback and reflection, engaging in continuous learning and self-growth
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a cohesive team
• Consistent able to produce quality work deliverables that are on-time, complete, and free of errors

Educational Background & Work Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; Associate’s degree or relevant experience will be considered
• Experience with video editing or photography is a plus
• Experience managing communications tools is a plus
• Familiarity with Donor Perfect and/or other CRM is desirable
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite or Canva is desirable

Primary Responsibilities

45% Fundraising Administration & Development Operations

35% Communications & Storytelling

20% Donor Engagement & Community Relations

Fundraising Administration & Development Operations

• Support the Director of Development in planning, coordinating, and executing annual fundraising appeals, special campaigns, donor cultivation activities, fundraising events, and other revenue-generating initiatives.
• Serve as the primary administrator and power user of DonorPerfect CRM, ensuring accurate donor records, timely gift processing, acknowledgment tracking, data integrity, and effective database utilization.
• Maintain and update donor and prospect profiles, including contact information, giving history, biographical details, engagement activities, and relationship notes to support targeted fundraising strategies.
• Conduct prospect research to identify, qualify, and track potential individual donors, corporate sponsors, foundation funders, and community partners, providing actionable insights to support donor cultivation and solicitation.
• Coordinate donor acknowledgment and stewardship processes, including personalized thank-you letters, gift receipts, recognition communications, and impact updates to ensure timely and meaningful donor engagement.
• Generate donor reports, fundraising dashboards, mailing lists, and campaign performance summaries to support revenue tracking, donor retention, and development planning.
• Collaborate with program staff to maintain an organized, current library of Scholar stories, testimonials, photographs, videos, and program accomplishments for fundraising appeals, grant reporting, donor stewardship, and marketing materials.
• Establish and maintain consistent data entry procedures, oversee database updates, and support staff training on CRM best practices.
• Assist with tracking fundraising activities, donor commitments, campaign deadlines, and stewardship follow-ups to ensure timely execution of development priorities.

Communications & Storytelling

• Develop, write, and coordinate compelling communications that elevate La Vida Scholars' mission, showcase Scholar and family experiences, celebrate achievements, and demonstrate measurable organizational impact.
• Lead the production and distribution of the monthly e-newsletter, coordinating content contributions, editing, design, scheduling, and audience engagement.
• Develop and execute social media content across organizational platforms to strengthen brand awareness, expand community engagement, celebrate program milestones, and support fundraising initiatives.
• Maintain consistent organizational messaging, voice, visual identity, and branding across digital communications, printed materials, presentations, and donor-facing collateral.
• Create compelling donor-centered content, including fundraising appeals, impact stories, campaign updates, donor recognition posts, fact sheets, and stewardship materials that inspire giving and deepen donor relationships.
• Monitor and manage engagement across social media platforms, responding professionally to inquiries, comments, and interactions while exercising sound judgment and protecting Scholar and family privacy.
• Design and coordinate event communications and promotional materials, including invitations, signage, digital graphics, presentations, and other collateral.
• Support the development and production of the organization's Annual Report, gathering program outcomes, Scholar stories, photographs, donor recognition information, and other relevant content.
• Capture photographs, short-form videos, and testimonials at program activities and smaller events, ensuring appropriate consent and alignment with organizational storytelling guidelines.
• Draft press releases, organizational announcements, and other external communications to highlight major milestones, partnerships, Scholar achievements, and community impact.
• Monitor emerging communications trends, digital engagement strategies, and nonprofit storytelling practices to identify opportunities to strengthen La Vida Scholars' visibility and reach.
• Coordinate communications projects and collaborate with the Communications Content Strategist, program staff, and part-time assistants to ensure quality, consistency, and timely completion of deliverables.

Donor Engagement & Community Relations

• Support the Director of Development in implementing donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention strategies that strengthen long-term relationships and increase philanthropic support.
• Serve as a key liaison for community engagement initiatives, collaborating with program staff to cultivate and maintain positive relationships with local businesses, community organizations, educational institutions, and other partners.
• Coordinate donor and partner engagement activities, including program visits, volunteer opportunities, recognition initiatives, and special events that connect supporters directly to La Vida Scholars' mission and impact.
• Support the development of personalized donor engagement journeys by integrating DonorPerfect with Constant Contact and other communications tools to streamline outreach, acknowledgments, and stewardship.
• Assist in developing segmented donor communications based on giving history, engagement level, interests, and relationship stage to improve donor retention and deepen connections.
• Track donor and community partner interactions, engagement activities, and follow-up opportunities in DonorPerfect to support relationship management and timely outreach.
• Collaborate with the Director of Development to identify opportunities to convert community engagement, corporate volunteerism, and existing partnerships into meaningful philanthropic relationships.

Compensation & Benefits

La Vida Scholars offers a competitive annual salary of $50,000-55,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience, along with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee well-being and work-life balance.

Benefits include:

• Fully employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance (80% for family plans)
• Generous paid time off (PTO)
• Flexible hybrid work schedule
• Employer-paid mobile phone plan
• Free parking
• Paid parental leave
• Student loan repayment assistance program

How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit a resume and cover letter outlining their interest in joining La Vida Scholars and highlighting the relevant skills, qualifications, and experiences that make them a strong fit for the Development & Communications Associate position.

In their cover letter, applicants are encouraged to share what draws them to La Vida Scholars' mission and how their experience aligns with the responsibilities of the role.

Application materials should be sent to Sophan Smith, Director of Development via email at, Sophan@lavidascholars.org.

Anticipated Hiring Timeline

• Friday, November 6, 2026: Application deadline
• November 9–13: Application review and initial phone screenings
• Tuesday, November 17: First-round interviews with the Director of Development
• Thursday, November 19: Final interviews with organizational leadership
• November 20–23: Final candidate selection and reference checks
• November 23–25: Extend offer and finalize hiring arrangements
• Monday, December 7, 2026: Anticipated start date

La Vida Scholars reserves the right to adjust the hiring timeline as needed.

La Vida Scholars offers a competitive annual salary of $50,000-55,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience, along with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee well-being and work-life balance.

Benefits include:

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance (80% for family plans)
• Generous paid time off (PTO)
• Flexible hybrid work schedule
• Employer-paid mobile phone plan
• Free parking
• Paid parental leave
• Student loan repayment assistance program