Development Associate

About the Role/Purpose:

The Development Associate plays a key role in advancing Big Picture Learning’s mission by supporting the systems and relationships that power fundraising at BPL. This role ensures smooth execution of campaigns, donor stewardship, and grant coordination—securing the resources needed to sustain and grow our impact. By maintaining organized data, communications, and internal processes, the Development Assistant helps BPL to build strong, mission-aligned partnerships that lead to long-term success and sustainability.

Primary Responsibilities: specific scope includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• General Development Assistance
  • Support the planning and execution of fundraising campaigns and events.
  • Help prepare fundraising materials, presentations, and reports in partnership with the Communications & Leadership teams.
  • Conduct research on prospective donors and funding opportunities.
  • Coordinate cross team meetings and communications.
  • Support leadership and others in grant cultivation efforts.
• Donor Relations Support
  • Assist with donor acknowledgment processes, including drafting and sending thank you notes and preparing donor receipts.
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records in Salesforce.
  • Respond to donor inquiries in a timely and professional manner.
  • Support leadership in donor cultivation efforts.
• Administrative Support
  • Manage and organize development team files and documentation (i.e. Salesforce and Google Drive).
  • Oversee internal Salesforce pipeline(s) to ensure records are up to date and accessible to multiple teams.
  • Schedule meetings and appointments for the development team.
  • Assist in the completion of grant applications in partnership with the relevant parties and the Senior Operations Manager.
  • Other duties as assigned.
• Data Management
  • Input and update donor/donation information, grant data, etc. into Salesforce.
  • Generate basic reports on fundraising activities and donor data.

Qualifications, Requirements, and Skills:

• We value formal education such as BA, however, as research demonstrates that education requirements can be a deterrent for qualified candidates to apply, we encourage all candidates with the professional experiences and leadership qualities outlined in this position specification to apply.
• 1-2 years of relevant work experience.
• Willingness to travel (approximately 10-20% of the time)
• Working knowledge of development work such as donor cultivation, grants management, event planning, and recording keeping.
• Experience with Excel and Google sheets (formulas, formatting, etc.)..
• Experience using Salesforce is highly preferred (building reports, managing sensitive data, running campaigns, contact management, etc.).
• Ability to craft thoughtful and engaging written communications and ability to explain data reports to various audiences.
• Outstanding organizational and project management skills with a high attention to detail.

Organizational Skills

• Steadfast belief that students should be at the center of their own learning and that education (in particular public education) is due for a reorientation that allows students to be confident in the pursuit of their own passions and interests.
• Strong internal accountability (especially important due to the geographic spread of BPL’s work and our virtual teams), comfort juggling multiple projects and prioritizing tasks, and the ability to work remotely as a part of a fully remote team.
• Ability to take ownership and see tasks through from conception to completion.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills (speaking, writing, listening).
• Commitment to continuous improvement, a relentless approach to growth and learning, and an openness to constructive feedback.
• Collegial and empathetic approach to working with others, while bringing a creative, flexible and thoughtful approach to your work.
• Ability to use - or quickly learn - multiple tech platforms (i.e., Google Suite, Salesforce, Motion, etc.).

Application Process and Timeline:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a final deadline of August 18th, 2025.

Desired Start Date Window

As soon as possible pending new hire availability.

Click Here To Apply

You will need to provide the following documentation:

1. Thoughtful and Tailored Cover Letter of Introduction (≤ 2 pages)
2. Resume/CV
3. List ≥ 2 Professional References

Location:

This is a fully remote position. Candidates from anywhere within the U.S. are welcome to apply.

Reports to: Director of Operations and Development

Compensation:

BPL is committed to pay equity and transparency. All roles are leveled based on the current market, as well as the scope and responsibility of the position. In order to ensure equity across the organization, we have a no-negotiation policy which we would be happy to explain/discuss.

• Annual salary for this entry level position is $60,000

Eligibility Requirement: U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency

Please note that this position requires the candidate to be a U.S. Citizen or to be a permanent resident with pre-approved work authorization. Due to the nature of this role and to comply with federal regulations and/or contractual obligations, only citizens and residents are eligible for employment. Proof of U.S. citizenship/residency will be required as a condition of employment.

About BPL

It is our vision that all students live lives of their own design, supported by caring mentors and equitable opportunities to achieve their greatest potential. We move forward prepared to activate the power of schools, systems & education through student-directed, real-world learning. www.bigpicture.org

At BPL, we are practitioners and practice the implementation of truly innovative designs. We are story doers and we work with an intensity and drive that rivals any other organization or business. We relentlessly focus on elevating the voice of students, parents, and communities. At BPL, innovative and valuable ideas matter more than the role of the person sharing them. We work together to achieve our mission because we know we can accomplish more as a team. Many BPL team members report that

the "family feel" of our organization is what makes our work so rewarding. Working at BPL is a vibrant and ongoing learning experience and we seek to offer all staff the opportunity to experience work that aligns with the ten student expectations described in Leaving to Learn.