Development Operations Coordinator

This position is fully remote, but the candidate must reside, or be willing to relocate at their own expense, to one of the following states: Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Maryland, or Wisconsin.

SUMMARY:

Big Life Foundation USA (Big Life) is a holistic conservation nonprofit with on-the-ground operations in East Africa. While initially founded to stop the rampant poaching of elephants in the Greater Amboseli ecosystem, it has sincegrown in scopeto include holisticwildlife protection, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, habitat protection, and community initiatives. Big Life was granted 501(c)(3)status in the US in 2010 and has charitable status in the UK and Canada. Operations in Kenya have been ongoing for more than three decades, formerly as the Maasailand Preservation Trust.

Based in the US, reporting directly to the Donor Relationship Manager, the Development Operations Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the organization’s fundraising database (Virtuous), ensuring accurategift data entry, and supporting overalldevelopment operations. This role is critical in maintaining the integrity of donor data, streamlining gift processing, and providing essential support of the fundraising team. This work will support Big Life’s expanding programs to protect East African wildlife and ecosystems.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Development Operations Coordinator duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Take ownership of the donor database, ensuring accurate and complete records, timely donation processing, exploration of new fundraising CRM capabilities, and proactive resolution of data or fraud-related issues (e.g., online credit card disputes), using available tools and documentation.
• Accurately enter and process all donations, pledges,and other contributions in a timely manner, including donations from third-party websites.
• Generate and send acknowledgment letters and receiptsto donors, ensuringcompliance with organizational standards and donor preferences.
• Perform regulardata hygiene tasks,including de-duplication, addressupdates, and data integrity checks.
• Reconcile daily gift entries with accounting recordsand provide necessarydocumentation for financial reporting.
• Confidently build and test complex CRM queries and reports, ensuring accuracy for fundraising initiatives and internal information gathering.
• Manage the interface between Big Life and CRM-related systems, including DonorSearch and FundraiseUP.
• Assist with the implementation of development projectsand campaigns, includingdirect mail, email, and online fundraising initiatives.
• Coordinate with the development team to trackand report on fundraising progressand campaign results.
• Assist in managingdonor segmentation and targeting effortsto enhance engagement and giving.
• Provide Virtuous support and training to internal team members, including US-based, Kenya-based, and UK-based staff and contractors; manage user permissions and support access needs as required.
• As proficiency in core duties is demonstrated, take on expanded responsibilities including donor research, monitoring shared inboxes, and assisting with accreditation-related tasks (e.g., Charity Navigator, Candid).
• Support team memberswith administrative tasksand special projectsas needed.

PERFORMANCE & OTHER EXPECTATIONS:

The Development Operations Coordinator is expected to be a proactive team player who has:

• Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in nonprofit development operations or a related role.
• Proficiency in fundraising software and CRM systems (experience with Virtuous preferred).
• Strong attentionto detail and accuracy in data entry, reporting, and overall database management.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks.
• Ability to work well in a fast-paced environment and multitask without sacrificing the quality of the work.
• Preference for candidates who are experienced and have demonstrated success in working remotely full-time, including but not limited to being self-motivated, taking initiative, resisting distractions, and managing time responsibly.
• Consistently worksthe hours necessary to meet the demands of the positionand achieve deliverables.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Strong understanding of and dedication to African wildlifeconservation is a plus.

WORK STYLE & ACCOUNTABILITY EXPECTATIONS:

• This role requires a high degree of ownership, self-motivation, and reliability. The ideal candidate seeks solutions independently before escalating.
• Maintain prompt and professional communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain clear documentation of tasks, queries, and processes.