Development Associate

Department: Development

Reports to: Development Director

Position Overview:

The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia (ACLU-GA) seeks to hire a full-time Development Associate. This position is located in our office in Atlanta and has a hybrid work schedule. ACLU-GA is the state affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union. Our mission is to enhance and defend the civil liberties and rights of all Georgians through legal action, legislative and community advocacy, and civic education and engagement. We are an inclusive, nonpartisan, statewide organization powered by our members, donors, and active volunteers. We carry out this mission by working to preserve and expand the individual rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, the Georgia Constitution, and related federal and state civil rights laws.

The Development Associate works under the Development Director’s supervision and in close collaboration with the Development team. The position is focused on cultivating and stewarding mid-level giving donors and other targeted donor communities as identified by the department to renew, retain, and upgrade their financial support to the ACLU. The Development Manager will draft donor communications in order to provide program updates, solicit gifts, and support other development objectives. The Development Manager will spend significant time communicating with donors to ensure they learn about the impact of their support of the ACLU and to inspire them to continue their support.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Portfolio Management and Donor Communications:

• Manage a defined portfolio of mid-level donors and prospects, using tailored communications, strategic stewardship, and solicitations to deepen engagement and grow annual support
• Steward planned giving portfolio through routine communications, such as special acknowledgments and program updates
• Manage or assist with occasional donor cultivation events, such as small house parties and virtual program briefings
• Assist with end-of-year appeal letter to mid-level and major donors
• Respond to general questions from donors related to their financial support and ACLU work
• Mail weekly acknowledgment letters to donors, and draft special acknowledgement letters as assigned
• Maintain up-to-date and accurate database records of donor interactions, contact information, and other relevant biographical information
• Create and maintain inventory of print materials, including program one-pagers, pledge cards, donation envelopes, thank you cards and other stationary
• Maintain development and donation information online, including affiliate website and public nonprofit directories such as Guidestar, to ensure information is up-to-date, accurate, and easy to understand
• Track portfolio activity, outreach and engagement metrics, and progress toward defined performance goals

Other Responsibilities:

• Prepare donor research memos for major gift solicitation meetings, as assigned
• Implement and maintain ACLU Development best practices in all areas of work
• Participate in National ACLU Development Resources offerings, including routine training meetings, online forums, and opportunities to engage with development colleagues nationwide
• Stay well-versed in the National ACLU Development communications calendar and upcoming events to ensure coordination and collaboration between the national office and the affiliate
• Remain current on ACLU work and programmatic priorities, locally and nationally, and be an effective representative of the organization
• Contribute to broader donor cultivation and strategy development initiatives
• Participate in affiliate’s public events as assigned, occasionally on weekends or evenings
• Other duties as assigned

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree; supplemented by at least two (2) years of donor communication or fundraising experience in a non-profit, public advocacy, or similar environment, or an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience
• Experience drafting external communications such as letters, outreach materials, or program updates
• Experience maintaining databases, with a preference for experience with Salesforce or similar CRM systems
• Experience handling sensitive information with discretion and maintaining strict confidentiality in managing data and communications

Desired Skills/Abilities:

• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Familiarity with platforms like Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Asana
• High level of accountability and ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Skill in adapting to a changing work environment, competing demands, and ability to deal with change, delays or unexpected events
• Ability to synthesize data from a variety of sources and produce clear, well-organized, persuasive, and accurate information
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced team environment and to manage multiple priorities to ensure that deadlines are met
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
• Seeks continuous growth in professional development practice and skills
• Willingness to occasionally travel and to work evenings and weekends as needed
• Strong commitment to the ACLU’s mission and goals
• Ability to work with and center historically marginalized or oppressed communities of different cultures and backgrounds. This includes having a mature understanding of how structural racism, sexism, and prejudice against all kinds of marginalized communities pervade our society

Hybrid/Remote Office Schedule:

The ACLU of Georgia operates in a hybrid work environment. Staff are required to work in person at the Atlanta office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week. Remote work is permitted on other days, provided job responsibilities are met.

Physical Requirements:

Prolonged periods of working on a computer