Development Officer

About the Schools Fund

The mission of the Berkeley Public Schools Fund (the Schools Fund) is to champion equitable public education for students, families and our community.

The Schools Fund is a small non-profit (currently 8 employees) that supports the Berkeley Unified School District, a medium-sized district with a diverse population of 10,000 students and 19 schools, through equity-focused programming. Our work centers students’ essential needs, safety and belonging, and love of learning through 4 core programs: educator grants, district-wide volunteer programs, STEM programming, and fiscal sponsorships.

The Schools Fund staff and board are deeply committed to reducing disparities in educational experiences and outcomes in Berkeley public schools.

As the Schools Fund's Development Officer you will:

Fundraising Strategy

• Lead and implement a multi-channel fundraising strategy, including major gifts, annual fund, corporate and foundation support, and planned giving.
• Partner with the Executive Director and Board to engage donors and identify new giving opportunities aligned with Schools Fund priorities.
• Support ED in building and sustaining funding partnerships for the Schools Fund’s STEM programming, with a focus on long-term growth and impact.
• Lead the Development Committee of the Board and provide tools and guidance to support their fundraising efforts.
• Collaborate with program staff to surface stories and data that bring the work to life for donors and community members.
• Shape and uphold consistent organizational messaging and voice across all fundraising platforms and efforts.
• In collaboration with ED, build vision and content for annual Impact Report
• Participate in annual cycles of organizational planning and budgeting

Donor Relations

• Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects; cultivate relationships and steward donors with warmth, strategy, and care.
• Oversee donor acknowledgment, reporting, and CRM systems (particularly Salesforce) to ensure timely and personalized stewardship.

Events Strategy, Management & Community Engagement

• In collaboration with the ED, lead the planning and successful return of the Spring Luncheon.
• Represent the Schools Fund in community spaces and build relationships with families, stakeholders, and partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Deeply aligned with the Schools Fund’s mission of equitable public schools
• 2+ years of leading some aspect of development work, ideally in the education and/or nonprofit sector
• Superb communication skills, both written and verbal, including meticulous attention to detail
• Demonstrated capacity to operate in Salesforce to track donations, manage relationships, segment mailings, etc.
• A strong, cross-generational relationship builder
• Familiarity in crafting messages for diverse audiences
• Event planning experience (ideally for a funder audience)
• Familiarity with Wordpress (website & media), Emma, or similar communication platforms used widely in the nonprofit sector
• Comfortable and capable working in collaboration
• A desire to keep learning, and a commitment to bring new learning to the development work of the Schools Fund

Job Requirements

• Hybrid role, with at least 1 in-person day per week
• Reading and writing on screens and in print
• Color, image, and design evaluation on screens and in print
• Occasional travel to school buildings and event sites all within Berkeley
• Occasional need to carry equipment weighing up to 25 lbs.

Compensation & Benefits

• $80-100K/annually, depending on FTE
• Benefits package that includes:
  • 3 weeks of vacation & standard sick time accrual;
  • 18 total paid federal + BUSD holidays ;
  • 401k retirement fund (no employer match)
• Flexible work schedule: option to work primarily from the office, primarily from remote or split, with at least 1 day/week in person
• Positive office culture and a shared value around work-life balance
• Good location: our office is not far from North Berkeley BART, has easy access to free parking and public transportation, is close to bike paths/bike-friendly, and is in walking distance to great restaurants and Strawberry Creek Park
• The opportunity to make a direct, positive impact on Berkeley’s public schools

Applications will be reviewed immediately and candidates with the best fit will be contacted for interviews. Unfortunately, the volume of applications will prevent us from responding to all applications received.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AT THE SCHOOLS FUND

The Berkeley Public Schools Fund is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

We also know that great candidates can bring skills that we haven’t thought of just yet, and who won’t fit everything we’ve described above. If this is you, don’t hesitate to apply. Tell us what unique contributions you can offer. We are dedicated to improving our organization and know that part of it means to better reflect the people we serve.

We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages and we especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.