Position Description: Assistant Director of Advancement
The priority deadline for this role has been extended to March 17, 2023. Interested candidates should submit their resume in .pdf to careers@redefinEDatlanta.org with the subject line “Asst Dir Advancement + Your Last Name” for consideration. Please click the link at the bottom to download the job description and see page 5 for full details on this application process.
OVERVIEW OF CAUSE, MISSION, & OPPORTUNITY
Every student in every community of Atlanta needs access to a great K-12 public education. Together with parents, educators, community leaders, and philanthropists, redefinED atlanta is transforming Atlanta into a place where every student in every community has opportunity, well-being, and self-determination. We accomplish this by engaging communities, advocating for equity, and funding critical work to drive systemic level improvement in K-12 public education for students and families.
The person selected for this role will be a part of a thriving organization and community of dedicated stakeholders acting with urgency to realize equity and excellence in education. We are a small but growing horizontal, entrepreneurial organization whose energy and creativity elevate when we work shoulder to shoulder together. We also enjoy a diverse, aligned, and deeply engaged board whose support and influence make our work better and easier.
The Assistant Director of Advancement represents an exciting opportunity to join a mission-driven, committed, and high-functioning team. Under the direction and supervision of the Vice President of Advancement, you will work closely alongside our Communications Director and Director of Donor Engagement to achieve our annual revenue goals, long-term organizational sustainability, and position in the community as a change agent and prominent contributor to the public narrative around K-12 educational equity in Atlanta.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Assistant Director of Advancement will help donors see, feel, and understand the impact of their gifts to redefinED atlanta and support critical fundraising, community engagement, and communications activities that build a culture of philanthropy and advocacy among our stakeholders.
This position provides an opportunity for innovation, creativity, and leadership and allows the Assistant Director to provide input across redefinED atlanta’s advancement strategies, goals, and tasks. We are looking for an experienced nonprofit professional– someone who has led or played a significant role in stewardship and cultivation activities for individual donors and advocates– but do not require experience in frontline fundraising. Ideal candidates include those who enjoy a balance of writing and creating, creating and working action plans, and spending time online and with colleagues brainstorming and researching opportunities and prospective supporters.
Above all, the Assistant Director of Advancement must be a champion for Atlanta, invested in catalyzing a positive trajectory for students and families facing the deepest inequities and increasing access to great K-12 public schools.
COMPENSATION
The salary range for this position is $75,000-$90,000 and includes full benefits. Compensation is commensurate with experience and consists of a base salary and complete benefits package. Annual performance bonuses up to 5% of base salary are standard across the organization and subject to availability of funds and board approval.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES CRITICAL TO ROLE:
While we see the Assistant Director of Advancement as being a generalist– someone interested in and capable of supporting multiple areas of fundraising and communications– our primary needs for this role can be summarized into three categories: Donor Stewardship, Data & Reporting, and Community Engagement. Our ideal candidate will be a proactive team player with a desire to own and initiate projects in these specific areas and partner thoughtfully to drive the overall success of our team and work on behalf of students and families.
Donor Stewardship
- Increase the scope and impact of stewardship activities, including the creation, direction, and ownership of the organization’s stewardship program, ensuring all activities are delivered and evaluated regularly for impact
- Advise and counsel advancement teammates and other staff members on meaningful next steps to cultivate community and affinity among donors and advocates
- Input all donor relations and stewardship activities and touchpoints into the organization’s CRM; work with advancement team to inform donor relationship maps in their portfolios using stewardship activities
- Support and coordinate logistics as needed for donor stewardship and cultivation outreach and events, including but not limited to dialogue dinners, donor receptions, and site visits with grantee partners
Data & Reporting
- Using a variety of sources, identify, research, and document prospective individual and institutional donors and K-12 public education advocates, and suggest engagement activities and entry points;
- Manage gift entry for the team and support the development team in ensuring data hygiene and CRM best practices by updating profiles/portfolio trackers with donor information and tasks/due dates as needed
- Support the Vice President of Advancement with grant writing, reporting, and institutional prospect research/management as well as creation of briefing materials, case statements, and proposals for major donors
- With the support of the Vice President of Advancement, update dashboard and prepare reports for the development committee and board of directors
Community Engagement
- Research, catalog, and help pair staff members with opportunities to engage in the community for the purpose of cultivating donors and advocates, including special events, civic organizations, working groups, professional learning communities, speaking engagements, and more
- Look for data points and opportunities to suggest donors/prospects who might be also serve as policy advocates, and serve as liaison to the community engagement and advocacy team to do the same for us
- Identify and lift up communications and public narrative pieces that we can elevate via organization and/or staff member social media accounts or use as thought pieces in our cultivation of donors
- Support the communications director in storymining proof points and programmatic updates from across our organization that translate well to our external audiences via newsletters, social media posts, pitch decks, and more; compile, organize, and regularly update/share such information with staff for use in donor visits and reports
DESIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit fundraising, communications, community engagement, or a combination of years in these and similar roles. Experience in education organizations, especially those with a focus on public K-12 schools, is beneficial.
- Proficiency with standard office software such as the Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace. High degree of comfort creating and editing documents, spreadsheets, and slide decks, conducting online research, and using CRMs. Experience with MacOS and Apple products is desirable but not required.
- Demonstrated commitment to and experience working with diverse communities. Respects, values, and contributes to redefinED atlanta’s commitment to inclusion and belonging. Able to build and maintain positive relationships and actively contribute as a member of a working team to achieve results. Experience resolving conflicts and differences through open communication in a timely manner.
- Effective written communication skills and the ability to adapt materials for multiple audiences. Able to express oneself clearly and with empathy in communications with others in all forms (written, oral, group settings, one-on-one, etc.)
- Outstanding project management and organizational skills. Enjoys and excels at work that is detail oriented. Able to develop strategies and plans that integrate into the team’s objectives and organizational goals.
- Comfortable taking initiative to act decisively in work you own. Ability to analyze available information, identify gaps in knowledge or skills, and be proactive in seeking guidance, support, or thought partnership needed to move forward.
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women, Black people, and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every qualification. At redefinED atlanta, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION:
We do not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations. These activities include but are not limited to hiring and firing staff and contractors, selecting volunteers and vendors, and providing services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all staff members, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors.
Furthermore, as an organization, redefinED atlanta commits to:
- attracting and retaining staff with diverse identities, backgrounds, and lived experience in public schools and the public school system
- further diversifying our Board to include deeper lived experience and perspectives from public school parents and under-resourced communities
- creating an inclusive working culture that celebrates difference, promotes universal belonging, and fosters ongoing learning and personal growth