Development Specialist

Job purpose

Under guidance from the Community Relations Director, this role is accountable for achieving fundraising goals and seeking out additional funding sources, including but not limited to grants and foundation opportunities. This individual will be responsible for utilizing year-round strategies designed to build and maintain superior relationships, cultivate donors, and engage volunteers in the work of Growth Works in order to meet and exceed measurable engagement and fundraising goals.

Duties and responsibilities

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospects through visits and other forms of direct personal contact in accordance with performance targets.
• Utilize knowledge gathered from donor meetings to develop and implement year-round strategies to engage donors.
• Partner with staff in understanding programs, developing funding linkages and opportunities for donors.
• Work with other departments to ensure cross-functional collaboration and information sharing.
• Develop and maintain database to help build relationships by keeping accurate and up to date account records.
• Research and prepare grant opportunities in alignment with individual program and agency objectives
• Responsible for coordinating RFP and grant proposals, as well as the management and reporting requirements.
• Maintains quality results by using templates; following proposal-writing standards including readability, consistency, and tone; maintaining proposal support databases.
• Gathers proposal information by identifying sources of information, coordinating submissions and collections, and identifying and communicating risks associated with proposals.
• Additional duties as assigned to meet the goals and objectives of the organization

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with at least Two (2) years experience in fund raising, sales or relationship building. CFRE is preferred.
• Experience working with volunteers and nonprofit organizations
• Proven ability to work with people and build relationships with knowledge of business and social community.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare reports, present data in an understandable format.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule outside of standard office hours.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with high attention to detail, being a team-player and a positive attitude are necessary.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, reliable transportation, and automobile insurance meeting agency requirements.
• Must be able to successfully complete agency’s background check process.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to complete manual tasks involving dexterity to enter and retrieve data using computer systems, systems applications, and other office equipment. Ability to walk, stand, sit for short or long periods of time in an office setting.
• Ability to lift and transport materials/supplies up to 25 lbs. for internal documentation and recordkeeping, court support, and other administrative tasks.