Philanthropy Assistant

ASSISTANT, Philanthropy Department

Wayland, MA

POSITION SUMMARY
Native Plant Trust seeks a dynamic, outgoing individual with high emotional intelligence to fill a new full-time (40 hours per week) administrative role in the philanthropy department at our headquarters in Wayland, MA, due to growth in our fundraising program. This position requires exceptional customer service and a strong attention to detail. The philanthropy assistant will join a 6 person team and will play a key part in supporting all fundraising activities of the organization’s $5M annual operating budget, planned giving program, capital projects, and endowment funds. Core duties include data processing, phone and email correspondence, record keeping, event logistics, mailing list management, and other database and paper-based administrative functions. Some weekend/evening work and local travel are required for events, always with prior notice. The position reports to the Philanthropy Manager.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Data management (30%)

· Creating and updating constituent records within a CRM database (currently Altru by Blackbaud).

· Maintaining data integrity--such as merging duplicate records and linking files.

· Maintaining records in accordance with professional business and fundraising standards.

· Collating data for internal and external reports.

· Entering volunteers’ contact reports into CRM.

Gift processing and donor stewardship (70%)

· Processing donations and dues received from a variety of financial sources--such as checks, credit cards, stock, and electronic fund transfers.

· Drafting accurate gift acknowledgements and pledge forms.

· Preparing large and small mailing lists in differing formats for electronic and paper communications, in addition to sending small to mid-sized mailings in-house.

· Proofreading fundraising materials--such as event invitations and electronic newsletters.

· Assisting donors across the region, and country, with a comprehensive array of benefits

· Assisting with event preparations and logistics; including recording registrations, creating name badges and handout materials, meeting and greeting guests, and helping with event set-up and break-down.

· Efficient and effective internal and external communication via phone, email, and letter.

· Adhering to ethical standards and confidentiality regarding personal and financial information.

QUALIFICATIONS

· Proficient with Microsoft Office suite, Google suite, and databases, and comfortable learning new technology.

· Professional, courteous manner to interact with a variety of people in person, by phone, and in written communications.

· Ability to work effectively in a consistently fast-paced environment with repeated interruptions.

· Detail-oriented, thorough, organized, yet also flexible and able to prioritize responsibilities to meet time-sensitive schedules and deadlines.

· Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

· At least a year of related experience preferred.

HOURS AND COMPENSATION
This is a full-time year-round (40 hours/week) nonexempt position with a starting rate of $21.75/hour. The employee is eligible for employment benefits currently offered by Native Plant Trust, including retirement plan, discounts on plants and merchandise, and free enrollment in education programs. We also offer a paid time off plan and health insurance coverage.

TO APPLY

Please submit a letter of interest and resume in MS Word or PDF format, with your last name as the first word in the file name, using the subject line “Philanthropy Assistant Application” to development-hire@NativePlantTrust.org by the application deadline of Friday, February 14.

Native Plant Trust is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access and to being a welcoming and safe place for all who engage with us.

ABOUT US

Native Plant Trust leads the movement to conserve native plants in the wild and use them in designed spaces. We do this to increase the beauty and resilience of New England and the planet. From our base in Massachusetts, staff and trained volunteers work throughout New England to monitor and protect rare and endangered plants, collect and preserve seeds to ensure biological diversity, detect and control invasive species, conduct research, and offer a range of educational programs.

We welcome visitors from all over the world to Garden in the Woods, our renowned native plant botanic garden in Framingham. We also operate a nursery at Nasami Farm in western Massachusetts and manage six plant sanctuaries in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont that are open to the public. Native Plant Trust is the nation’s first plant conservation organization, the only one solely focused on New England’s native plants. Please visit www.NativePlantTrust.org for more information.

Native Plant Trust is entering an exciting time of transition and expansion. 2025 is our 125th anniversary, and the board and staff seek to elevate the visibility and impact of the organization with an anticipated doubling of staff and organizational impact in the next five years. Doing so requires strategically investing in staff, systems, programs, and partnerships that facilitate organizational growth, and growth in the movement to protect native plants in the wild and use them in the built environment.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $21.75 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $5