Development Associate

Position Summary

Ingenuity seeks a detail-oriented Development Associate with strong organizational skills who is excited about database management, a collaborative approach to fundraising, and advancing access and quality in arts education for Chicago Public School (CPS) students. The Associate will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the donor database, gift administration, donor portfolio strategy, and policies and procedures to support fundraising itionally, the Development Associate will support and facilitate donor prospecting alongside the Development team using iWave/Kindsight, and assist the Development team with donor communications and events.

The Development Associate will be an integral member of the Development team, working alongside the Senior Director and Senior Manager of Development to support effective and efficient processes of fundraising. This position will provide foundational support to allow Ingenuity’s frontline fundraising to grow and maximize contributed revenue. The ideal candidate enjoys working with a variety of software, exploring creative solutions through trial and error, and recognizes that flexibility is required when working towards the end result of a project.

• Develop knowledge of best practices related to gift processing and donor operations, including acknowledgements, recognition, record-keeping, information tracking, and basic understanding of charitable gift tax dedication and donor bill of rights.
• Ensure all data is entered into Donor Perfect in an accurate and timely manner; process all contributed revenue, gift acknowledgments, pledges, and fulfillments upon receipt or within one business day.
• Serve as administrator for all software used by Development:
  Donor Perfect, iWave/Kindsight, Givecloud, One Cause, and all online giving platforms; maintain user accounts and security, train users on processes as needed, ensure compliance with organizational gift and record coding protocols, maintain and update Tapestry gala website and Candid and Charity Navigator profiles as needed.
• Update and provide reports via Donor Perfect on the donor portfolios assigned to the Executive Director, Senior Director of Development, and Senior Manager of Development; send monthly contribution and pledge reports.
• Create and maintain accurate reports, filters, exports, mailing/email lists, and dashboards to support fundraising.
• Alongside Senior Director and Senior Manager of Development, perform routine and ad hoc maintenance on the database to maintain integrity and accuracy.
• Import data into Donor Perfect accurately.
• Write and maintain donor acknowledgement letters and collaborate with the Development team to ensure timely acknowledgement of all gifts.
• Update constituent records with current addresses and contact information.
• Respond to donor requests for gift histories, acknowledgements, refunds, and other needs, providing outstanding responsiveness and service.
• Maintain internal database policies, standard operating procedures, and architecture.

• Play an active role in Ingenuity’s annual Tapestry gala; collect sponsorship and donation pledges; cross-check progress with the Development team on a routine basis; update and maintain the Tapestry website; serve as primary liaison for One Cause software; observe all aforementioned responsibilities surrounding gift processing for Tapestry.
• Alongside the Senior Director of Development, draft content for the quarterly donor newsletter that centers on CPS students, sector news, and philanthropic trends.
• Provide support, communications, and registration for special events and donor cultivation and stewardship events.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with donors, Board members, staff, and diverse community stakeholders.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with excellent time management and prioritization skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while working independently and meeting…