Development Associate

Development Associate Donor relations, data, and communications for a Catholic PreK–12 school in Utica, New York Location: Utica, New York (on campus) Schedule: Full-time Salary: $35,000 - $52,000 a year, plus benefits Reports to: Director of Development Are you the person who notices the typo before anyone else, keeps a spreadsheet tidy for the fun of it, and writes a thank-you note people actually keep? Notre Dame Catholic Schools is building a relationship-based fundraising program, and we need a Development Associate to make sure every gift is recorded accurately, every donor is thanked promptly, and every message reflects our mission. You will be the second member of a two-person development office, working alongside a new Director of Development, with a new three-year development plan already in place. ABOUT NOTRE DAME Notre Dame Catholic Schools is a Catholic, coeducational, PreK through Grade 12 school system in Utica, New York, in the Diocese of Syracuse. About 600 students learn on two campuses, Notre Dame Elementary School and Notre Dame Junior-Senior High School, and the school's roots in the greater Utica community go back more than six decades. Generations of local families, and alumni now living across the country, count Notre Dame as part of who they are. WHAT YOU WILL DO Keep the donor database accurate. Enter gifts in Raiser's Edge within one business day of receiving them from the business office, reconcile with the business office every month, and lead a project to identify and code alumni and families in the database. Make sure every donor is thanked. Prepare acknowledgment letters within 48 hours of each gift, prepare weekly thank-you call lists for trustees, and coordinate handwritten notes from students and principals. Produce development communications. Work with the school's communications team on appeals, giving web pages, the donor newsletter, the annual impact report and honor roll, and descriptions of giving opportunities. Organize small donor gatherings. Plan campus visits, a principals' breakfast, a leadership donor Mass and breakfast, and an annual gathering for alumni and friends in Florida. These are relationship gatherings, not galas. Run reports and lists. Prepare monthly results, mailing lists, prospect lists, and reports on donors who have not yet renewed. Support the Board. Prepare materials and take minutes for the Board's development committee. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN YOUR FIRST YEAR Every gift is acknowledged within 48 hours. No gift is left unreconciled with the business office at month-end. Alumni and families are identified and coded in the database, so the school can thank and invite each group the right way. Appeals and newsletters go out on schedule. WHAT YOU BRING Two or more years of experience in development operations, database work, communications, or a similar detail-heavy administrative role Excellent writing and a sharp eye for detail Comfort learning a donor database (Raiser's Edge NXT or similar) and become an expert in it; we will train the right person Discretion with confidential information A warm, service-minded way with people If you meet most of these and the work excites you, please apply. We value potential and attention to detail as much as a specific job title. HELPFUL, BUT NOT REQUIRED Experience with Raiser's Edge or Raiser's Edge NXT Experience with Canva or simple design tools Familiarity with Catholic schools or the Utica community WHAT WE OFFER Salary of $35,000 - $52,000 a year, depending on experience, plus: Health insurance Retirement plan Paid time off, paid holidays, and the rhythm of the school year The chance to help build a development program, learning from an experienced Director HOW TO APPLY Email a cover letter and résumé, as a single PDF, to NDUticaBoard@gmail.com with "Development Associate" in the subject line. In your cover letter, tell us about a time your attention to detail made a real difference. Review of applications begins November 9 and continues until the position is filled. We anticipate initial interviews will begin in December and second interviews will be held in January. Finalists will be asked for references and a short writing sample. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY Notre Dame Catholic Schools welcomes applicants of every background who support its Catholic mission. Employment is contingent on a background check and completion of the Diocese of Syracuse's safe environment requirements.