Development Associate needed at Summer Search, Boston

Shelby Lewis

Position:  Development Associate, BostonLocation:  Summer Search Boston - Jamaica Plain, MADEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE, BOSTON

WHY WORK AT SUMMER SEARCH?

If you are a 9th grader entering the Boston Public Schools, statistically you have only a 14% chance of graduating from college. Summer Search Boston has over 800 alumni: 100% have graduated from high school and 85% have graduated from college or are on-track to do so. 

Summer Search is a National organization, founded in San Francisco in 1990 with seven sites around the country. Summer Search Boston was the second site when it opened in 1997 and has grown rapidly since then, currently serving 375 low-income Boston high school students annually. 

With an average annual family income of only $22,000 and over 65% of our students coming from the lowest performing Boston Public Schools, Summer Search is ensuring that these under-resourced, but high potential students graduate from college and become altruistic leaders. We do this by providing each student with intensive weekly mentoring from a highly trained, full time staff member, full scholarships for experiential summer programs, college advising and professional development opportunities for alumni. As over 90% of Summer Search students will be the first generation college students, earning a college degree changes their future and the future of their families forever. Visit www.summersearch.org for more information about our program.

Joining the Summer Search team means knowing you are helping change the lives of students in Boston. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

Summer Search Boston is on the verge an exciting phase of growth that will put us on the path to serve 600 high school students annually by 2016, while continuing to focus on the lowest performing Boston Public High Schools. Doing so will mean increasing our annual fundraising from $2.8 million currently to $4.6 million in 2016. We are seeking a Development Associate to join our team and assist in fundraising efforts that will allow us to be one of the largest and most effective youth serving organizations in Boston in the next 5 years. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Research, write and track grant proposals and reports for foundation and corporate fundraising, including managing grants calendar
• Manage donor data base and gift processing, including data entry, thank you letters, and file maintenance
• Assist in managing logistics and organization of fundraising events
• Assist with Summer Search's communications, including the annual report, newsletters and website, and social media efforts
• Assist in communication with board of directors and volunteers
• Research individual and corporate donor prospects
• Undertake special projects at the direction of the Executive Director, Development Director, and Program Director

QUALIFICATIONS

This position is ideal for someone who has a can-do attitude, extremely sharp organizational skills and who is interested to learn in every element of this role from data entry to creating strong systems and processes that will enhance the strength of our work. Good performance will be matched with increased responsibility and opportunity but this person must have exceptional attention to detail and enjoy supporting critical mission-related work.

• Bachelor's degree required
• At least 2 years experience working in a fast-paced environment
• Fluency in MS Office required
• Demonstrated excellence in written communication
• Strong oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to multi-task
• Excellent organizational and project management skills
• Self-starter who is comfortable in a close-knit team-oriented setting
• Flexibility and eagerness to learn and work on different tasks as needed
• Previous experience with Raiser's Edge or a similar donor-database a plus

OUR BENEFITS

Summer Search is committed to creating an environment that is supportive of learning, growth and staff development. Our intense investment in staff includes: 

• Individual, local, regional and national training
• Developing leaders from within the organization
• Weekly individual meetings with your supervisor focused on professional and personal growth
• Culture that supports staff well-being and holistic self-care
• Local and national events to build strong relationships and connection to the national organization as a whole
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Medical, dental, vision, FSA, life and disability insurance
• 401 (K) and Employer Match after 6 months of employment
• Generous paid vacation days, sick days, and holidays

HOW TO APPLY

The projected start date for this position is July 2013. To apply, please submit your resume with a writing sample and a cover letter that speaks to why you are applying to Summer Search and specifically details how your past experiences align with the qualifications and essential functions described above.

Click here to apply

SUMMER SEARCH IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. Summer Search strives to reflect the diverse community it serves. Applicants who contribute to this diversity are strongly encouraged to apply.