Development Assistant

Northern Star Scouting•St Paul, MN

18h•Onsite

About The Position

Northern Star Scouting is seeking a Development Assistant to join their Development Team. This full-time, non-exempt position is based at the Base Camp facility at Fort Snelling, MN. The role involves providing high-level executive support to the Assistant Director of Development and three Development Directors. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in donor relations and will be instrumental in driving development priorities, including donor communications, events, and the matching gift program. A key aspect of the role is managing the eTapestry CRM donor database, transforming data into statistical insights for proposals. The position requires strong writing expertise for donor acknowledgments and stewardship letters, ensuring timely and impactful communication. The Development Assistant will collaborate within a high-energy team, applying professional judgment to secure lasting impact and advance Northern Star Scouting's vision of empowering youth.

Requirements

Significant prior experience in a professional fundraising or non-profit environment.
Understanding of the nuances of the donor cycle.
Professional maturity to manage complex relationships and sensitive data with precision.
Minimum of a two-year associate's degree.
Knowledge of general accounting practices.
Numeric aptitude and detail-oriented.
Good knowledge of statistics, accurate.
Willingness to take initiative.
Comfortable managing large datasets with precision in Excel, including the ability to use pivot tables and complex formulas to audit donor data and generate clean statistical reports.
Proficient in high-level document production in Word, including advanced mail merges for donor appeals, consistent use of styles/formatting for formal proposals and professional correspondence.
Fluency across Microsoft 365 suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
Experience navigating CRM databases and email marketing platforms like ActiveCampaign.
Intermediate keyboarding skills, with an emphasis on accuracy and a speed of at least 50 words per minute.
Ability to work independently as well as cooperatively.
Demonstrate a positive attitude.
Enjoy working with people and be an active team player.
Effective interpersonal communications and customer service skills.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Scouting

Responsibilities

Provide high-level executive project support to the Assistant Director of Development and three Development Directors, including streamlining administrative operations, calendar management, and anticipating project needs while maintaining the highest standards of confidentiality and discretion.
Leverage prior experience in fundraising cycles, accurately process pledges and payments, verify donor intent, and generate high-level reports and support materials for staff and volunteer leadership.
Apply proven data-mining techniques to identify new prospects and support leadership in written donor solicitations.
Manage start-to-finish execution of targeted donor solicitation and stewardship communications across physical and digital platforms.
Utilize specialized knowledge of workplace giving to manage the verification and recording of employee-based gifts and payroll deductions.
Conduct in-depth research of new corporate prospects and coordinate all related communications and reporting.
Deliver comprehensive, lead-level administrative and logistical support for Development Department events, including coordination of volunteer committee meetings, managing vendor communications, and expert oversight of on-site registration and event flow.
Provide high-level input and assistance to the Development staff, related staff, and volunteers, contributing to the strategic planning, coordination and implementation of the council's fundraising campaigns.
Utilize database knowledge to manage the gift-in-kind process, including updating new projects, modifying database structures, and refining management processes to improve departmental efficiencies.
Apply a high degree of technical precision to ensure all changes are thoroughly reviewed and accurately reflected within the eTapestry database, maintaining the "gold-standard" for donor data accuracy.
Uphold company policies and present a positive and professional attitude and image at work and while representing the organization at official functions away from the office.
Demonstrate flexibility in carrying out additional responsibilities as assigned by the Assistant Director of Development, responding to evolving departmental needs with a high level of competence.