Development Associate (Development Department)
About The Position
The Urban Institute’s Development Department fosters a truly collaborative environment while strengthening funding partnerships that sustain its relevance in a changing world. Urban’s Development Department seeks a highly motivated professional to serve as a Development Associate (Individual Fundraising). Reporting to a Senior Director on the Development team, the Development Associate will play a key role in supporting strategic fundraising initiatives for individual donors, including the Board of Trustees. This position works closely with senior leadership within the Development team and the Executive Offices Board Manager to coordinate and execute high-impact engagement strategies with individual donors. The Development Associate will play a critical role across individual giving, trustee engagement, and day-to-day development operations. This position supports several core fundraising functions that are essential to maintaining donor stewardship, trustee engagement, and operational continuity. This opportunity offers the chance to help shape a vital fundraising function at one of the nation’s leading research and policy organizations.
Requirements
- Possess a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience), along with 3 to 4 years of relevant professional experience.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft correspondence, briefing materials, and executive communications.
- Strong organizational, project management, and analytical skills, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, solve problems, and translate research and analysis into actionable recommendations.
- Experience collaborating across teams and stakeholder groups, including supporting and working with senior leaders and executives.
- Strong research and analytical capabilities.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, online research tools, project management platforms, and CRM systems.
- Ability to adapt to changing priorities while maintaining professionalism, responsiveness, and high-quality work.
- Demonstrated discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information.
- Interest in philanthropy, public policy, and mission-driven organizations.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in fundraising, nonprofit development, advancement services, stakeholder engagement, or related internship and volunteer work is preferred.
- Salesforce experience preferred.
- experience with prospect research, donor intelligence, or fundraising strategy is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Support the Senior Director of Development in developing and implementing donor engagement and fundraising strategies for priority prospects and donors.
- Conduct prospect research and analysis, providing recommendations to inform cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation activities.
- Manage and track donor engagement activities, relationship milestones, and follow-up actions in Salesforce.
- Monitor donor and fundraising activity, preparing reports, analyses, and recommendations for Development leadership.
- Coordinate donor communications, meeting requests, stewardship activities, and executive correspondence.
- Progressively manage a portfolio of donors and prospects, including relationship management, stewardship, and engagement execution under the guidance of the Senior Director of Development.
- Support trustee engagement and Development Committee initiatives by coordinating planning, communications, research, and project management activities.
- Support the Senior Director of Development and Chief Business Development Officer in planning and executing committee priorities, trustee engagement efforts, and fundraising initiatives.
- Manage committee workflows, project timelines, follow-up actions, and supporting documentation.
- Prepare meeting materials, reports, briefing documents, and strategic recommendations for trustees and executive leadership.
- Coordinate communications and action items among Development, executive leadership, trustees, and program staff.
- Develop donor profiles, briefing materials, relationship histories, and meeting recommendations for executive leadership, trustees, and Development staff.
- Coordinate preparation, distribution, and follow-up of donor meeting materials and action plans.
- Collaborate across departments to ensure alignment on donor engagement objectives and messaging.
- Support solicitation planning by developing engagement strategies, messaging, timelines, and tracking processes.
- Maintain accurate donor, campaign, and engagement records in Salesforce and prepare performance reports to support decision-making.
- Serve as a primary project manager for key donor and trustee engagement events, including the annual Board Dinner.
- Coordinate guest selection, engagement strategies, invitations, communications, RSVP tracking, and event logistics.
- Oversee the preparation of guest briefing materials and prospect profiles.
- Manage event staffing, execution, and post-event analysis, including recommendations for future engagement opportunities.
- Coordinate cross-functional participation to ensure successful planning and execution of engagement events.
Benefits
- generous paid time off
- nine federal holidays
- medical (including prescription) insurance
- dental insurance
- vision insurance
- transit benefits
- 403(b) retirement plan participation immediately
- generous employer contribution after six months of service and 500 hours, with immediate vesting
- health advocate
- personal finance coaching
- Employee Assistance Program
- educational assistance for undergraduate and graduate degree programs
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
