Development and Communications Manager

Salary Range and Benefits:

This position is a full-time (32-40 hours/week), hourly, non-exempt position. Benefits include paid time off, holidays, health insurance, health savings account contributions, and dental coverage options.

Starting Range: $45,000-$49,000 ($21.75 – $23.55/hr) – depending on skills and experience.

Location: Grand Rapids, MI – Some in-person work is required with flexibility for partial remote work.

Position Summary:

The Development and Communications Manager works closely with the CEO to help shape and implement GAAH’s fundraising strategy and activities, leverage resources, and increase awareness of GAAH’s work to support and advance our mission. This role focuses on events, corporate donor stewardship, annual campaigns, and donor database management. The ideal candidate is a strong communicator who thrives on taking initiative, loves planning events, is adept at building relationships, has strong administrative skills, and is passionate about our mission.

Organizational Expectations and Guiding Principles:

Our mission is to build environments of curiosity and creativity with our neighbors to cultivate inclusion and justice. We envision a flourishing neighborhood where people embody liberation, self-determination, self-expression, connection, and joy. Our vision for a flourishing and liberated neighborhood includes our staff as well. To live into our mission and move towards this vision, we express our values through key characteristics and critical actions that we expect all GAAH staff to practice and embody.

The key characteristics are:

• Eager to learn and unlearn: We are willing to lean into discomfort to better understand each other and those we serve.
• Accountable to the team: We build trust and community by taking responsibility for our actions, even when good intentions have negative consequences.
• Committed to the neighborhood: We cultivate a flourishing neighborhood by practicing reciprocity and listening well.

The critical actions we strive to take each day are:

• Engaging with youth: We actively support and interact with the young people we serve.
• Calling out injustice: We help make things work for our neighbors by challenging systems, cultural norms, and personal biases.
• Sharing joy: We express and celebrate the things that bring joy, the good in others, and the good in situations.

Essential Responsibilities:

1. Develops, writes, edits, submits, and coordinates fundraising and sponsorship proposals, solicitations, and annual campaigns for corporations and individuals, including all major development mailings and solicitations.

2. Manages thank yous and the timely acknowledgment of gifts, regular and targeted communications, and the fulfillment of sponsorship benefits for all donors and supporters.

3. Creates integrated marketing/fundraising campaigns including content for printed and online fundraising materials.

4. Manages GAAH’s online donation platform and database (Network for Good) and maintains records and communications for all donors and funders, assuring that all types of donations and donor communications are properly documented.

5. Works closely with the CEO to plan, coordinate, and implement GAAH fundraising and benefit events, including our annual Día del Sol event.

6. Develops and/or coordinates all forms of media that demonstrate the activation of our mission, including press releases, impact statements, testimonials, photos and videos, and social media campaigns.

7. Identifies and researches prospective supporters, assembles materials for cultivation and solicitation visits, and works directly with the CEO to approach them for funding. Supports the CEO as applicable in coordinating meetings with designated corporate funders and individuals.

8. Collaborates with the Board of Directors, program staff, and leadership team as needed to help with the success of fundraising events and online campaigns.

Non-Essential Responsibilities:

1. Represents GAAH at occasional community events throughout the year, which may occur outside of typical business hours.

2. Supports data collection efforts for fundraising and reporting purposes.

3. Occasionally supports the CEO with grant applications and reports.

Qualifications for the Position:

We recognize and acknowledge that not all education and experience are gained through schooling or institutional function. We welcome candidates whose lived experiences and community involvement allow them to fulfill the responsibilities of the job in ways that cannot always be easily communicated on traditional resumes and may not have official labels, certificates, or titles. Learning takes place in all parts of life and we acknowledge that there is more than one way to do a job well. We also know that no matter your level of experience or expertise, we will always be learning together as a team.

Education/Experience, Skills, and Abilities:

1. High school diploma, GED equivalent, or some college: preferred but not required.

2. Experience with writing, communications, or other administrative systems.

3. Experience working in fundraising, non-profits, or other relevant settings. Prior experience working with databases is a plus, but not required.

4. Exceptional written and oral communication skills and strong interpersonal skills. Comfortable communicating in various forms, including on the phone, via email, and in person.

5. Proficiency in working with computers, software systems, and related platforms; such as Google G-Suite, donor databases, grant-application websites, and the like. Must be comfortable with database management, generating reports, and mail merges, and/or have the technical proficiency to learn new systems quickly.

Core Competencies:

1. Relationship-building: Able to connect with people from many different backgrounds and inspire them to get involved in our mission. Responsible for finding (and creating) opportunities to deepen connections and build authentic, mutual relationships in order to advance our work. This includes seeing yourself as part of a team and part of our community, while truly welcoming viewpoints that differ from your own, being excited to connect with others, and having the ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with people of all kinds.

2. Initiative and ingenuity: The ability to leverage resources creatively, make plans, and take a concept from idea to implementation is a must. Able to consult and work with others, but comfortable proposing and implementing solutions in the best interest of the organization and getting things done without much guidance.

3. Commitment to social justice & racial equity: The ability to recognize and articulate the role of race, gender, and other identities in shaping disparities in our community, with a drive and passion to improve conditions and encourage others to join the work. Must be comfortable inviting others to give, learn, and grow while also proactively learning about race, equity, and identity.

4. Attention to detail: Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail and processes, with the ability to prioritize with multiple tasks and meet deadlines. You aim to leave things better than you found them. As the manager of the database and fundraising systems, noticing and fixing errors that others might overlook is important. When mistakes happen (which they will!), you address them quickly and look for ways to prevent similar errors.

5. Spirit of possibilities: The belief that we can all do things we’ve never done before, working together towards a better future to achieve incredible results! Able to embrace mistakes as part of any process and maintain an optimistic outlook, always looking for ways to make ideas work before assuming they won’t.

Physical and Mental Requirements and Working Conditions

Physical effort is light, with lifting or carrying limited to 25 pounds intermittently, meeting in various environments and settings, and managing fundraising events. Work includes presenting in front of individuals and groups and sustained social interactions with others. There is mild pressure associated with project, event, and activity deadlines. Work requires the extended use of a computer keyboard and monitor. Work is performed in a community-centered environment, where change is frequent and the ability to be flexible and adaptable is inherent. All requirements are subject to modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Work may be performed remotely, in a group office environment, and in off-site locations for events and meetings. If partial remote work is desired, employee will coordinate with the CEO to create a schedulethat accommodates remote work needs while ensuring the in-person requirements can be fulfilled.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, beginning on 9/15/23 until the position is filled.

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities