Development Operations Associate
The Old Town School is seeking a detail-oriented Development Operations Associate to support its fundraising operations and goals.
Job Summary
Primary administrator of the School’s fundraising database, ensuring accuracy and integrity. Uses data to support gift processing, acknowledgments, and all general reporting. Works with other departments to manage and improve flow of donation data across multiple School data systems (e.g., web, Filemaker Pro, Finance). Identifies, analyzes, and interprets data building custom reports and finding trends/patterns to support the department and School. Conducts prospect research and creates donor profiles to support fundraising goals of the Department. Serves as administrator for Board meetings and maintains Board and committee lists.
Qualifications
● Bachelor’s degree in related area or equivalent work experience required.
● Three years of related experience in fundraising work required.
● Expertise with fundraising database software required. Raiser’s Edge preferred.
● Highly organized with acute attention to detail.
● High level of proficiency with MS Office and Google Suite, including the ability to analyze data and automate manual systems.
● Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
● Knowledge of basic fundraising techniques and strategies for the identification, cultivation, and stewardship of donors.
● Ability to meet deadlines and handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
● Ability to take initiative, work independently, and produce high quality work.
● Ability to research and interpret information and data coming in multiple states and formats to make informed decisions and recommendations.
● Ability to interact effectively with colleagues and board members.
● Ability to maintain confidentiality.
● Ability to work night and weekend events as needed.
Summary of Duties
● Responsible for the development and maintenance of the Raiser’s Edge donor database (Membership, Individual, Corporate, Foundation, Special Events and Capital Gifts).
- Enters and tracks gifts, pledges, and cash totals
- Processes gifts, acknowledgments, and invoicing in a timely manner
- Prepares and sends monthly membership renewals via mail and email
● Extracts and manipulates data to build and maintain standard and custom reports, performs queries in responses to data requests.
● Addresses system interface problems and proactively works as the lead with IT and other departments to improve accuracy and data flow between the Schools’ various data platforms (e.g. web/Filemaker Pro/Raiser’s Edge/authorize.net).
● Completes monthly reconciliation of donor data with the Finance Department.
● Perform other relevant duties as assigned, such as:
- Prospect Research: provides donor research and creates donor profiles as needed
- Supports the Board of Directors and Board Committees: send meeting communications and materials, arrange virtual and in-person setup, takes Minutes, maintains Board lists, contact information and meeting records.
- Participation and support in Development special events and projects including mailings, online appeals and the annual report.
- Board and VIP Ticketing
If interested and qualified, please visit oldtownschool.org/aboutus/employment for instructions regarding submitting a resume.
About Old Town School of Folk Music
Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music (“OTSFM”) is the largest community school of the arts in the U.S. and a non-profit organization committed to celebrating American music and global cultures. Founded in 1957, Old Town School provides a wide range of music, dance, and arts courses to people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Whatever one's interest, Old Town School provides broad access to more than 700 weekly class offerings, a broad array of private lessons, and over 400 concerts and community events per year.
Old Town School of Folk Music opened its Lincoln Square facility in 1998 and expanded in 2012. The Old Town School operates two campuses located in Chicago's Lincoln Square and Lincoln Park neighborhoods that include world-class concert halls, classrooms, an award-winning music store, and a music resource center. Online classes were introduced in 2020 and students from nearly every state and a dozen countries participated over the course of the pandemic. Children's classes are also held at several suburban satellite locations. More information is available at oldtownschool.org
Equal Employment Opportunity
Old Town School is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. Old Town School strives to be an inclusive and equitable organization that is reflective of the diversity of the city of Chicago. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. This is critical to our success as a community-focused organization.
