The Chesapeake Bay Trust (the Trust) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as Development Assistant. The Development Assistant will play an important role in helping to accomplish the Trust’s evolving development and fundraising goals. This person will be a key member of a 20-person staff. This is a full-time salary position (40 hours per week) that requires some travel (mostly within Maryland) and some evening and weekend hours. The Development Assistant will report directly to the Director of Development and will work particularly closely with staff in the Marketing Department.

About the Trust

The Chesapeake Bay Trust seeks to engage and empower diverse groups to take actions that enrich the natural resources and local communities of the Chesapeake Bay region. The Trust is a non-profit grant-making organization established by state government in 1985. The Trust makes approximately 400 grants per year ranging from $100 to $200,000 for projects in the K-12 environmental education, on-the-ground restoration, science, and community engagement realms. In the past 15 years, the Trust has increased its grant-making and therefore revenue four-fold through various revenue streams under the purview of four Trust departments, with a current annual grant-making of approximately $11 million.

Position Background:

This position is responsible for providing a variety of types of support for the Trust’s fundraising campaigns and initiatives, many of them based on and involving tasks associated with the Trust’s donor database.  Given the plan for additional growth within the Trust’s development objectives, this position itself also has tremendous growth opportunities, and the person in the role has potential for advancement.

Primary Responsibilities:

The person in this role will support key components of donor acquisition, retention, and management, annual giving, major gifts, and capital campaigns, including:

  • Manage the donor database (Raiser’s Edge) and maintain its accuracy and integrity by ensuring that all information is entered and kept current including gifts entry, contact entries, and reports.
  • Assist with fundraising appeals, both print and online, including tracking of donors, list segmentation, and design of appeals, and take the lead on the electronic and print acknowledgments component of it.
  • Compose, proofread, edit, and prepare regular e-newsletters, correspondence, mailings, reports, online communications, and other materials.
  • Research and maintain information and data to assist in preparing printed/electronic prospect and donor materials, including donor biographies and profiles.
  • Assist in coordinating complex calendars to schedule meetings with prospective funders and donors for Executive Director and Director of Development.
  • Assist in organizing large and small-scale events, including registration, on-site efforts (post-COVID), volunteer solicitations, and marketing efforts.
  • Take the lead on the annual fundraiser’s silent auction, including solicitation of items, packaging items, setting up an online auction site, and marketing the auction and items.
  • Mail invitations and other correspondence to potential donors, volunteers, and guests to inform them of events and activities.
  • Assist with other administrative tasks, contributing to departmental goals, and assisting the smooth day-to-day flow of development operations by accomplishing related duties as required.
  • Assist as in needed certain projects in the Marketing Department.

Qualifications

  • Two or more years of experience or education in the field of development and fundraising or related field (e.g., communications, marketing, administration, business). Individuals with backgrounds in environment-related fields are welcome if the cover letter describes clearly why the candidate is interested in development and why the candidate would be a good fit for the position and the Trust.
  • Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of programs required.
  • Experience with various development techniques (such as exposure to endowments, capital campaigns, and major gift solicitation) preferred.
  • Experience with database management, particularly Raiser’s Edge, a plus.
  • Experience with graphic design, specifically In Design, and collateral development a plus.

Skills and Attributes

  • Discretion and good judgment when dealing with confidential and sensitive material.
  • Ability to demonstrate tact, diplomacy, and initiative when working with others.
  • Maintenance of standards of professional competence and adherence to a professional code of conduct.
  • Strong writing and organizational skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priority projects at once with ease and efficiency.
  • Attention to detail. The right candidate must be exceptionally thorough and detail-orientated with the ability to analyze data, research information, problem-solve and coordinate projects.
  • Interest in and commitment to the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s mission and values.

Salary:  $38,000 – $40,000 and excellent benefits package included with professional development opportunities available.

How to apply:  Please submit a resume and cover letter to shiggins@cbtrust.org and place “Development Assistant” in the subject line of the email. Your cover letter is the most important piece of your application:  In your cover letter, please address your ability, based on your skills and experience, to accomplish the duties of this position.   Please do not simply list your previous experience. What makes you a strong candidate for this position?  Cover letters that do not address this question are unlikely to move to an interview phase.  Applications will begin to be reviewed on April 1, 2021, though the position will remain open until filled.  No phone calls, please.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or disability in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. We encourage applications from people of color.