Development Assistant

Background

Working for Milwaukee Riverkeeper…

At Milwaukee Riverkeeper® we’re looking for more than just a person to fill a desk. We’re seeking team members that share our passion for healthy rivers and strong communities. If you want to become a part of our team, you will be empowered to work the way you work best. Your voice is important, you’ll help shape the role you’re in and the future of our organization. From the top down and the bottom up, we’re more than just a workplace, we work together, and play to win!

Position Description

As the Development Assistant you’ll manage the administrative aspects of fundraising for our team. You’ll play a key role in stewarding Milwaukee Riverkeeper by helping secure the resources needed to achieve our mission and strategic goals. You’re part of the engine that keeps us on-track and growing to meet the demands of the community. Your work is critical to cultivate and grow the community of support that makes our work possible. 

In this role, it’s your responsibility to support individual and corporate donor process/relations, manage a database documenting fundraising efforts, create reports on various donors, manage the grant making process and database, send out donor communications and work to improve donor relations. You should be ready to provide support to team members and manage multiple projects at once. Project types include researching grant opportunities, writing grant applications and reports, sharing gratitude with individual and corporate donors, supporting events and implementing fundraising goals. This position will work closely with the Executive Director. 

Your work is an important piece of our organization. Milwaukee Riverkeeper staff is collaborative and passionate about our mission. You’ll help maintain a positive culture that keeps morale and performance high. Ultimately, we’ll trust you to help us achieve our fundraising goals.

Responsibilities: 

Grants

• Help identify and apply for various grants that meet the organization’s needs.
• Supervise the grant application process from beginning to end, ensuring grants are submitted on time and within application parameters.
• Research various types of grants available and the criteria to qualify for each.
• Discuss available sources of funding with staff, compile necessary information for the application process through collaboration with other employees, database research, and other fact finding actions and meetings.
• Draft and complete grant applications according to application requirements, involving team members, as necessary.
• Complete all documents, forms, or reports required by the grant.
• Ability to be discreet with personal information that may be needed for some grants such as employee salaries or upcoming projects.
• Coordinate the monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects that are funded by grants.
• Ability to interpret financial data and prepare budgets and financial grant reports.
• Develop and maintain a master file on grants and paperwork connected to programs funded by grants.

Corporate and Individual Giving

• Participate in fundraising appeals, including support of creative process, mailing list creation, and follow up communications related to tax deductions, thank yous and benefits of gift.
• Work with the Executive and Creative Directors to create communications assets for fundraising campaigns and donor engagement events. 
• Manage gift acknowledgement process and produce donor letters on a weekly basis.
• Improve donor relations by fulfilling essential administrative requirements.
• Ability to be discreet with personal information about some donors.
• Produce reports on individual and institutional donors.
• Perform data entry and help track donations in a database.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Other

This list of essential responsibilities and requirements is not intended to be exhaustive. Milwaukee Riverkeeper employees need to be flexible and may be asked to take on additional duties based on the organization’s needs and the staff member’s skills and abilities. Milwaukee Riverkeeper reserves the right to revise this job description, as needed.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate for the position of Development Assistant will have the following qualifications:

• BA preferred with a minimum of 1-3 years of experience in an area related to fundraising, project management or event coordination. Prior nonprofit work experience, a plus.  
• Exceptional skills in the areas of organization, attention to detail, time management, ability to manage multiple tasks, define and set priorities and problem solve. 
• Excellent customer service abilities. Enthusiastic about building relationships with donors; is comfortable fundraising and asking for donations.
• Excellent reading, writing and grammar skills. Both written and verbal.  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook, working with databases and internet research; knowledge of Quickbooks and Salesforce/Watergrass, a plus.  
• Demonstrated team player with strong collaboration abilities.  Ability to take initiative with projects to work both independently.  
• Experience budgeting and forecasting and familiarity with business and financial principles (non-profit financial experience a plus).
• Highly organized with attention to detail; patience; professionalism; ability to work independently and coordinate multiple, diverse projects, set realistic deadlines, and manage a timeline.
• Demonstrates awareness of and respect for the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations 
• Prioritization skills and ability to work according to the organization’s needs.
• Strong commitment to the environment and community.

Compensation:

This is a full-time position. Benefits include an attractive compensation package, including a base salary commensurate with experience (range is $40,000 to $50,000 FTE per year), as well as dental, vision, health benefits for full-time employees, employer-match retirement and vacation benefits; generous comp-time policy; “Ecobucks” reimbursement; relaxed dress code; a fun, friendly office atmosphere; professional development and leadership opportunities; and an outstanding opportunity for a highly motivated professional to assume a pivotal role in the growth and evolution of Milwaukee Riverkeeper.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Our rivers flow through, and unite, a diverse myriad of communities. Milwaukee Riverkeeper is committed to working towards equity and inclusion in all we do to protect, restore, connect with, and advocate for our waterways. Diversity, equity, and inclusion strengthen our organization’s ability to advance environmental justice and we believe that all people should see themselves reflected in our work. Milwaukee Riverkeeper is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, marital status, age or veteran status and hires in accordance with state and federal law.