Development Associate

LOCATION: Brewster, NY          REPORTS TO: Executive Director

STATUS: full-time                SALARY: $55,000 - $60,000 annually

SPACE on Ryder Farm, a nonprofit residency program and organic farm located on the grounds of a 226-year-old family homestead in Putnam County, New York, seeks a full-time Development Associate as it builds out its first dedicated fundraising team. The Associate will work closely with the Executive Director, initially, to support an already robust set of fundraising activities. The position requires a critical thinker with excellent data management and analytical abilities and a demonstrated commitment to precision in their work. The ideal candidate will have top-notch organizational, communications, and project management skills in order to tend to several interrelated priorities and while working with a variety of people in a small, multi-faceted organization.  The role will be strongly focused on individual and events fundraising with, potentially among others, the following responsibilities:

INDIVIDUAL GIVING

• Conceptualize, draft, organize, and deploy fundraising campaigns, starting with the creation of strategy papers for each that will include messaging goals, timelines, list segments, fundraising targets, and database tracking and acknowledgement procedures.
• Evaluate and report on the results of fundraising campaigns—income generated, numbers of donors, average gifts, open and response rates for digital appeals, and other donor statistics—to provide recommendations for future campaigns.
• Draft solicitation letters, acknowledgements, newsletters, and other personal messages, ensuring that all are accurate, sent in a timely manner, and tracked in the Kindful database used by SPACE. 
• Maintain online giving pages and donation portal, ensuring that the designs align with SPACE’s branding, the content is timely, and any page links are accurate and operational. 
• Track pledges from board members and work with senior staff to ensure pledges are fulfilled and properly acknowledged. 

EVENTS

• Help to create and monitor the implementation of event strategies--particularly the annual gala--including timelines, lists selections, designs for event materials and décor, mailings, tracking RSVPs, seating, volunteer coordination, night-of event flow, and post-event cultivation strategies.
• Provide individual assistance to board members with their mailing lists, notes to be included with invitations, seating arrangements, and any other special requests.
• Generate ideas about and research potential sponsors, partners, and revenue-generating ancillary activities.
• Liaise with event vendors and event venues, maintaining a bank of trusted resources and shepherding all agreements, invoices, and other documentation to ensure accurate and prompt payments.
• Coordinate donor and prospect site visits, ensuring that program and operations staff are prepared, and working to ensure the highest level of hospitality.

GENERAL DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create and maintain funder records in Kindful database, enter gift information, check the accuracy of gifts entered through the SPACE online giving portal, and maintain a manual of database policies and procedures, including standardized gift processing practices.   
• Utilize the fundraising database and research software to gather information on prospective donors and prepare profiles for the frontline fundraisers.
• Work with the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer to project, monitor and achieve goals for income and expenses.
• Collaborate on the creation of a comprehensive development calendar.
• Coordinate funder crediting to be used for listings and also for IRS documents, working with relevant staff to ensure funder crediting requirements are met.
• Provide support to board committees, as needed.
• Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer.

REQUIREMENTS

Strong commitment to the mission, values and vision of SPACE on Ryder Farm required. Commitment to ongoing anti-racism training required. The ideal candidate will have a minimum 3-5 years of relevant experience including event management, annual fund conceptualization and execution, exceptional writing and editing skills, strong organizational and time management skills and acute attention to detail. Strong interpersonal skills required. Must be proficient with Google Suite. Experience and proficiency with Kindful, other CRM databases, preferred. Commitment to handling sensitive information confidentially and with discretion required.  

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the position has been filled. To apply please send the following materials to jobs@spaceonryderfarm.org using the subject line “Development Associate:”

1. resume no more than two pages in length
2. cover letter no more than one page in length that clearly articulates your interest in the organization and how your related experience makes you a stellar candidate for the role of Development Associate
3. one related writing sample of no more than two pages in length

BENEFITS

In addition to observed holidays, full-time members of the team receive two weeks of paid vacation and 7 PTO days to be used for personal or sick time. SPACE also offers a 401K plan through Guideline. SPACE will be offering an employer-subsidized health plan in the first quarter of 2022. Until then, we will add up to $500 per month toward actual health insurance expenses.

MORE ABOUT THE POSITION

SPACE on Ryder Farm is a grassroots organization where many team members may be asked to pitch in on other projects within the scope of their abilities and comfort.  This is a full-time position working out of SPACE’s Brewster location in Putnam County, with some flexibility regarding remote work at the discretion of the Executive Director. 

SPACE’s values are equity, inclusion, support and radical hospitality. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment. As an equal opportunity employer we are committed to employment practices that ensure employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position. SPACE strongly encourages individuals from marginalized and underrepresented groups to apply. 

SPACE on Ryder Farm is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer