Institutional Advancement Associate (focus on development/fundraising)

Institutional Advancement Associate  (focus on development/fundraising) 

REPORTS TO:  Vice President of Institutional Advancement for a focus on development/fundraising 

DEPARTMENT: Institutional Advancement

EXEMPTION STATUS: Full-time, salaried, exempt

COMPENSATION:  ranging $35K to $39K

The Institutional Advancement Associate plays a critical role in executing annual giving campaigns, donor stewardship, tasks that support the Institutional Advancement team, and special events at Beck Center for the Arts. This individual will ensure the accurate and timely processing of gifts, plan and coordinate fundraising and donor events, and support donor engagement strategies. The ideal candidate is an outgoing, detail-oriented, and organized professional who thrives on building relationships and ensuring a positive donor experience. This position is ideal for someone who is eager to grow in donor relations, annual giving, and event-based fundraising within a well-established, community-oriented nonprofit organization.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Fundraising & Donor Stewardship

• Process daily gifts, ensuring accurate entry and donor recognition within 48 hours using PatronManager (Salesforce-based CRM).

• Develop and execute direct mail and email appeals, including solicitation letters and online fundraising campaigns.

• Work with the Director of Individual Giving to develop donor prospect lists, fundraising strategies, and planned giving leads.

• Create donation letters, in-kind letters, and thank you notes for donors and partners

• Work with Pres & CEO of Beck Center and the Associate Director of Community Engagement on stewardship of Community Partners and Collaborators. Including but not limited to: invite contacts as our guests at performances, programs, and events; assist with thank you notes, assemble materials for programs and events, assist with Super Saturday community tables. These duties will account for no more than 5 hours per week on average.

• Maintain and oversee the annual calendar of donor contacts, ensuring regular communication with key donors and prospects.

• Collect, track, and analyze fundraising data and results by appeal and fiscal year.

• Proof Institutional Advancement materials, grants, proposals, and letters of interest, as well as philanthropic materials, and marketing materials,

• Assist in scheduling donor meetings, preparing talking points, assembling presentations, and coordinating Institutional Advancement meetings.

• Assist the Director of Individual Giving by serving as a daily point of contact for donors, cultivating new relationships and ensuring excellent donor experiences.

• Provide timely reporting and assist with data analysis through PatronManager and OneCause platforms.

Special Events Management

• Assist with fundraising and donor events, including the Spotlight Annual Gala, donor cultivation events, private events, and stewardship receptions, as needed

• Coordinate with staff, vendors, and volunteer leaders to execute high-quality fundraising events.

• Oversee some food and beverage arrangements, setup requests, space rentals, and strike for those events.

• Support staff meetings and additional events as needed.

• Work community events, including but not limited to, Lakewood 4th of July Parade, Lakewood Arts Fest, Best of the West, and other events that engage current and new constituents of Beck Center.

Marketing & Development Support

• Collaborate on the creation of marketing and development materials for fundraising campaigns and donor communications.

• Assist in preparing presentations and reports for internal and board needs.

• Support online giving initiatives, including social media campaigns and digital fundraising strategies.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Understanding of fundraising, donor relations, and event management, preferably in an arts or nonprofit setting.

• Proficiency in PatronManager (Salesforce CRM) or similar donor database systems.

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

• Enthusiasm for interacting with donors in person, by phone, and via email. A successful candidate must enjoy engaging with people regularly.

• Self-motivated, goal-oriented, and a proactive self-starter.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

• Passion for the arts and nonprofit fundraising.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment while also independently managing tasks.

• Experience in arts, culture, education, or community-based organizations strongly preferred. Customer service or hospitality experience a plus.

• Must have a valid driver’s license and the ability to travel locally for donor events and meetings.

• Availability for some evenings and weekends as required for events.

• Ability to work onsite in Lakewood, Ohio, at least three days a week, with some hybrid flexibility.

 WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

General office environment; must be able to utilize a phone, computer and screen and other office equipment. While performing the duties of the job, the employee is frequently required to sit; talk; or hear; and occasionally stand, walk, reach, stoop, or kneel. Must be able to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.

 KEY SUCCESS FACTORS: Relationship-focused, detail-oriented, dependable, collaborative, adaptable, organized, and enthusiastic about arts-based fundraising.

 REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Degree in a relevant field preferred, commensurate experience will also be considered. 

 Experience: 2+ years of nonprofit development-focused experience preferred but not mandatory.

 Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience supporting annual giving programs, including appeals and stewardship workflows

• Demonstrated understanding of donor lifecycle management, from acquisition through retention and upgrade

• Familiarity with online giving platforms, peer-to-peer fundraising tools, and/or ticketing systems

• Experience maintaining accurate donor records, gift coding, and acknowledgements

• Strong data hygiene practices and ability to generate standard and ad hoc fundraising reports

• Proven ability to manage event timelines, budgets, and logistics for multiple events simultaneously

• Experience working with volunteers, board members, and donor committees in event or cultivation settings

• Comfortable coordinating vendors and internal partners to ensure smooth execution

• Experience drafting donor-facing communications, including day-to-day emails, invitations, and follow-up messaging

• Strong proofreading and editing skills with an eye for clarity and warmth

• Understanding of how marketing and development intersect to drive engagement

• Adaptable and responsive in a fast-paced, event-heavy arts environment

• Comfortable balancing behind-the-scenes administrative work with frequent donor-facing interactions

• Professional, personable, and able to represent the organization with confidence and care

• Organized, creative, detail-oriented, proactive, energetic, collaborative

Interested? Please email cover letter, resume, and a list of three references to Alyson Hand, Ahand@BeckCenter.org. No phone calls, please.