Development Associate

Title: Development Associate

Reports to: Development Manager  

Salary Range: $50,000 - $53,000 

About the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) 

IPS is a progressive think tank dedicated to building a more equitable, ecologically sustainable, and peaceful society. In partnership with dynamic social movements, we turn transformative policy ideas into action.

IPS values the well-being of our staff. We offer generous leave, excellent employer-paid benefits for employees and their dependents, 403b retirement plan with employer match, and flexible work hours. We are currently working 100% remotely, but when we reconvene, our office is located in DuPont Circle, with sunny windows and a gym.

Position Overview: 

Working under the supervision of the Development Manager, the Development Associate is primarily responsible for the implementation and coordination of fundraising activities to help ensure that the budgeted funding goals of IPS are achieved. This person will provide a wide range of development support to IPS’s projects. 

The Development Associate will also play a lead role in developing our donor stewardship strategy and expanding IPS's foundation prospecting capacity. The position will also lead in planning and organizing fundraising events, most notably the Institute's annual Letelier-Moffitt (LM) Human Rights Awards. 

Position Responsibilities: 

Donor Engagement and Communications 

• Enhance IPS’s major giving and monthly giving programs through implementing best practices, conducting prospect research, stewardship planning, and coordinating with staff.
• Manage planned giving portfolio
• Assist with donor messaging strategy to promote positive donor relationships and drive donor retention. 
• Under the supervision of the development manager, assist with the management of IPS 

relationships with major and mid-level donors by tracking touchpoints with these segments of individual donors. Conduct follow-up as necessary. 

• Assist the development manager with developing regular communication newsletters and emails for special donor segments
• Manage and lead the planning of individual giving campaigns such as year-end appeal and Giving Tuesday, drafting metrics and helping develop goals to increase in giving. 
• Support individual giving programs, such as IPS's sustainers.
• Draft meeting notes for various endowment campaigns and project-specific fundraising meetings. 
• Draft executive outreach to individual and union sponsors and congressional letters as needed to facilitate events that will advance fundraising goals.
• Leverage second languages if available to communicate as needed in instances that will advance fundraising opportunities. 

Events 

• Arrange cultivation events and travel, and attend in-person and virtual events to help with our donor stewardship goals.
• Help plan, organize, execute and manage IPS fundraising events, showing logistical prowess in: communication with speakers and vendors, registration, venue set-up, day-of plans, and follow-up.
• Manage event and program consultants for event support. 
• Work with the communications team to develop high-quality event collateral.  

Foundations 

• Assist with foundation grant proposal writing and reporting. 
• Incorporate foundation prospecting into weekly and monthly duties, identifying new potential sources of funding for general support and individual assigned projects as needed. 

Interns 

• Assist with coordinating the hiring of Next Leader Development Interns throughout the year, including reviewing resumes and interviewing candidates.

Required Qualifications: 

• Demonstrated commitment to IPS's mission and vision.
• 1-2 years of experience implementing fundraising strategies for foundation and individual support.
• Proven systems orientation and experience in donor database management, experience with EveryAction preferred.
• Excellent written (research, analysis, and editing), verbal, and interpersonal skills.
• Understanding of and commitment to maintaining the confidential nature of fundraising efforts and donor information.
• Proven ability to juggle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. 
• Comfort working independently, as well as a commitment to working within a team. 
• Master of MS Office Suite (especially, Word and Excel, including all mail merge functions).
• Demonstrated ability to create budgets for grant applications and reporting
• Creativity, curiosity, sense of humor, professionalism, and enthusiasm for meeting and working with a wide range of individuals. 
• Understanding of institutional and individual donors' needs and perceptions.  
• Passion for social justice and commitment to building a program on anti-oppression principles. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience contributing to funding narratives and foundation grant management. 
• Proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese. 
• College degree preferred but not required. 

TERMS

This is a full-time position.

BENEFITS

Excellent benefits include generous vacation, 403(b) plan upon hire, fully paid dependent health insurance, fully paid life insurance, fully paid long-term disability, optional short-term disability, direct deposit, and flex time.

Full-time salaried, exempt position, located in Washington, DC. The person hired for this role will be expected to work on a hybrid (remote and in-office) schedule. This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific employment terms are subject to collective bargaining.

TO APPLY

Please send a cover letter, resume, three references, and a brief writing sample to apply@ips-dc.org with “Development Associate” in the subject line. The deadline for this position is December 16th. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview in early January. No phone calls, please.

IPS is strengthened by the diversity of our staff and board, and we actively welcome applications from people of color, women, LGBTQ candidates, and candidates who hold other historically marginalized identities.

Thank you very much for your interest in working with us!