Job Description
Job DescriptionSalary: $24.04 - $28.84per hour
Who WeAre
Spark the Journey,locatedin Washington DC, is a growing national nonprofit on a mission to help young adults unlock their full potential. Through mentorship and a powerful community of support, we empower young people to define their own paths, whether thats college, career, or personal success. Building on the legacy of Capital Partners for Education, we now support more than 600 mentees as they navigate the transition into adulthood. What makes Spark unique is our deep, relationship-driven approach, connecting young adults with mentors who guide, support, and champion them every step of the way.
About theRole
This is more than an entry-levelrole,itsa launchpad into the world of nonprofit development, fundraising, and mission-driven work. As a Development Assistant,youllplay a hands-on role in helping Spark the Journey grow its impact.Youllwork closely with a collaborative and supportive team, gaining exposure to donor relations, fundraising campaigns, events, and the behind-the-scenes operations that power a nonprofit. You will create impact by keeping the team running smoothly, creating seamless experiences behind the scenes, power our fundraising through strong data and systems and support campaigns, events, for growth. Youll be at the center of the action, learning how meaningful work gets funded and scaled and have the opportunity to work cross-functionally.
The Ideal Candidate
Youre early in your career and excited to learn, grow, and make a meaningful impact. You bring curiosity, strong organization, and a willingness to jump in wherever needed. As a detail-oriented, highly organized, and collaborative team player, and you thrive in fast-paced environments. In this role,youllcontinue to develop valuable, transferable skills while gaining hands-on experience in nonprofit development.Youllleave witha strong foundationin fundraising and operations, and greater clarity on where you want to grow in your career. Ifyourepassionate about creatingopportunity, building community, and making a real difference in someones future, this is the place to start your journey.
Key Responsibilities
Development Operations & TeamSupport
- Provide day-to-day administrative support toensuresmoothDevelopment teamoperations
- Serve as apoint ofcontact for donor inquiries via email and phone, ensuringtimelyand professional responses
- Assistwith preparation of donor communications,presentations, and outreach materials
- Receive and sort incoming mail anddeliverieson a weekly basis
- Supportacross development functions,special projects, and other duties as assigned
Scheduling, Meetings,& Coordination
- Manageschedulingand calendar coordinationfor theDevelopment team andCEO
- Coordinatelogisticsand materials forBoardand Development Committeemeetings(virtual and in-person)
- Maintain and update development calendars andkey deadlines
- Ensure meetings are well-organized, with materials prepared and follow-ups tracked
Gift Processing & Data Management
- Accurately enter and process donor gifts andpledges
- Maintain clean up-to-date donor records and support overall data integrity in collaboration with the Data & Systems team
- Partner with Finance to reconcile contributions and ensureaccuratereporting
- Collaborate withtheData & Systems team tomaintainhigh-quality data hygiene across databases
- Coordinatedonor acknowledgmentprocess, grant data tracking, and regular donor record updates
Campaigns, Events,&Reporting
- Supportexecutionof fundraising campaignsand donor engagement efforts
- Assistin planning andcoordinating fundraising eventsand donor meetings
- Generatereports to support fundraising strategyand track fundraising progress
- Contribute to improvements in systems, processes, and team resources
Qualifications &Experience
- 12 years of professional experience
- Strong organizational skillswith exceptionalattention to detail
- Ability to manage multiple prioritiesand deadlines in afast-pacedenvironment
- Clear and professionalcommunication skills, bothwritten and verbal
- Proactive mindset, ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams
- Experience with or willingness to learn a donor CRM (such as Salesforce)
- Legal authorization to work in United States withoutsponsorship
- Mandatory state criminal background check
Preferred, But Not Required
- Experience supporting fundraisingefforts,eventsand/or donor engagements
- Familiarity with nonprofit development operations andtools such asSalesforce
Availability
- Ability to work 9 am - 5pm;with one in-office day per weekatourWashington, DCoffice.
- Availability tosupport andattend occasional evening and weekend meetings/events.
How You Will Be Compensated
We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to racial and gender equity.The salary range for this position is $24.04 - $28.84 per hour.
Spark provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums fully funded by Spark, with FSA options
- 403(b) retirement plan with employer match
- Life and disability insurance fully funded by Spark
- 15 daysof paid vacation in each of the first two years;20 daysinsubsequentyears
- Office closed on national and state holidays and between December 24-January 1
- Professional Development and Remote Office supply funds
- Flexible hybrid and teleworkingenvironment
Tentative StartDate: May26 June 2nd;Applicationswill bereviewed on a rolling basis.