We are looking for a passionate and organized Development Associate to join our team in North Carolina, to support our fundraising and donor engagement efforts. This role will collaborate with teams across the organization to execute fundraising strategies and strengthen donor relationships across North Carolina.
This is a full-time role reporting to the Development Director, North Carolina; this role is based in North Carolina, with an expectation to travel around the state at least 4 days per month. We hope our new Development Associate will start in October.
Responsibilities
Support the Development Director in executing fundraising strategy and donor engagement plans
- Assist with donor prospect research using wealth screening tools and public resources to identify and evaluate donors’ giving capacity
- Draft donor research briefs and portfolios for meetings and cultivation
- Assist with donor stewardship and engagement
- Support the planning and execution of North Carolina-based fundraising events, including coordination of meetings, venue and other logistics, drafting materials and communications, and more
- Draft fundraising Causenet emails as well as other communications
- Provide administrative and research support for the organization’s Planned Giving program, including prospect research, tracking key data in the CRM, and stewardship coordination for planned giving and bequest documentation
- Maintain accurate and timely donor records, notes, and activity tracking in our CRM system (called ROI)
Collaborate with teams across the organization and provide administrative support
- Coordinate with program, communications, and leadership teams to help ensure our campaigns, organizing, advocacy and other work is aligned with our align fundraising initiatives
- Provide support with advisory board engagement, including drafting the agenda, drafting follow-up communications, and other logistical support
- Support development budgeting and revenue tracking processes, including analyzing reports from our CRM to identify opportunities for outreach
- Assist in prep for budgeting purposes
- Other duties as assigned
You will thrive in this role if you have:
- A strong commitment to Common Cause’s nonpartisan mission and to advancing civil rights through our pro-democracy agenda
- A track record of working collaboratively with others, and the ability to build relationships with multiple stakeholders with diverse interests
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Ability to meet deadlines for multiple projects at once, with attention to detail, and a resourceful approach to solving problems
- A commitment to equity in the goals of your work and in how you work with others
- Openness to feedback and awareness of your own strengths and areas for growth
- Familiarity with office productivity tools including Microsoft Office and Zoom; and ideally you have experience using Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar platforms
The following is required:
- Demonstrated interest in fundraising
- Demonstrated interest in the unique aspects of North Carolina’s political dynamic, and in democracy issues and/or civil rights
- Ability to travel 1-2 times per year for team and/or all staff retreats, as well as to work in-person at various locations around North Carolina at least 4 days per month
- Willing to have a social media presence on behalf of Common Cause, including being tagged on posts and creating content on behalf of the organization (as needed, Common Cause will provide accounts for staff members to use)
- Per our nonpartisan policy, Common Cause staff members may not currently be in elected office (or running for office); on the Steering Committee or Finance Committee for any political candidate; or affiliated with the leadership of a political party
Additional information about this role:
- This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit and specific employment terms and conditions are subject to collective bargaining negotiations
- Common Cause is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time; please note that if hired, you will be asked to produce documentation for authorization to work in the US
Skills Required
- Demonstrated interest in fundraising
- Demonstrated interest in North Carolina political dynamics and democracy or civil rights issues
- Ability to travel 1-2 times per year for retreats and work in-person around North Carolina at least 4 days per month
- Willingness to maintain a social media presence on behalf of the organization, including being tagged and creating content as needed
- Not currently in elected office, running for office, serving on a political candidate's Steering or Finance Committee, or affiliated with political party leadership
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office and Zoom
- Experience maintaining accurate donor records and activity tracking in a CRM (ROI preferred)
- Authorization to work in the US (employer cannot sponsor employment visas)
- Experience using Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar design platforms
What We Do
Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. Founded in 1970, it works at the national, state, and local levels to create an open, honest, and accountable government that serves the public interest. The organization focuses on issues such as voting rights, campaign finance reform, ethics, and media accountability, empowering citizens to make their voices heard in the political process.
