Advancement Associate

Hill Museum & Manuscript Library; Saint Cloud (MN); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (HMML) seeks an Advancement Associate to support fundraising, donor engagement, communications, and stakeholder relations. This hybrid role combines administrative excellence with donor data management, gift processing, grant administration, and event coordination.

Working with the Chief Advancement Officer and team, you will coordinate projects, prepare reports and materials, manage donor communications, and oversee vendor relations.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree preferred; demonstrated experience in nonprofit settings is a plus.
• Experience providing administrative or operational support in fundraising, donor communications, and grant administration.
• Proficiency with donor databases and data management.
• Experience coordinating events, vendor relations, and project management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to maintain confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Provides administrative and project support for fundraising campaigns, donor cultivation initiatives, stewardship projects, and special Advancement initiatives.
• Maintains organized electronic and physical Advancement files and ensures records are retained or disposed of in accordance with HMML policies.
• Maintains advancement supplies and ensures materials are available for ongoing departmental activities.
• Performs other duties and special projects as assigned in support of HMML’s advancement, communications, and relationship-building efforts.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

Grant administration

Event planning

Data management

Education

Associate’s degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

The Hill Museum and Manuscript Library (HMML) invites applications for the full-time, benefit eligible position of Advancement Associate.This is a hybrid position, 3 days onsite in Collegeville and 2 days work from home.Occasional travel to in-state events, no overnights.

Founded in 1965, HMML holds the world's largest archive of manuscript photographs in both microfilm and digital format. HMML identifies manuscript collections around the world that need photographic preservation and online access. Its archives now contain more than 500,000 complete manuscripts, ranging in size from large codices of hundreds of folios to brief documents consisting of just a few leaves.

Located on the campus of Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, HMML is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation that contracts with the Order of Saint Benedict (OSB) for employees and employee services.

The Advancement Associate plays a key role in supporting HMML’s fundraising, donor engagement, communications, and relationship-building efforts. The position provides comprehensive administrative and operational support across Advancement, with responsibilities spanning donor and constituent data management, gift processing and stewardship, grant administration, communications, events, Board and committee support, and departmental operations.

Working closely with the Chief Advancement Officer, Director of Advancement Operations and Annual Giving, and other HMML leaders, the Advancement Associate coordinates projects, communications, and activities that support the organization’s fundraising and engagement priorities. The position maintains accurate and confidential constituent and gift records, prepares reports and meeting materials, coordinates donor and event logistics, supports grant administration, and manages relationships with vendors and other external partners. Through strong organization, attention to detail, sound judgment, and responsive service, the Advancement Associate helps ensure that HMML’s Advancement operations are efficient, professional, and focused on building meaningful relationships with donors and supporters.

Visit www.hmml.org to learn more about the places, people and communities that have been part of HMML's global story, and the manuscripts in HMML's digital and microfilm collections.

The Order of Saint Benedict offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits program (click the benefits tab above the position summary section to view more information).

The posted wage represents OSB's good faith estimate of likely compensation at the time of posting. Actual pay will be dependent upon several factors, including the candidate's experience, qualifications, and skills, and may fall outside of the range indicated.

Responsibilities

Advancement Operations, Database Support, & Gift Processing

• Maintains accurate and up-to-date constituent records in EveryAction, including contact information, giving history, biographical information, relationship notes, and other relevant data.
• Develops and runs queries, reports, and distribution lists to support fundraising, communications, stewardship, events, and Board activities.
• Processes charitable contributions, pledges, recurring gifts, donor-advised fund distributions, matching gifts, and other contributions as appropriate, ensuring timely and accurate recording and acknowledgement.
• Coordinates with Business Manager to reconcile gifts and resolve discrepancies in donor or contribution records.
• Prepares and distributes gift acknowledgement letters, tax receipts, pledge reminders, tribute notifications, and other donor correspondence.
• Tracks returned mail, address changes, deceased constituents, and other updates and ensures appropriate database follow-up.
• Maintains Advancement calendars, project trackers, and deadlines.
• Serves as Advancement’s primary user for PayPal, monitoring and reconciling incoming donations and processing refunds for digital imaging orders as needed.

Donor Communications & Stewardship

• Supports the production of reports, donor correspondence, grant proposals, and other communications as requested.
• Coordinates the production and distribution of targeted print and digital communications in partnership with Advancement and Communications staff.
• Maintains communication calendars and tracks deadlines for recurring donor and Advancement communications.
• Coordinates with designers, printers, graphic designers, and other vendors to ensure accurate and timely production of Advancement materials.
• Assists with preparation of donor briefing materials, including giving histories, contact reports, donor profiles, and other relevant information.
• Supports donor recognition and stewardship activities, including recognition lists, publications, event materials, and personalized communications.
• Manages the HMML general email inbox ([e-mail]) and ensures correspondence is routed promptly to the appropriate staff member.
• Assists with website and digital communications updates as assigned.

Grant Administration & Management[

• Provides administrative support for the development, submission, tracking, and management of institutional grants and funding proposals.
• Maintains a centralized calendar of grant deadlines, reporting requirements, award periods, and other key deliverables.
• Coordinates the collection of information, documentation, budgets, attachments, and other materials required for grant proposals and reports.
• Assists with preparation and submission of grant applications, letters of inquiry, interim reports, final reports, and other funder communications as directed.
• Maintains accurate grant records in EveryAction and/or other designated systems, including funder information, award amounts, restrictions, reporting requirements, deadlines, and correspondence.
• Tracks grant awards, payments, restrictions, and reporting obligations and communicates upcoming deadlines to appropriate staff.
• Coordinates with Business Manager and appropriate HMML staff to support accurate tracking and reporting of grant-funded activities and expenditures.
• Maintains electronic and physical grant files and ensures documentation is complete and accessible.
• Assists with preparation of grant reports by gathering program outcomes, financial information, supporting documentation, and other required materials from internal staff.
• Supports ongoing communication with foundations and other institutional funders as directed by the Chief Advancement Officer and other appropriate HMML leadership.

Committee Support

• Prepares and distributes meeting notices, agendas, materials, and virtual meeting information for the Advancement Committee, related task forces, and the Friends of the Malta Study Center.
• Assists with preparation of Board and committee reports, presentations, dashboards, and supporting documentation.
• Maintains Board and committee contact information and distribution lists.
• Tracks follow-up items resulting from Advancement Committee and related meetings and coordinates reminders with appropriate staff.
• In consultation with the CAO, Director of Programming, COO, and CEO, distributes HMML event calendar notices and other relevant communications to Board members.

Events, Travel, & Relationship Management

• Supports the Chief Advancement Officer, Director of Programming, and other HMML leaders with planning and logistics for donor meetings, travel, special events, and Advancement activities.
• Coordinates event invitations, registration, RSVPs, attendance records, guest communications, nametags, programs, signage, seating lists, and other event materials.
• Assists with on-site event logistics and post-event communications and follow-up.
• Serves as a primary administrative liaison with external vendors, including printers, graphic designers, event venues, caterers, travel providers, and other service providers.
• Supports the Chief Advancement Officer and Director of Programming with HMML Journeys, including coordination with vendors, travelers, schedules, communications, and event logistics.
• Assists with donor travel arrangements and meeting coordination as assigned.

Project & Administrative Support

• Provides administrative and project support for fundraising campaigns, donor cultivation initiatives, stewardship projects, and special Advancement initiatives.
• Maintains organized electronic and physical Advancement files and ensures records are retained or disposed of in accordance with HMML policies.
• Maintains Advancement supplies and ensures materials are available for ongoing departmental activities.
• Performs other duties and special projects as assigned in support of HMML’s advancement, communications, and relationship‑building efforts.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in related field preferred.
• Minimum of two years of related full‑time experience in fundraising, nonprofit administration, advancement, grant administration, communications, event planning, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience providing administrative or operational support in a professional environment, including coordinating multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience with donor, constituent, customer, or database records and data management.
• Demonstrated experience in event coordination, vendor and stakeholder relations, customer service, and project coordination.
• Experience preparing professional correspondence, reports, presentations, and other written materials.
• Experience working with national and international stakeholders in a respectful, professional, and culturally appropriate manner.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling donor, financial, personnel, and other sensitive information.