Development and Communications Coordinator

ArtPride New Jersey Foundation; New Brunswick (NJ); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

coLAB Arts is seeking a Development and Communications Coordinator to manage external communications and fundraising on-site. You will coordinate timelines, materials, and staff collaboration, while supporting grant applications and donor communications.

You will work with leadership and the marketing partner to produce collateral, manage campaigns, and advance community arts initiatives with strong writing and coordination skills.

Qualifications

• B.A. degree or equivalent with professional communications or fundraising experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate external-facing communications and fundraising initiatives.
• Draft and edit grant applications and donor communications.
• Oversee donor management and grant reporting with internal staff and partners.
• Coordinate with contracted marketing partner on campaigns and branding.

Skills

Strong communication

Detail-oriented

Project management

Time management

Independent work

Education

B.A. degree or equivalent

Tools

Excel

CRM systems

G-Suite

Google Drive

Job description

The Development and Communications Coordinator is an on-site position and supports all external-facing communications and individual and institutional fundraising. This position is supervised by the Producing Director and serves as coLAB Arts’ primary internal coordinator for development and communications, working with staff leadership and the contracted marketing partner. The Coordinator will maintain timelines, gather and approve materials, lead fundraising writing and administration, and ensure responsibilities are clearly assigned. This position is the coordinator for grant applications, fundraising initiatives, and for all communications collateral (including original copy, photo assets, partner graphics, etc.), new grant applications, and fundraising efforts.

The Development and Communications Coordinator is an on-site position and supports all external-facing communications and individual and institutional fundraising. This position is supervised by the Producing Director and serves as coLAB Arts’ primary internal coordinator for development and communications, working with staff leadership and the contracted marketing partner. The Coordinator will maintain timelines, gather and approve materials, lead fundraising writing and administration, and ensure responsibilities are clearly assigned. This position is the coordinator for grant applications, fundraising initiatives, and for all communications collateral (including original copy, photo assets, partner graphics, etc.), new grant applications, and fundraising efforts. The role is not expected to personally execute every communications deliverable. coLAB Arts’ contracted marketing partner handles digital advertising, graphic design, social media, newsletter layout, and the creation of other branding and communication assets.

This job is best suited for someone effective at managing their own work schedule, an excellent self-starter and communicator (both written and verbal), with a track record of writing successful grant applications or authoring other written pieces to advance an organization’s interests. The successful candidate is driven to support artists and community organizers to help them thrive in creating high-quality work with real community impact.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Development and Communications Coordinator is an on-site position and supports all external-facing communications and individual and institutional fundraising. This position is supervised by the Producing Director and serves as coLAB Arts’ primary internal coordinator for development and communications, working with staff leadership and the contracted marketing partner. The Coordinator will maintain timelines, gather and approve materials, lead fundraising writing and administration, and ensure responsibilities are clearly assigned. This position is the coordinator for grant applications, fundraising initiatives, and for all communications collateral (including original copy, photo assets, partner graphics, etc.), new grant applications, and fundraising efforts. The role is not expected to personally execute every communications deliverable. coLAB Arts’ contracted marketing partner handles digital advertising, graphic design, social media, newsletter layout, and the creation of other branding and communication assets.

This job is best suited for someone effective at managing their own work schedule, an excellent self-starter and communicator (both written and verbal), with a track record of writing successful grant applications or authoring other written pieces to advance an organization’s interests. The successful candidate is driven to support artists and community organizers to help them thrive in creating high-quality work with real community impact.

Communications Responsibilities Include

• Coordinate working relationship, deadlines, and deliverables from contracted marketing partner
• Respond to community comments on social media including Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube
• Coordinate development of new organization presence on TikTok
• Draft press releases, cultivate media contacts, and update calendar placements
• Cultivate partnerships for project and community-based outreach including organizations, businesses, and influencers
• Coordinate special projects, such as promoting the Monthly Artist Grant and developing merchandise
• Coordinate the production of project assets including flyers and posters for print and online distribution
• Coordinate content and layout for bi-weekly newsletter
• Coordinate and contribute to the development of website content, including event and project pages
• Coordinate rollout of new website currently in development
• Research and secure conference speaker and op-ed placement opportunities for senior leadership

Development Responsibilities Include

• On-site support is required for cultivation functions, and fundraising and board events that take place on evenings and weekends.
• Grant application and report management for institutional funders including local, state, and federal agencies, private and corporate foundations, and family foundations
• Draft and/or revise grant applications in collaboration with other coLAB Arts staff for both legacy funders and new opportunities
• Interface and work with partners outside of the organization on collaborative grant applications
• Administer coLAB Arts’ donor management software and system; communicate directly with individual donors, including ongoing stewardship, end-of-year statements, and other timely communications throughout the year
• Coordinate coLAB Arts’ individual donor program, which includes participation of staff and board
• Coordinate coLAB Arts’ end-of-year and mid-year fundraising campaigns, special appeals, and a new capital campaign
• Research new grant application opportunities as appropriate to coLAB Arts’ mission and partnerships

Note: The above job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by staff assigned to this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of staff in this position. Duties, responsibilities, and skills are also subject to change based on the changing needs of the job, department, or organization. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by coLAB Arts as the requirements of the job change.

Requirements

Physical expectations:

• Personal computer
• Personal vehicle and valid driver's license
• Occasional early morning and/or evening/weekend work hours (flex time eligible to offset irregular hours)

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• B.A. degree or equivalent, with at least 3 years of professional experience in communications or fundraising for arts, nonprofit, boutique, or corporate agencies
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Strong computer skills, including knowledge of mail merges and Excel
• Experience with various CRM systems, G-Suite, and Google Drive
• Comfort with new technologies, chatbots, and language models
• Detail-oriented with organization, project management, and time management skills
• Ability to perform tasks independently
• Ability to work cooperatively, foster team spirit, and maintain a positive demeanor
• Ability to solve problems independently and negotiate solutions with challenging partners
• Ability to clearly communicate needs and expectations to staff supervisor
• Commitment to the vision and values of coLAB Arts

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.