Development Associate

Perkins School for the Blind; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) Plan with employer match

Tuition reimbursement day one

Paid Time Off

Wellness programs available

Job summary

Perkins School for the Blind is seeking a Development Associate to support fundraising and marketing initiatives. You will coordinate cross-department projects, manage executive communications, and assist with donor stewardship under the Chief Development & Marketing Officer.

The role requires aBachelor’s degree and 1-3 years in development or related fields, with strong communication and data skills. This position is based in Watertown, MA with comprehensive benefits for staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in relevant field.
• 1-3 years of experience in development, project coordination, administrative support, or related roles.
• Experience in a non-profit environment is preferred.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects and coordinate across teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; data analysis and reporting familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Support fundraising and marketing strategies; coordinate cross-department initiatives.
• Draft communications for senior leadership and prepare briefing materials.
• Assist with donor stewardship and key campaigns.
• Support strategic planning and execution across gift areas.
• Monitor milestones and ensure deadlines are met; optimize workflows.
• Analyze fundraising metrics and present to leadership and funders.

Skills

Communication

Relationship building

Project coordination

Administrative support

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, or related field

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Perkins helps children with disabilities find their place in the world. An international NGO, we are committed to delivering best-in-class education to children, providing immersive training and support to professionals and families, advocating for inclusion, and accelerating innovation for people with disabilities. At Perkins, we think courageously, act collaboratively, and we own our work. Join a supportive community committed to growth where your work makes a difference.

What you can expect as our Development Associate

As our Development Associate, you will play a central role in supporting the efficiency, communication, and execution of our fundraising and marketing strategies. Reporting directly to the Chief Development & Marketing Officer (CDMO) and working closely with the Managing Director of Development (MDD), you will coordinate cross-departmental projects, manage executive communications, and support key donor initiatives. This is an ideal role for an organized, data-aware, and collaborative professional who excels at turning high-level organizational goals into actionable work plans and seamless daily operations.

How you will make an impact:

Communication, Relationship & Administrative Support

• Serve as the primary liaison for the CDMO, managing and prioritizing incoming requests to ensure timely responses.
• Draft and edit compelling talking points, briefing documents, presentations, and correspondence for the CDMO and MDD.
• Manage meeting scheduling, detailed travel/meeting itineraries, and general administrative needs for development leadership.

Board & Stakeholder Liaison

• Support the preparation of materials, and follow-up for Board of Trustees and senior leadership meetings, maintaining clear and consistent communication.
• Represent the CDMO in select meetings when appropriate to maintain momentum on strategic priorities.

Strategic Project & Fundraising Management

• Assist with special cross-departmental initiatives, campaign projects, and donor stewardship efforts on behalf of executive leadership.
• Monitor project milestones to ensure decisions, action items, and departmental deadlines are met consistently.

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Coordinate strategic initiatives across Major Gifts, Annual Giving, Corporate & Foundation Relations, Planned Giving, and Donor Relations.
• Help translate overarching organizational goals into clear, measurable work plans for development teams.
• Facilitate strategic planning sessions and track ongoing departmental progress toward targets.

Operations & Workflow Optimization

• Evaluate internal team workflows to identify resource efficiencies, process enhancements, and operational best practices.
• Maintain central team tools, including master calendars, reporting schedules, and performance dashboards.

Data, Analytics & Reporting

• Partner with Development Operations to evaluate fundraising metrics, analyze performance, and identify growth trends.
• Synthesize data into clean, informative reports and presentations for executive leadership, the Board of Directors, and key funders.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required in Communications, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, or a related field.
• 1-3 years of experience in development, project coordination, administrative support, or related roles.
• Experience in a non-profit environment is preferred.
• Proven experience organizing complex projects, managing multiple deadlines simultaneously, and coordinating across diverse teams.
• Comfort working with data analysis and basic reporting tools.
• Familiarity with fundraising systems and CRMs (e.g., Salesforce) is highly desirable.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational instincts, discretion, and a proven ability to build positive working relationships across all levels of an organization.

The following shared salary range is what Perkins reasonably expects, in good faith, to pay for the position. The applicable range could differ based on experience and qualification. $60,200.00-$85,025.00

Perkins offers a comprehensive benefits package for part time and full time employees, including:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Wellness programs available.
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employer-Paid Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Plan with employer match
• Education Benefits: Tuition reimbursement day one
• Paid Time Off
• Extras: Employee Recognition Programs, EAP, legal services, referral bonuses, credit union access, pre-tax MBTA passes and more!

We are located in the heart of Watertown, adjacent to the Charles River and less than 1 mile from food & entertainment at Arsenal Yards.

Perkins is an equal opportunity employer. View the Perkins Notice of non-discrimination.

Through Perkins' core programs and services, we work to fulfill our mission of serving children and young adults with multiple disabilities and their families around the globe, as well as the educators, professionals and researchers who support them, by focusing on innovation and excellence in educational services, accessibility and professional development.

At Perkins, diversity and inclusion are at the core of our mission and we firmly believe that people with different backgrounds and experiences bring unique and necessary perspectives.