Development Associate, Mid-Level Giving

brennancenter; New York (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Comprehensive health insurance

Generous time-off program

Job summary

The Brennan Center in New York City is seeking an Associate for its Development team to oversee fundraising strategies. This role focuses on mid-level donor engagement and requires strong organizational skills, written communication, and the ability to manage donor records.

Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree and at least 1-2 years of relevant experience. The position offers a salary range of $65,000 – $70,000 and a benefits package that includes comprehensive health insurance and a generous time-off program.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1-2 years of full-time work experience required, preferably in a mission-driven organization.
• Fundraising, marketing, administrative, or customer service experience is a plus.
• Enthusiasm for mid-level donor fundraising.

Responsibilities

• Organize, edit, and distribute cultivation materials for mid-level donors.
• Track mid-level campaign performance and donor engagement.
• Gather data from program teams for donor outreach.

Skills

Highly organized

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Proficiency in office systems and databases

Ability to multi-task

Sound judgment and discretion

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Asana

Job description

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that seeks to improve the systems of democracy and justice in the United States. The Center works to hold our political institutions and laws accountable to the twin American ideals of democracy and equal justice for all. Its work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from ending mass incarceration to preserving constitutional protections in national security policies.

The Development team is responsible for raising the revenues needed for the Center to operate and remain sustainable. It is comprised of three portfolios: Major Donor Relations, Institutional Relations, and Direct Response & Donor Services. The Center entirely relies on donations.

Position Overview

The Association will play a central, supportive role for a team overseeing fundraising strategies that include direct mail, planned giving, sustained giving, employee match giving, and gift processing. The Direct Response and Donor Services team of six is also responsible for overall fundraising administration for the full Development team. In this highly collaborative role, the Associate will primarily support mid-level donor ($1,000–$15,000) projects, as well as fundraising operations. Responsibilities include ensuring accurate donor and gift records, coordinating cultivation activities such as in-person meetings and webinars, handling donor inquiries, researching new and current donors within the portfolio; supporting donor pipeline activities between the small donor, mid-level, and major donor programs; coordinating donor outreach; editing donor correspondence and other written materials; and working with the other Development Associates to manage an array of supportive, coordinating duties as needed.

Location & Working Hours

This position is in‑office 4 days per week (Monday through Thursday) and is based at headquarters in New York City. Occasional in‑person work on Fridays and early morning, evening, or weekend events may be required.

Responsibilities

• Help organize, edit, and distribute cultivation and stewardship materials aimed at mid-level donors
• Help track mid-level campaign performance, donor engagement, and pipeline activities
• Help gather data (metrics, reports, project updates) from program teams to provide the most up-to-date information on the Brennan Center’s work for donor outreach
• Help prepare mailing lists, event invitation lists, surveys, donor profiles, and fundraising reports and analyses for strategic planning and future fundraising activities
• Support the preparation and production of live and virtual donor events and briefings
• Conduct donor and prospect research, including helping to implement a systematic individual donor research program for the department
• Use Salesforce to manage logistics for large outreach campaigns, create and update contact lists, and ensure integrity of donor and prospect information
• Participate in implementing fundraising initiatives and special projects to increase donor engagement
• Support gift entry tasks, including cleanup, coding, issuing acknowledgments, and maintaining accurate donor records
• Handle donor phone, mail, and email inquiries and customer service
• Help coordinate meetings with donors and internal staff as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum 1-2 years of post-undergraduate, full-time work experience required, preferably at a mission-driven organization. Fundraising, marketing, administrative, or customer service experience is a plus
• Highly organized with outstanding attention to detail and accuracy
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with office systems and databases, including but not limited to CRMs (experience with programs such as Salesforce or Raiser's Edge preferred); Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook), and project management tools (Asana)
• Ability to multi-task, track “next steps,” and thrive in a fast-paced, unpredictable environment
• Maturity to work effectively with staff, donors, external contacts, and leadership at all levels
• Sound judgment and discretion to maintain privacy and confidentiality
• Energetic team player who responds productively to direction and feedback and seeks opportunities for growth and learning
• Proactive, able to work independently, problem solve, and issue spot
• Enthusiasm for mid-level donor fundraising and the mix of donor/fundraising marketing and individualized approaches unique to it
• Genuine commitment to the Brennan Center’s mission and our organizational core values

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range assigned to this position is $65,000 – $70,000. The Brennan Center offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package that is regularly assessed based on workplace trends and employee feedback. In addition to the base salary, the benefits include a generous time-off program, 401(k) plan, comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, and vision), and wellness and office perks. This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW local 2320.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Brennan Center for Justice is committed to a workplace based on equal opportunity and a strong belief in the increased effectiveness that comes from a diverse workforce. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, socioeconomic identity, sexual orientation, national origin, previous incarceration, disability, military veteran/status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. To this end, we welcome all qualified applicants to apply.