Development & Donor Relations Coordinator

Peterson Institute for International Economics; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition reimbursement

Premium medical plans

Health benefits

Metro fare and parking

Job summary

The Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), a leading nonpartisan research organization in Washington, DC, seeks a Development Coordinator to support donor relations, grant reporting, and development operations.

Reporting to the Vice President for Development, you will help manage donor communications, coordinate briefings, and support fundraising work with individuals, foundations, corporations, and other partners.

Qualifications

• Approximately 2–4 years of professional experience in development, fundraising, donor relations, nonprofit administration, philanthropy, higher education, or a related field.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to initiate, prioritize, and follow through on multiple assignments while meeting deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment when handling confidential donor and institutional information.
• Experience working with Salesforce or a comparable CRM/donor management system is strongly preferred.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Ability to conduct prospect research, synthesize information, and prepare clear and concise written materials.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively across departments.
• Ability to interact professionally and comfortably with donors, senior leadership, colleagues, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to anticipate needs, take initiative, and proactively identify appropriate next steps.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced professional environment.
• Interest in PIIE’s mission and international economic policy is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate donor communications, including acknowledgments, correspondence, and stewardship materials.
• Track donor engagement and support the cultivation and stewardship of prospective and current donors.
• Assist in preparing briefing materials, background information, and other resources for meetings between senior leadership and donors or prospects.
• Support timely follow-up with donors and prospects following meetings, events, and other engagement opportunities.
• Help maintain strong and professional relationships with PIIE’s donor community.
• Coordinate the tracking, preparation, and timely submission of grant reports for foundation and institutional funders.
• Maintain comprehensive and up-to-date grant files, including agreements, reporting schedules, deadlines, deliverables, and supporting documentation.
• Coordinate with research, finance, and other internal teams to gather required programmatic and financial information for grant reports.
• Help ensure compliance with donor requirements, reporting deadlines, and documentation standards.
• Support the preparation of grant summaries, internal reports, and development dashboards.
• Monitor upcoming reporting requirements and proactively communicate deadlines to relevant staff.
• Maintain and update donor and prospect records in Salesforce, ensuring a high degree of accuracy, consistency, and data integrity.
• Process and record gifts and support timely donor acknowledgments and reporting.
• Support prospect tracking, fundraising pipeline management, and development reporting through Salesforce.
• Maintain accurate records of donor interactions, commitments, correspondence, and follow-up activities.
• Assist with the preparation of development reports, donor lists, and other information needed by the Vice President for Development and Institute leadership.
• Support the ongoing maintenance and organization of donor data, contact information, and development records in Salesforce.
• Handle donor and institutional information with appropriate discretion and confidentiality.
• Conduct background research on current and prospective donors, including individuals, foundations, corporations, and other institutional funders.
• Identify potential funding opportunities aligned with PIIE’s research priorities and institutional mission.
• Prepare concise prospect profiles and research summaries to support cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Monitor relevant philanthropic and funding trends that may present opportunities for the Institute.
• Maintain organized prospect research and related documentation within Salesforce.
• Coordinate logistics and materials for donor meetings, cultivation events, and other development-related activities.
• Assist with scheduling, invitations, attendee tracking, briefing materials, and follow-up communications.
• Prepare presentations, donor correspondence, reports, and other materials for the Vice President for Development and Institute leadership.
• Collaborate across departments to support development initiatives and ensure the timely completion of fundraising priorities.
• Provide administrative and project support to the Vice President for Development.
• Assist with special projects and other development responsibilities as assigned.

Skills

Organizational skills

Project management

Communication skills

Discretion

Prioritization

Interpersonal skills

Donor relations

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

CRM systems

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

The Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), a leading nonpartisan research organization in Washington, DC, seeks a Development Coordinator to support donor relations, grant reporting, and development operations.

Reporting to the Vice President for Development, you will help manage donor communications, coordinate briefings, and support fundraising work with individuals, foundations, corporations, and other partners.