Development Specialist

HIAS; Silver Spring (MD); Hybrid; USD 67,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

HIAS is seeking a Development Specialist to join the fundraising team at our Silver Spring headquarters (or NYC office). You will deliver donor research, stewardship coordination, and actionable insights to enable effective donor cultivation and engagement.

The role also leads operations across donor data, reporting, and CRM optimization, ensuring fundraisers have the tools and information needed to advance HIAS's mission. Remote options may be available for applicants outside commuting distance.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of nonprofit fundraising or donor stewardship experience.
• Strong analytical and research skills to translate data into insights.
• Proficiency in CRM systems and research tools (Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, iWave).
• Excellent written and verbal communication with a donor-centric approach.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth donor research to assess giving capacity and engagement.
• Provide detailed donor profiles and briefing materials to fundraisers.
• Assign donors to portfolios and manage the portfolio review process.
• Leverage data tools to identify donor trends and engagement opportunities.
• Coordinate donor stewardship activities and recognition plans.
• Review gift reports and alert stakeholders for follow-up.
• Maintain donor records in Raiser's Edge CRM with accuracy.
• Generate reports tracking fundraising progress and campaign effectiveness.
• Support gift processing, acknowledgment tracking, and pledge fulfillment.
• Lead development operations projects to improve donor stewardship.

Skills

Donor research

Analytical skills

Project management

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Salesforce

Raiser's Edge

iWave

Research Point

Job description

Department: Development

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Development Specialist is a key member of HIAS' fundraising team, responsible for providing donor research, stewardship coordination, reporting, and operational support that enables effective donor cultivation and engagement. The role leads specialized development operations workstreams, delivers actionable donor intelligence, and ensures fundraisers have the tools, resources, and information needed to advance fundraising goals.

Note, this position is based at our headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland or our office in New York, New York, and we will consider a remote option for applicants who live outside of commuting distance to either of our offices and are based in other states in which we are registered (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia).

The salary range for this position is $67,000-75,000.00.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Conduct in-depth research on prospective donors to assess giving capacity, philanthropic interests, and engagement potential.
• Provide fundraisers with detailed donor profiles, briefing materials, research findings, and donor engagement recommendations to support cultivation and solicitation efforts.
• In conjunction with leadership, assign donors to relevant fundraiser portfolios and manage the portfolio review process.
• Leverage data tools, wealth screening platforms, and industry reports to identify donor trends and engagement opportunities amongst individual donors.
• Coordinate and implement personalized donor stewardship activities and recognition plans to support meaningful donor engagement and retention.
• Review daily gift reports and alert various internal stakeholders for stewardship follow up.
• Work closely with fundraisers to execute donor engagement activities, including exclusive briefings, intimate gatherings, and virtual discussions.
• Maintain and enhance donor records within the CRM system (Raisers Edge), ensuring accuracy in donor history, gift tracking, and engagement touchpoints.
• Generate and analyze reports to track donor pipeline activity, fundraising progress, and campaign effectiveness, providing data and insights to support fundraising decision-making.
• Manage list segmentation, data hygiene, and CRM optimization to improve outreach and engagement.
• Manage the teams information sharing platforms (Teams channels, SharePoint folders, etc.) to ensure fundraisers have updated one pagers, program information, and other internal and external facing resources.
• Serve as a key liaison between development, programs, finance, and communications teams, facilitating coordination and consistent donor-facing communications and stewardship activities.
• Support gift processing, acknowledgment tracking, and pledge fulfillment to enhance donor experience.
• Manage the major donor acknowledgement letter process creating acknowledgement letters, organizing reviews, and mailing to donors in a timely fashion.
• Assist in scheduling and preparing materials for major donor meetings, providing fundraisers with the insights and tools they need to succeed.
• Organize and manage team meetings and greater department meetings for information sharing, collaboration, and strategy review.
• Support department effectiveness by drafting SOPs, improving internal systems and processes, documenting best practices, and serving as a central resource for fundraising staff.
• Lead specialized development operations projects and process improvements that strengthen donor stewardship, portfolio management, reporting accuracy, and fundraiser effectiveness.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• 3-5 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, development operations, prospect research, or donor stewardship.
• Strong analytical and research skills, with the ability to translate donor data into actionable fundraising insights.
• Proficiency in CRM systems (Salesforce, Raisers Edge, or similar) and research tools (iWave, Research Point, etc.).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a donor-centric approach to stewardship and messaging.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines, working cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative mindset, with experience supporting fundraisers and working across teams.
• Commitment to HIAS mission and an understanding of philanthropic trends, particularly in individual giving.