Senior Associate Advancement

The Beacon of Downtown Houston; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 46,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Job summary

The Beacon of Downtown Houston is seeking a Senior Advancement Associate to lead the volunteer program, community engagement, and advancement operations. Reporting to the CAO, this role oversees volunteer recruitment, orientation, retention, and recognition, and partners with the Day Center and program leadership to plan staffing.

You will manage a grants portfolio up to $25,000, assist with donor materials, events, and fundraising campaigns, and support cross‑department collaboration to advance

Qualifications

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, information systems, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Three or more years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit development, advancement operations, donor database management, volunteer engagement, fundraising administration, or a related field.
• Experience supporting fundraising campaigns, donor stewardship, special events, or nonprofit advancement activities preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with donor and/or volunteer databases preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the volunteer program including recruitment, orientation, onboarding, retention, and recognition.
• Coordinate volunteer staffing needs with Day Center and program leadership.
• Develop a pipeline of volunteer partners across various sectors and convert one-time volunteers into regulars.
• Train and manage staff and external volunteers for major events like Come to the Table gala.
• Maintain volunteer records and report engagement metrics.
• Plan and execute annual volunteer appreciation events.
• Develop tools to collect regular volunteer feedback.
• Align volunteer engagement with donor stewardship and advancement goals.
• Represent The Beacon at community events to raise awareness and recruit volunteers.

Skills

Volunteer management

Fundraising

Donor stewardship

Event coordination

Community outreach

Project coordination

Stakeholder engagement

Grant tracking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, information systems, or related field

Tools

CRM software

MS Office

Email marketing platforms

Event management platforms

Job description

About Us

Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2007, The Beacon’s mission is to provide essential and next-step services to restore hope and help end homelessness in Houston.We accomplish this by providing compassionate services to individuals experiencing homelessness with the goal of helping them achieve housing stability and improved well-being.The Beacon operates the largest drop‑in day center in downtown Houston and is a key partner in The Way Home Continuum of Care.As such, The Beacon serves as the primary entry point for individuals seeking housing and supportive services.

Job Summary

The Senior Advancement Associate plays a key role in leading and strengthening The Beacon’s volunteer program, community engagement, organizational awareness, and advancement operations. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO), this position serves as the team lead for volunteer administration and community engagement functions that attract the resources and support to advance The Beacon’s mission.

The Senior Advancement Associate has primary responsibility for establishing and maintaining formal volunteer recruitment, orientation, retention, and recognition practices to ensure that The Beacon maintains a strong and reliable volunteer pipeline to meet ongoing program needs.This position will also play a lead role in community engagement opportunities including but not limited to volunteer fairs, corporate fairs and engagement events, church outreach, and other opportunities to raise awareness of The Beacon in the community. This position will also manage a small grants portfolio of opportunities that are $25,000 or less and primarily from religious and/or corporate groups.

This role also serves as a key project and operational partner to the CAO, helping coordinate advancement priorities, improve internal processes, prepare donor and board materials, and ensure projects move efficiently from planning through completion. The ideal candidate is highly organized, technologically capable, detail-oriented, collaborative, and able to independently manage multiple priorities while exercising sound judgment with confidential donor and organizational information.

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Engagement & Administration

• Build out and manage a formal volunteer program for The Beacon that includes: recruitment, orientation, onboarding, retention, and recognition.
• Partner with Day Center and program leadership to establish ongoing volunteer staffing needs, monitor volunteer coverage, identify recurring gaps, and proactively recruit individuals and groups to meet program needs.
• Develop and maintain an active pipeline of individual, corporate, faith-based, civic, school, and community volunteer partners, with an emphasis on converting one‑time volunteers and groups into regular volunteers.
• Recruit, train, and manage staff and external volunteers for The Beacon’s annual Come to the Table gala.
• Coordinate volunteer registration and administrative processes, including responding to inquiries, assisting volunteers with registration systems, and troubleshooting registration issues.
• Maintain accurate volunteer records and regularly track and report volunteer participation, hours, coverage, retention, recurring volunteers, and groups, cancellations/no‑show, recruitment sources, and other engagement trends.
• Lead the planning and execution of an annual volunteer appreciation event.
• Develop tools and processes to collect regular volunteer feedback.
• Identify and share opportunities for stronger integration between volunteer engagement and The Beacon’s broader advancement and donor stewardship efforts.

Community Engagement

• Represent The Beacon at community engagement events including but not limited to: volunteer fairs, corporate events, employee fairs, church outreach and engagement events, and other external opportunities to raise awareness, recruit volunteers, and develop ongoing relationships with corporate, faith-based, civic, and community partners.
• Maintain organized and professional collateral material for engagement events including but not limited to: pop up banners, tablecloths, fliers, newsletter sign up sheets, photos/visuals, branded swag, etc.
• Have a solid understanding of The Beacon’s mission, vision, programs, impact, opportunities for support, and frequently asked questions.

Grants Management

• Manage a portfolio of grants for The Beacon up to $25,000 including but not limited to: relationship management, tracking deadlines and requirements, and application writing and reporting.
• Draft compelling need statements, project narratives, goals, and evaluation plans tailored to specific funder guidelines and/or areas of interest.
• Support the gathering of technical and programmatic data from internal teams, including finance and budget information as well as programmatic goals, outcomes, and KPIs.
• Contribute to the Advancement Grant Tracker to maintain and track deadlines, workflows, approvals, and status.
• Complete required interim and final reports detailing milestones, organization updates, and outcomes achieved during the grant period.
• Provide grant prospecting and other support to the CAO as required.

Advancement Team Support

• Create and manage volunteer workflow automations.
• Contribute to the Advancement team’s communication initiatives, including the quarterly e‑newsletter, Beacon Bites, social media, website and blog, etc. by providing volunteer data and stories, community engagement recaps and photos, and other editorial support as required.
• Provide project and on‑site support for The Beacon’s signature fundraising events, including Come to the Table, as well as donor cultivation and stewardship events.
• Collaborate across departments to gather program information, outcomes, stories, and data needed for fundraising and stewardship.
• Contribute to a collaborative Advancement team in which responsibilities may shift during major campaigns, events, deadlines, and organizational priorities.
• Perform other duties and special projects consistent with the scope and level of the position.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, information systems, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Three or more years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit development, advancement operations, donor database management, volunteer engagement, fundraising administration, or a related field.
• Experience supporting fundraising campaigns, donor stewardship, special events, or nonprofit advancement activities preferred.
• Demonstrated experience working with donor and/or volunteer databases preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to engage in effective public speaking and produce professional, personalized donor correspondence.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent organization and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal and customer‑service skills when working with donors, volunteers, board members, staff, and community partners.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, identify problems, and recommend practical solutions.
• High degree of discretion and integrity when handling confidential donor, financial, and organizational information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and demonstrated ability to work effectively with CRM, fundraising, volunteer management, email marketing, website, and event‑management platforms.
• Adaptable, collaborative, and comfortable working in a dynamic environment with changing priorities.
• Commitment to The Beacon’s mission and to treat individuals experiencing homelessness with dignity and respect.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Hybrid work environment with regular on‑site presence and occasional off‑site meetings and events.
• Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends for fundraising events, campaigns, and other organizational activities.
• Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds and remain seated for extended periods while performing computer‑based work.
• Comfortable working in dynamic and non‑traditional environments.

Please submit Cover Letter and Resume at [e-mail]