Senior Development Associate (36208)

St Johns Community Services

Washington (District of Columbia)

On-site

USD 90,000 - 110,000

Full time

13 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Retirement plans

PTO and flexible schedule

Company paid LTD

Connectivity reimbursements

Job summary

St. John's Community Services is seeking a Senior Development Associate to expand fundraising across the DMV.

The role emphasizes building relationships, expanding the donor base, and securing unrestricted gifts to support SJCS programs. The ideal candidate will bring extensive donor management experience, event planning expertise, and a proactive, community-facing approach to cultivate new supporters and strengthen existing partnerships across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
5-7 years of fundraising, nonprofit development, or donor management experience.
Demonstrated success in donor cultivation and relationship management.
Experience planning and executing events.
Strong public speaking and networking skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication.
Ability to work evenings and weekends for events.
Valid driver's license and willingness to travel regionally.

Responsibilities

Individual Giving & Donor Cultivation (40%): manage and grow an assigned donor portfolio; maintain CRM records; develop cultivation and retention plans; engage new prospects; advance donors along the giving journey; conduct meetings and tours; coordinate donor recognition and stewardship; collaborate with leadership on major gifts.

Skills

Donor cultivation

Public speaking

Networking

Communication

Event planning

Relationship management

Evenings & weekend work

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Donor CRM software

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: District of Columbia - Washington, DC 20024

Salary Range: $90,000.00 - $110,000.00 Salary

About St. John's Community Services

As one of the oldest non-profit organizations founded in the District of Columbia, St. John's Community Services (SJCS) is committed to supporting and advocating for people of all abilities. SJCS works to cultivate caring communities to ensure that all people have the opportunity to thrive, and no one is left behind. We support individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as adults and children experiencing hunger and homelessness in four states and the District of Columbia.

At SJCS, we pride ourselves in meeting every person we support where they are, learning who they are, and affirming their individuality, unique strengths, and hopes. Its why we exist. Advancing inclusive communities where every person, regardless of circumstances, has the right and opportunity to live their best life is our mission, and our mission is what drives us and is at the heart of our services and programs.

What are we looking for?

SJCS is looking for a Senior Development Associate that thrives on building relationships and expanding our fundraising presence throughout the DMV. This is a highly external, relationship-driven position, so we're looking for someone with a proactive, "boots on the ground" mentality who is energized by getting out into the community to build awareness, identify new supporters, and cultivate donors. The ideal candidate brings strong donor portfolio management skills, experience planning and executing fundraising events, and the strategic instincts to develop partnerships across the region - including Gifts-in-Kind relationships that help reduce operating costs across SJCS programs. Above all, we're looking for someone who understands that while community engagement matters, securing financial contributions that generate unrestricted revenue is the primary objective of this role.

Your overall essential responsibilities will be the following:

Individual Giving & Donor Cultivation (40%)

Manage and cultivate an assigned portfolio of individual donors throughout the DMV.

Maintain accurate donor records and engagement strategies within the CRM.

Develop individualized cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention plans.

Identify, qualify, and engage new prospective donors.

Move donors strategically through the SJCS donor journey: from awareness to annual giving, major giving, and long-term engagement.

Conduct regular donor meetings, tours, stewardship visits, and personalized outreach.

Coordinate donor recognition and stewardship activities.

Collaborate with leadership on major gift opportunities.

Fundraising Events (25%)

Serve as the primary project manager for assigned fundraising events from concept through execution.

Event planning and timeline management

Sponsorship development and fulfillment

Ticket sales and attendee cultivation

Budget management

Vendor coordination

Volunteer coordination

Auction and raffle management

Marketing coordination with the Communications team

Day-of-event logistics

Post-event stewardship and reporting

Continuously evaluate opportunities to expand existing events while creating new fundraising experiences that engage new audiences and increase unrestricted revenue.

Community Engagement & Business Development (20%)

Act as a visible ambassador for SJCS throughout the DMV.

Represent SJCS at community events, networking functions, civic organizations, chambers of commerce, and nonprofit collaborations.

Identify opportunities for speaking engagements, tabling events, community fairs, and local partnerships.

Develop relationships with: Civic organizations, Corporate partners, Professional associations, Faith communities, Foundations, Community leaders.

Introduce new audiences to the mission of SJCS and convert awareness into donor engagement.

Build a robust pipeline of prospective supporters and partners.

Gifts-in-Kind (GIK) Development (10%)

Develop and maintain partnerships that provide meaningful in-kind support for SJCS programs.

Food donations

Household goods

Furniture

Hygiene supplies

Office supplies

Event items

Seasonal donations

The objective is to reduce program expenses while strengthening community partnerships.

Data Management & Reporting (5%)

Maintain accurate donor records in the CRM.

Track donor movement through the fundraising pipeline.

Prepare monthly reports on donor activity, event performance, community engagement, and revenue.

Monitor fundraising metrics and recommend strategies for growth.

This list of responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this position is not in its entirety as other duties may be assigned and are expected to be followed.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.

5-7 years of fundraising, nonprofit development, sales, business development, or relationship management experience.

Demonstrated success in donor cultivation or client relationship management.

Experience planning and executing events.

Strong public speaking and networking skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication.

Ability to work evenings and weekends for community events.

Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for regional travel.

Extra credit will be given if you have the following experience, and requirements:

Experience using donor CRM software.

Experience with sponsorship development.

Experience working with nonprofit organizations.

Knowledge of the DMV philanthropic community.

Experience securing Gifts-in-Kind partnerships.

Physical Requirements

This position requires frequent travel throughout the DMV region, attendance at evening and weekend events, lifting and transporting event materials up to 25 pounds, and extended periods of standing during community outreach and fundraising events. Occasional travel to other SJCS program areas throughout western Tennessee & New York.

Core Competencies