Development Specialist

This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the early childhood community by providing essential support to educators and ensuring the long-term financial stability of programs.

The Development Specialist will play a pivotal role in supporting the growth and sustainability of early childhood programs in the NWIR service area by raising and managing funding, as well as coordinating a substitute teacher platform. This individual will work closely with early childhood education providers, community partners, and stakeholders to identify funding opportunities, secure donations, and manage grants. The role will also involve overseeing the logistics of the substitute platform, ensuring a reliable network of qualified substitutes for early childhood educators. In addition, the Development Specialist will support the Development Director with other NWIR and JAM Team Foundation initiatives, including the Miracle Micro-Center and Miracle Spaces programs.

The ideal candidate will possess strong fundraising and project management skills, a deep understanding of early childhood education, and the ability to build relationships within the community.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Develop and implement fundraising strategies to secure financial support for early childhood education initiatives.

· Cultivate relationships with donors, grantors, and community partners to raise awareness and increase funding.

· Manage and track funding sources, including grants, donations, and sponsorships.

· Coordinate the substitute teacher platform, ensuring timely placement of qualified substitutes for early childhood programs.

· Maintain communication with educators and stakeholders to ensure the platform meets operational needs.

· Monitor and report on the impact of funding and the substitute platform's success.

· Collaborate with leadership to align development efforts with the organization’s mission and goals.

· Provide development assistance with other NWIR/JAM Team program initiatives

· Use online platforms to raise funds.

· Maintain donor records, including Bloomerang CRM database.

· Assist with design, implementation, and execution of fundraising events.

· Assist with marketing and community relations efforts.

· Train volunteers in fundraising procedures and practices.

· Maintain a good working relationship with the community, co-workers, other agencies and entities to ensure the program is well received in the community.

· Maintain awareness of ongoing changes/improvements to the early care and school-age system.

· Flexibility in work schedule, to allow for meetings at the convenience of stakeholders and prospective donors.

· Provides assistance with IdentoGO fingerprinting services when the need arises.

· Attend workshops, seminars, conferences, meetings, and trainings with overnight travel occasionally required.

Qualifications: This position requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree with expertise in early childhood education, marketing, public relations, journalism, communications, English, or business. Strong communication and organizational skills are a must, previous fundraising and development experience is preferred.

NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Experience in outreach, needs assessment, planning, marketing, and public speaking required.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Strong presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to work productively and collaboratively with employees, government agencies, service providers, program participants, human service organizations, educational institutions and other key partners in a positive, professional, and pleasant manner.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality and sensitivity in all working relationships.
• Ability to organize, prioritize and establish schedules to accomplish program goals and evaluate the delivery of service and program objectives.
• Ability to provide leadership with timely and accurate reports and recommendations.
• Ability to maintain complete, accurate and accessible files and records.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, including but not limited to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Publisher components.
• Experience with donor database software, such as Bloomerang, preferred.
• Experience with website design and editing, including Wordpress, preferred.
• Ability to plan, organize and carry out assignments and responsibilities on time, correctly, in a professional, effective, efficient and independent manner.
• Acceptance of diversity and ability to work comfortably in a variety of settings.
• Good judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Must demonstrate enthusiasm, flexibility, and an ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Ensures compliance with government, funding sources, and NWIR regulations and requirements.
• Ability to participate in and to support a collaborative, team approach.
• Ability to perform other such duties as may be required by the CEO, Development Director, or the board of directors, within the scope of NWIR.
• The successful candidate must clear full background check, as required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for someone working with or near children.
• The successful candidate must pas IdentoGO Enrollment Agent training and background checks.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• This position includes the normal physical demands associated with work in an office environment, including lifting, bending and carrying, and travel to other facilities within the NWIR/JAM Team Foundation operations area.
• This position requires availability and flexibility to participate in services, programs and activities during regularly scheduled workdays, evenings, and weekends.