Development Associate, Vasculitis Foundation
Executive Excellence • Minnesota, United States • Illinois, United States
Posted: May 1, 2026
Job Description
Job Title: Associate, Development
Job Status: Full-Time
FLSA: Exempt
Compensation: $45,000-$60,000 (based on skills and experience)
Reports to: Senior Manager, Development
Position Summary
The Development Associate provides essential support to the Vasculitis Foundation's (VF) fundraising operations, with a primary focus on fee-for-service project execution, corporate sponsorship benefit fulfillment, donor pipeline management, and project management. This role ensures seamless execution of corporate partnerships, supports donor stewardship efforts, assists with campaign development, and manages the VF Corporate Council logistics while supporting the Development Senior Manager & Chief Development Officer in achieving VF's fundraising goals.
Key Responsibilities:
Corporate Partnerships
- Manage all fee-for-service project execution
- Coordinate cross-team efforts to ensure all corporate sponsorship benefits are executed, tracked, and managed
- Serve as key support for corporate partners, ensuring sponsorship benefit delivery
- Assist in all logistics of VF's Corporate Council (meeting agendas, slide decks, reminder emails, note-taking)
- Adapt quickly to evolving corporate partnership needs and ensure timely delivery of sponsorship benefits
- Support the Development team in bringing companies into the VF pipeline
Individual Donor Engagement
- Provide donor stewardship for new donors and peer-to-peer fundraisers
- Ensure every donor interaction reflects professionalism and gratitude
- Learn and apply best practices in donor stewardship tactics and assist in moving donors through the pipeline
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records, including contact information, interactions, and engagement preferences
- Assist with donor research to identify prospects for cultivation and engagement
- Support the Development team in bringing donors into the VF pipeline
- Assist the Development team with prospect lists and introductions for new revenue opportunities
Campaign & Appeal Support
- Support execution of key fundraising campaigns (Annual Appeal, Spring Appeal, GivingTuesday) by managing administrative tasks and donor communications
- Contribute ideas and insights to campaign development efforts
- Respond flexibly to changing priorities during peak fundraising periods
Administrative & Operational
- Collaborate with the Development team to ensure smooth coordination of fundraising activities
- Work across departments to fulfill corporate sponsorship commitments
- Assist team members with event logistics, donor research, and campaign preparation
- Manage development pages of VF's website (donor wall, corporate council, partnership logos, fundraising pages)
- Identify opportunities to streamline administrative processes and enhance donor experience
- Stay current on fundraising software features and tools (GiveSmart and Salesforce)
- Participate in professional development opportunities
VF’s Core Competencies:
- Purpose-Driven Commitment
- Lifelong Learning and Innovation
- Unified Teamwork
- Agility in Action
- Stakeholder Engagement and Service Excellence
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, or a related field.
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in nonprofit operations, fundraising support, corporate partnerships, or project management or an equivalent combination of internships and entry-level experience
- Highly detail-oriented with strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with precision.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage professionally with corporate partners and donors.
- Experience with website content management systems and basic digital content updates.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to adapt communication style to different audiences, including donors, corporate partners, and internal team members.
- Commitment to equity, inclusion, and fostering a culture of respect and collaboration.
- Exceptional project management skills and a proven ability to oversee multiple timelines, deliverables, and workflows simultaneously and effectively
- Strong sense of ownership, consistently leading projects with initiative, follow-through, and a commitment to excellence
- Ability to work across teams, hold stakeholders to deadlines, and manage up when needed.
- Ability to work independently and manage workload with minimal direction in a remote environment.
- Proficiency with common digital tools and platforms including Google Suite, MS Office, Zoom, Slack, WordPress, and other project management platforms
- Willingness to travel for job-related events, meetings, and conferences approximately 2-4 times per year
- Flexible mindset and an ability to adapt easily to shifting priorities
Preferred (but not required)
- Experience managing corporate sponsorships, fee-for-service partnerships, or benefit fulfillment.
- Familiarity with donor stewardship strategies and pipeline management.
- Experience with CRM or donor management systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar).
- Knowledge of project management tools and methodologies.
- Experience coordinating meetings, agendas, and stakeholder communications.
- Experience working with corporate partners, large institutions, or pharmaceutical/life sciences companies.
- Experience coordinating events or conferences, including managing logistics, timelines, and multiple moving parts.
- Knowledge of data privacy regulations and best practices in donor data management.
Additional Content
Job Title: Associate, Development
Job Status: Full-Time
FLSA: Exempt
Compensation: $45,000-$60,000 (based on skills and experience)
Reports to: Senior Manager, Development
Position Summary
The Development Associate provides essential support to the Vasculitis Foundation's (VF) fundraising operations, with a primary focus on fee-for-service project execution, corporate sponsorship benefit fulfillment, donor pipeline management, and project management. This role ensures seamless execution of corporate partnerships, supports donor stewardship efforts, assists with campaign development, and manages the VF Corporate Council logistics while supporting the Development Senior Manager & Chief Development Officer in achieving VF's fundraising goals.
Key Responsibilities:
Corporate Partnerships
- Manage all fee-for-service project execution
- Coordinate cross-team efforts to ensure all corporate sponsorship benefits are executed, tracked, and managed
- Serve as key support for corporate partners, ensuring sponsorship benefit delivery
- Assist in all logistics of VF's Corporate Council (meeting agendas, slide decks, reminder emails, note-taking)
- Adapt quickly to evolving corporate partnership needs and ensure timely delivery of sponsorship benefits
- Support the Development team in bringing companies into the VF pipeline
Individual Donor Engagement
- Provide donor stewardship for new donors and peer-to-peer fundraisers
- Ensure every donor interaction reflects professionalism and gratitude
- Learn and apply best practices in donor stewardship tactics and assist in moving donors through the pipeline
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor records, including contact information, interactions, and engagement preferences
- Assist with donor research to identify prospects for cultivation and engagement
- Support the Development team in bringing donors into the VF pipeline
- Assist the Development team with prospect lists and introductions for new revenue opportunities
Campaign & Appeal Support
- Support execution of key fundraising campaigns (Annual Appeal, Spring Appeal, GivingTuesday) by managing administrative tasks and donor communications
- Contribute ideas and insights to campaign development efforts
- Respond flexibly to changing priorities during peak fundraising periods
Administrative & Operational
- Collaborate with the Development team to ensure smooth coordination of fundraising activities
- Work across departments to fulfill corporate sponsorship commitments
- Assist team members with event logistics, donor research, and campaign preparation
- Manage development pages of VF's website (donor wall, corporate council, partnership logos, fundraising pages)
- Identify opportunities to streamline administrative processes and enhance donor experience
- Stay current on fundraising software features and tools (GiveSmart and Salesforce)
- Participate in professional development opportunities
VF’s Core Competencies:
- Purpose-Driven Commitment
- Lifelong Learning and Innovation
- Unified Teamwork
- Agility in Action
- Stakeholder Engagement and Service Excellence
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, or a related field.
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in nonprofit operations, fundraising support, corporate partnerships, or project management or an equivalent combination of internships and entry-level experience
- Highly detail-oriented with strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with precision.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage professionally with corporate partners and donors.
- Experience with website content management systems and basic digital content updates.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to adapt communication style to different audiences, including donors, corporate partners, and internal team members.
- Commitment to equity, inclusion, and fostering a culture of respect and collaboration.
- Exceptional project management skills and a proven ability to oversee multiple timelines, deliverables, and workflows simultaneously and effectively
- Strong sense of ownership, consistently leading projects with initiative, follow-through, and a commitment to excellence
- Ability to work across teams, hold stakeholders to deadlines, and manage up when needed.
- Ability to work independently and manage workload with minimal direction in a remote environment.
- Proficiency with common digital tools and platforms including Google Suite, MS Office, Zoom, Slack, WordPress, and other project management platforms
- Willingness to travel for job-related events, meetings, and conferences approximately 2-4 times per year
- Flexible mindset and an ability to adapt easily to shifting priorities
Preferred (but not required)
- Experience managing corporate sponsorships, fee-for-service partnerships, or benefit fulfillment.
- Familiarity with donor stewardship strategies and pipeline management.
- Experience with CRM or donor management systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar).
- Knowledge of project management tools and methodologies.
- Experience coordinating meetings, agendas, and stakeholder communications.
- Experience working with corporate partners, large institutions, or pharmaceutical/life sciences companies.
- Experience coordinating events or conferences, including managing logistics, timelines, and multiple moving parts.
- Knowledge of data privacy regulations and best practices in donor data management.