Join Our Staff

Summer Search Boston currently has a position available for:

Development Director
Development Associate

development director

Summer Search Boston is on the verge an exciting phase of growth that will put us on the path to serve 600 high school students annually by 2016, while continuing to focus on the lowest performing Boston Public High Schools. Doing so will mean increasing our annual fundraising from $2.8 million currently to $4.6 million in 2016. We are seeking a Development Director to play a lead role in setting the strategy and raising the funds that will allow us to be one of the largest and most effective youth serving organizations in Boston in the next 5 years.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the effort to raise at least $2.8 million in 2012 and work closely with the Executive Director and the Development Committee of the board to create and implement a strategy to increase fundraising steadily in following years.

• Create and oversee the implementation and continuous refinement of the long-term development strategy comprised of diverse revenue sources, including foundation grants, major gifts, corporate sponsorship, events, and annual donations.

• Support the Executive Director in cultivating and maintaining relationships with current base of over 1500 donors, with a focus on major donors.

• Build new, and strengthen current, relationships with corporate partners and foundations.

• Develop a strong strategy to maximize the fundraising efforts of the Board of Directors.

• Manage a development team responsible for tracking and reporting on fundraising, grant writing, communications calendar, event planning and general development support.

• Work with senior management staff to shape marketing efforts and build broader community awareness of Summer Search.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Five or more years of fundraising and/or non-profit management experience.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to innovate to create and execute development strategy.
• Ability to build relationships and speak passionately to inspire and engage large groups of individuals.
• Demonstrated success in donor cultivation and solicitation of major gifts from foundations, individuals and corporations.
• Significant time spent at a mission-driven organization.
• Ability to lead and work closely within a team.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• B.A. required; an advanced degree in a related area a plus.

BENEFITS

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Medical, dental, vision, Flex-Spending, Commuter Benefit, Life and Disability insurance
• 401 (K) Plan and Employer Match
• Generous paid sick days, holidays, and vacation package, including a paid winter break
• Individual, local and national training opportunities
• Opportunities to network and develop relationships with high profile individuals in greater Boston

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please attach your resume with a cover letter that speaks to why you are applying to Summer Search.  Include in your letter your track record of performance, your desire to learn, and your ability to overcome challenges.  Please send your application to bostonhire@summersearch.org and indicate Boston Development Director on the subject line.

Summer Search is committed to equal opportunity employment.

development associate

THE OPPORTUNITY

Summer Search Boston is on the verge an exciting phase of growth that will put us on the path to serve 600 high school students annually by 2016, while continuing to focus on the lowest performing Boston Public High Schools. Doing so will mean increasing our annual fundraising from $2.8 million currently to $4.6 million in 2016. We are seeking a Development Associate to join our team and assist in fundraising efforts that will allow us to be one of the largest and most effective youth serving organizations in Boston in the next 5 years.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Research, write and track grant proposals and reports for foundation and corporate fundraising, including managing grants calendar
• Manage donor data base and gift processing, including data entry, thank you letters, and file maintenance
• Assist in managing logistics and organization of fundraising events
• Assist with Summer Search’s communications, including the annual report, newsletters and website, and social media efforts
• Assist in communication with board of directors and volunteers
• Research individual and corporate donor prospects
• Undertake special projects at the direction of the Executive Director, Development Director, and Program Director

QUALIFICATIONS

This position is ideal for someone who has a can-do attitude, extremely sharp organizational skills and who is interested to learn in every element of this role from data entry to creating strong systems and processes that will enhance the strength of our work.  Good performance will be matched with increased responsibility and opportunity but this person must have exceptional attention to detail and enjoy supporting critical mission-related work.

• Bachelor’s degree required
• At least 2 years experience working in a fast-paced environment
• Fluency in MS Office required
• Demonstrated excellence in written communication
• Strong oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to multi-task
• Excellent organizational and project management skills
• Self-starter who is comfortable in a close-knit team-oriented setting
• Flexibility and eagerness to learn and work on different tasks as needed
• Previous experience with Raiser’s Edge or a similar donor-database a plus

OUR BENEFITS

Summer Search is committed to creating an environment that is supportive of learning, growth and staff development. Our intense investment in staff includes: 

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience

• Medical, dental, vision, Flex-Spending, Commuter Benefit, Life and Disability insurance
• 401 (K) Plan and Employer Match
• Generous paid sick days, holidays, and vacation package, including a paid winter break

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please attach your resume with a writing sample and a cover letter that speaks to why you are applying to Summer Search and specifically details how your past experiences align with the qualifications and essential functions described above.  Please send your application to bostonhire@summersearch.org and indicate Boston Development Associate in the subject line.

Summer Search is committed to equal opportunity employment.