Development Assistant

Community Legal Services, Inc. of Philadelphia is a non-profit public interest agency providing free civil legal services to low-income Philadelphia residents.  As the largest provider of free civil legal services in the Philadelphia area, CLS is both locally and nationally renowned as a premier legal services provider dedicated to ensuring access to justice for all low-income individuals and communities.  CLS has eight legal units covering a wide range of civil legal services.

SUMMARY: 

This position will report to the Development Director and will work as a team member of the Development and Communications Unit to enhance the growth and success of CLS’s fundraising program.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION:

Primary Responsibilities:

Development Operations:

• Maintain and continually update the donor database system used for soliciting, cultivating, and stewarding individual and institutional donors.
• Receive, process, record, acknowledge, and report on gifts and pledges in timely manner.
• Create, generate, edit, print acknowledgement letters; manage signature and mailing processes.
• Manage pledge recording, tracking, reminders, and reports.
• Create Records of previous fundraising efforts and create lists for future communications.
• Manage the Development Calendar.
• Perform administrative duties as assigned.

Donor Cultivation:

• Conduct research on new donor prospects in support of expanding CLS’s donor base.
• Draft memos for Development Director and Executive Director on new prospective donors prior to initial meetings.
• Coordinate and support cultivation of CLS alumni.

Events:

• Under the direction of the Development Director, support the logistics of the annual campaigns for law firms and individual donors.  Coordinate volunteer meetings and materials; create and manage solicitation lists; track and report results.
• Under the direction of the Development Director, help to implement annual breakfast event: manage awards; coordinate invitation process, support speakers; coordinate staffing; and carry out follow-up communications.
• Under the direction of the Development Director, execute logistic tasks for annual donor thank-you party: coordinate invitation process, support speakers; coordinate staffing; and carry out follow-up communications.

Communications to Donors:  

• Assist Communication Director in creating Social Media post regrading fundraising activities.
• Work with Communications Director and Development Director to create donor profiles.
• Assist Communications Director with the creation of publications, as needed.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

No formal supervision responsibility; the person in this role is responsible for one’s own work product and work within a unit performing similar functions. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Typical office setting with adequate lighting, heat, and ventilation.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The position will require some walking, standing, bending, kneeling, and carrying of items of moderate weight (no more than 25 lbs.) 

Community Legal Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. CLS does not discriminate in the selection of employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, genetics, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, CLS complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall and transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.