Erie Arts and Culture is now seeking a Development Associate
Development Associate
Contract Position: $21.63/hour, forty hours per week ($45,000/year)
This is a five-month contract position to provide continuity of development initiatives during the Development Director’s Leave of Absence in August through December of 2024. The contract position may turn into a full-time salaried position in 2025.
About Erie, PA
Erie Arts & Culture is located in Erie, Pennsylvania, on the shores of Lake Erie and Prescott Bay. The City of Erie is experiencing a renaissance, building momentum in neighborhood regeneration through the support of multiple community organizations and partnerships with local businesses and government agencies. Erie boasts a low cost of living that is 10% lower than the national average and 7% lower than the state average. The City also has beautiful outdoor amenities on Lake Erie and in the surrounding region, the Warner Theater that hosts the Erie Philharmonic and internationally renowned performances, free weekend outdoor festivals in the summer and fall, the Children’s ExpERIEnce Museum, Erie Art Museum, and many locally owned restaurants. In addition to the generations of families who have lived here, Erie is also home to a diverse community of New Americans and Refugees who own businesses and restaurants. Situated one and a half hours from Pittsburgh, PA; Buffalo, NY; and Cleveland, OH; Erie is an ideal location to experience world-class amenities in a reasonably priced location.
About Erie Arts and Culture:
Founded in 1960 as the Arts Council of Erie, Erie Arts & Culture (EAC) is the regional arts agency for Northwestern Pennsylvania, as appointed by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA). EAC received its nonprofit designation in 1968, and served as the United Arts Fund for arts organizations in the City of Erie. Today, EAC is a partner of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, serving Erie, Crawford, Venango, Warren, Mercer, and Lawrence counties through grants, teaching artist residencies, and a folklife program documenting and preserving diverse cultures. EAC also makes grants to individual artists and arts organizations in Erie through endowed legacy gifts. Erie Arts and Culture is expanding its engagement in the six counties of Northwestern Pennsylvania and the City of Erie, equitably providing resources that increase vitality of the arts and culture sector and communities as a whole.
About the Development Associate position:
The Development Associate will report to the Marketing Director during the Development Director’s absence, and is responsible for the successful continuation of Development Director’s efforts through cultivation, solicitation, grant writing, event planning, and stewardship. Strong administrative skills are essential, as are a friendly demeanor, confidence to engage people, ability to effectively build and maintain strategic relationships, and ability to work across the EAC team’s areas of service as appropriate. This is a hybrid position, requiring in-person weekly meetings with the Marketing Director, in-office work with the team three days each week, and other in-office meetings as necessary.
Duties/Responsibilities:
■ Process and oversee gifts and pledges according to current policies and procedures (including record keeping, year-end reporting, and monthly financial reconciliation)
■ Create a database of grant opportunities for the organization to pursue
■ Produce gift, pledge, memorial, and tribute acknowledgements in a timely manner.
■ Maintain accurate financial and constituent records.
■ Act as a resource for questions regarding contributions
■ Communicate financial discrepancies to the Development Director (or Marketing Director and Executive Director in their absence).
■ Create and generate various giving reports and lists as needed.
■ Protect and maintain the privacy of donor records, including the management, organization, and security of donor files.
■ Collaborate on grant researching, writing, and reporting as needed.
■ Assist with the logistics of the end of year donor acknowledgements
■ Performs other duties as assigned.
Skills & Abilities:
■ Knowledge of CRM databases preferred - this position utilizes Virtuous
■ Excellent project management and administrative skills.
■ Excellent public speaking, presentation skills, and competency in working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures
■ Excellent interpersonal, customer service, verbal and written communication skills, grammar and punctuation skills, and ability to track multiple projects and their related data simultaneously
■ Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
■ Strong leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
■ Ability to create, implement, and monitor budgets.
■ Thorough understanding of principles and methods used to create, implement, and complete programs and the proper stewardship of program resources
■ Proficient with Google platform or similar platforms
■ Successful completion of background checks
Education and Experience:
■ Associate or Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred or have the equivalent professional training and successful experience needed to perform the defined job functions
Travel:
The Development Associate may be required to travel to Erie, Crawford, Venango, Mercer, Warren, and Lawrence Counties. Mileage is reimbursed at the current GSA rate. Rental cars may be used in place of a personal vehicle.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
■ Normal office setting with frequent computer work approximately 75% of the time.
■ Travel to community sites and agencies with varying degrees of temperature, humidity and noise approximately 25% of the time.
■ Responsibilities occasionally may require an adjusted work schedule and additional hours worked in order to meet deadlines.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
■ Sufficient mobility to work in a normal office setting and use standard office equipment including a computer.
■ Vision to read printed materials and VDT screen.
■ Hearing and speech sufficient to communicate in person or over the phone.
■ Lifting up to 20 lbs. maximum and occasionally carrying such articles as a laptop computer, files.
To Apply:
Please email 1) a cover letter introducing yourself and your accomplishments that align the responsibilities of the position, 2) a resume/CV, and 3) three references in one pdf document to Kathleen Birkmire, Development Director, Erie Arts & Culture, at kathleen@erieartsandculture.org with the subject line “Development Associate Application.”
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Screening of applications will begin immediately and it is anticipated that interviews for qualified applicants will begin in early July with the selected candidate joining the organization in August.