Development Associate

Job Title: Development Associate
Department: Development
Reports to: Chief Development Officer
Date: February 2025

About Pivotal
Pivotal supports young people in and from foster care to realize their educational and career goals and ensure their equitable access to opportunity. We envision a community in which every young person gets the education, career, and life they want for themselves. In support of this vision and mission, Pivotal provides highly individualized academic and career-oriented services to current and former foster youth at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Pivotal also works with community stakeholders to effect systemic change in the opportunities offered to youth from the foster care system.

Pivotal is a dynamic organization that challenges staff to reflect and grow to remain ever more responsive to our youth, donors, and partners, providing the highest quality services.  Our approach is data-driven and evidence-based. 

At Pivotal, we acknowledge and celebrate the power in diversity.  Our collaborative culture promotes innovation and benefits our team, the youth we serve, and our community as a whole. Pivotal is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.


Job Summary:
The Development Associate plays a key role in supporting Pivotal’s fundraising, donor engagement, and marketing efforts. This position is responsible for maintaining accurate donor records, processing gifts, coordinating donor acknowledgments, and providing administrative support to the Development team.

The Development Associate leverages data to inform fundraising strategies, assists in donor prospecting, and ensures the integrity of the donor database. In addition, this role collaborates on marketing initiatives, including email campaigns, social media, and event promotions.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive, with strong communication and technical skills to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment. This is an excellent opportunity for an individual passionate about philanthropic development and looking to grow their expertise in fundraising operations, donor relations, and digital marketing.


Essential Job Functions:
Development Operations & Administrative Support

• Serve as the primary point of contact for Development-related phone calls, emails, social media inquiries, and other donor communications, ensuring excellent customer service.
• Maintain accurate donor records and gift processing in the CRM database.
• Generate and send thank-you letters within one week, coordinating hand signatures from the CEO.
• Provide administrative support, including managing office supplies, taking meeting notes, scheduling meetings, and completing other tasks assigned by the Chief Development Officer.

• Collaborate with leadership to analyze donor data and provide actionable insights for fundraising strategy.
• Segment donor data for direct mail and email campaigns, optimizing outreach strategies.
• Support donor prospecting by researching potential supporters and maintaining an evolving donor pipeline in collaboration with the Chief Development Officer.
• Work with the Sr. Manager of Grants & Communications to track institutional funding, ensuring timely submission of grant proposals and reports.

• Regularly audit the donor database for accuracy, manage de-duplication efforts, and standardize data entry practices.
• Coordinate with third-party vendors and consultants for system upgrades, database migrations, and API integrations with email marketing and online giving platforms.
• Develop and maintain documentation on CRM processes, data workflows, and user guides to ensure system consistency and staff training.

• Assist in designing promotional materials for fundraising events and scholar workshops, including flyers, invitations, and social media graphics.
• Support the execution of monthly email marketing campaigns.
• Collaborate with the Sr. Manager of Grants & Communications to update website content, ensuring timely posting of news, blogs, and event information while maintaining SEO best practices.
• Assist with social media management by creating compelling content, building relationships with followers and key stakeholders, and fostering online community engagement.

• Commitment to Mission: Passion for Pivotal’s mission to improve the lives of foster youth.
• Education & Experience:
  • Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience in a related field.
  • 0-2 years of professional experience, preferably in a nonprofit development, fundraising, or administrative role.
• Technical & Data Management Skills:
  • Experience and proficiency with donor CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or similar platforms).
  • Familiarity with online giving platforms and data integration tools.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Experience with graphic design tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Canva) is a plus.
• Communication & Collaboration:
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to engage professionally with donors, stakeholders, and team members.
  • Experience supporting marketing and communications efforts, such as email campaigns, social media, or website updates, is a plus.
• Organizational & Problem-Solving Abilities:
  • Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in data entry and record-keeping.
  • Strong ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks effectively.
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while contributing to a collaborative team environment.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage: 100% employer-paid premiums, depending on plan selection
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with up to 4% employer match
• Paid Time Off (PTO):
  • 15 vacation days in the first year (increases with tenure)
  • 12 company-paid holidays
  • Week-long holiday office closure in December
• Paid Parental Leave: 8 weeks of paid leave for new parents
• Additional Benefits:
  • Employer-paid life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
  • Access to a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and commuter benefits
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential counseling and support

Other Information:
The successful candidate will be required to undergo a full background check and must comply with county contract requirements, including, but not limited to: COVID-19 vaccination, TB test, completion of mandatory trainings, and any other health and safety requirements as outlined.  


All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or other non-merit factors.  If you need any assistance or accommodation in the application process, feel free to reach out to us at (408) 484-6200.

Read more about our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion promise here: https://www.pivotalnow.org/about/what-makes-us-pivotal/our-jedi-promise