Philanthropy and Engagement Operations Specialist

WHO WE ARE

The ACLU of Illinois (ACLU-IL) uses integrated advocacy tools, including policy change, legislation, coalition building, litigation, communications, and engagement to advance meaningful change. The Philanthropy and Engagement (P&E) team works to unlock the full potential of the partnership between supporters and the ACLU to fund the defense and expansion of civil liberties and rights, and to create meaningful opportunities to come together as an ACLU-IL community. We bring our supporters closer to the organization and build long-term relationships by sharing the ACLU’s story, engaging them in dynamic ways, and asking for their financial support.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois seeks to hire an Operations Specialist within the Philanthropy and Engagement (P&E) Department. This position will serve as our in-house customer relationship management (CRM) database expert, partnering with the P&E team and colleagues across the organization to build and sustain relationships with ACLU supporters and partners. This position plays a key role in ensuring we meet our ambitious fundraising goals and connect with supporters across the state.

The P&E Operations Specialist will report to the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Team Operations. The Operations Specialist is a full-time non-exempt union position that is part of a bargaining unit represented by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers/United Auto Workers Local 2320.

The primary tasks for this position include:

·        Processing donations arriving through multiple giving vehicles and entering them into our Salesforce 360 database

·        Producing and sending gift acknowledgements

·        Coordinating special stewardship efforts that incorporate the principles of Community-Centric Fundraising

·        Creating reports to help team members make data-informed decisions

·        Supporting ACLU-IL events and other engagement initiatives

·        Providing administrative support for the Director of P&E and scheduling team meetings

Applicants for this position must possess a strong commitment to equity and inclusion work, indicated by the capacity for personal reflection and growth, and evident during situations such as team activities and discussion, organization-wide conversations, and internal trainings. Applicants must also be comfortable pursuing leadership opportunities, as our team shares responsibility for facilitating and presenting at team- and organization-wide meetings, and we develop many team practices together, with input valued from all team members.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Database Management and Gift Acknowledgement – 60%

·        Maintain the overall quality and integrity of the Salesforce 360 database, including overseeing the daily operation of ACLU data systems and improving internal data practices.

·        Process donations in a timely and accurate manner.

·        Create and send digital and print gift acknowledgements.

·        Create, improve, and distribute Salesforce reports for the P&E and Finance teams as-needed.

·        Enter donor visit notes into Salesforce for the Executive Director and P&E colleagues.

·        Regularly add and update supporter contact information in Salesforce.

·        Lead the annual financial reconciliation process with the ACLU National office.

·        Serve as the primary liaison with National Development Resource (NDR) colleagues; attending professional development sessions; and bringing back, and implementing, best practices and up-to-date technological tools for the P&E team.

·        Assist the Finance team with our annual audit.

·        Support portfolio managers with inputting annual giving proposals for leadership, foundation, impact, and event donors.

·        Support the Individual and Corporate Support Specialist in tracking performance of fundraising appeals and individual engagement campaigns.

 Administrative and Logistical Support – 30%

·        Serve as the primary point of contact for donor inquiries via phone and email.

·        Schedule P&E team meetings.

·        Schedule internal and external meetings for Director of P&E and Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Team Operations, and provide meeting support such as creating meeting agendas, communicating with attendees, taking notes, and coordinating follow-up.

·        Represent the ACLU-IL at weekly ACLU National development calls, circulate notes, and provide updates at team meetings.

·        Collaborate with the Events and Supporter Communications Senior Strategist to collect and develop supporter resources and communications.

·        Partner with the Director of Institutional Giving and Finance in gathering information required for grant proposals and reports.

·        Pull and modify mail lists as needed for special campaigns and appeals throughout the year.

·        Manage pledge, bequest, and matching gift paperwork, ensuring paperwork is processed and requirements are fulfilled.

·        Collaborate with the other members of the P&E team on special projects, as needed.

Event Support – 5%

·        Partner with the Events and Supporter Communications Senior Strategist and other P&E team members to provide event support for virtual, hybrid, and in-person events.

·        Play a key role in supporting pre-event outreach and communications, including pulling necessary prospect and attendee lists, tracking pledges, and maintaining up-to-date seating assignments.

·        Coordinate post-event stewardship, promptly distributing complete donor and sponsor lists to portfolio managers to inform their follow-up correspondence.

Staff Leader – 5%

·        Participate as a collaborative, thoughtful member of the P&E team and full ACLU-IL team.

·        Facilitate team meetings and present at all-staff meetings on a rotating basis.

·        Engage in ongoing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging discussions, trainings, and activities.

·        Develop a solid understanding of the ACLU-IL’s structure and programs.

QUALIFICATIONS

·        Commitment to and curiosity about the ACLU’s mission.

·        Dedicated to fostering a positive and welcoming environment for all people, and to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as core values.

·        Kind, thoughtful, curious, solution-oriented, and a strong team-oriented style with an emphasis on partnership. Proven ability to work with team members, across departments, and with external partners to analyze, innovate, and deliver results.

·        At least two years of experience with Salesforce or a comparable CRM database.

·        Demonstrated confidence in using Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

·        Meticulous record-keeping skills and detail-oriented approach.

·        Passion for conducting detailed data analysis and responsible for accurate and consistent data entry.

·        Experience and comfort communicating about and summarizing complex data to familiar and unfamiliar audiences.

·        Ability to communicate effectively in one-on-one conversations, team meetings, and large group presentations. 

·        Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion, uphold the highest level of confidentiality, and exercise good judgement. 

·        Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects with competing deadlines, while maintaining a strong attention to detail and effective team communication.

·        Willingness and availability to occasionally work outside of normal 9-5 work hours and on weekends, typically limited to special events and campaigns.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

In accordance with the ACLU-IL salary scale and commensurate with experience, the salary range is $50,000 to $57,500. Benefits include four weeks paid vacation; 100% employer-paid medical, vision, and dental insurance for staff and eligible dependents; a 403(b) retirement benefits plan with employer match; life insurance; and long-term disability insurance.

ACLU-IL staff are based in Chicago, IL. We currently operate on a hybrid work plan, where some days are spent working together as a team in-office and other days are spent working remotely with frequent collaboration over Zoom.

JOB APPLICATION STATEMENT

The ACLU-IL is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, criminal record, or veteran status.

The ACLU-IL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need assistance applying online, please email jobs@aclu-il.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

TIMELINE

The deadline for applications is Friday, August 26. We expect to begin holding interviews in early September. No calls or outreach by social media please.

HOW TO APPLY

Visit our webpage for this position: https://action.aclu.org/legal-intake/philanthropy-and-engagement-operations-specialist