Senior Associate of Development

About Achievement First

Achievement First (AF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting 41 public charter schools across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. For more than 25 years, AF has been recognized as one of the top tuition-free public charter school networks in the country. We are committed to creating schools of academic excellence within nurturing environments — schools that prepare students to be college-ready and to pursue and succeed in whatever paths they choose in life.

The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families, many of whom will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Across our network, we employ more than 2,200 staff members — 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color — who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence and Cranston, RI.

Our mission is to prepare every student to excel in college, career, and life; deepen their understanding of self and community; and lead lives of purpose. We believe in the limitless potential within our students and their power to shape a more just society. That belief drives our deep commitment to student achievement: we aim to set a high bar for learning and create warm, demanding classrooms where rigorous instruction is paired with the care, encouragement, and consistency every student deserves.

We are looking for a strategic and dynamic Senior Associate of Development to join our Development team.

Your Impact

The Senior Associate of Development is a relationship-driven role that leverages the craft of philanthropy and supports growing and managing a meaningful portfolio of foundation partners.  The qualified candidate will own an established book of 10+ regional foundations representing approximately $1 USD  in annual support for Achievement First's mission of educational equity.  This position will partner closely with the Director to manage long-standing relationships. 

Day to day, this position will draft grant proposals and reports, coordinate across AF's schools and departments to gather accurate information, guide funders through regular communication, and track fundraising activity and deadlines in Salesforce. The qualified candidate will also support the donor and organizational events:  school visits;  funder breakfasts; signing days — events that bring our community and supporters together. 

Reporting directly to the Director of Development you will be responsible for:

Private Regional Foundation Grants Management

• Partner with the Director to manage the school-based grants process, monitoring grant spend-down and reporting requirements.
• Support and coordinate the DonorsChoose District Partnership.
• Serve as a point of contact for a portfolio of school-based donors, foundations, and schools.
• Communicate regularly with schools to stay apprised of grant application efforts, grant-funded project progress, and spend-down.
• Educate and coach school staff on grant reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with the accounting and finance team to support accurate grant tracking and spending.

Logistics and Event Support

• Support logistics and event execution for organizational events where donors are invited - School Visitor Days, Funder Breakfasts, School Openings, Senior Signing Days, etc.
• Coordinate foundation school visits within the grant portfolio and provide donor-visit support to the team as needed.

Knowledge management

• Leverage Salesforce CRM to track all donor, foundation, and grant-related activities.  Use CRM data to track activity and progress toward fundraising goals and grant deadlines
• Ensure grant-related materials are uploaded to Salesforce and the team's shared Google Drive, organized and accessible year over year.

Skills You’ll Have

All candidates for this position will support AF core values, lead innovation, and manage projects to ensure our team, like our schools, are setting a high bar in all areas and pursuing it relentlessly. 

An ideal candidate will have the following experience and qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, non-profit management, business, human resources or related field required. 
• Minimum of 3 years experience in grant writing, fundraising, and/or private philanthropy, program coordination, education, non-profit or government work required
• Experience working with CRM database management for nonprofit organizations and/or data tracking required
• Experience with MS Office or Google Workspace required. 
• Ability to analyze budgets and respond to financial questions
• Previous experience in project management, particularly for projects working with multiple stakeholders/teams required

In addition, the following characteristics are required to be successful on this team:

• Results-oriented individual – a determined leader willing to do “whatever it takes.” 
• Detail-oriented individual – one who sweats the small stuff in planning and execution 
• Skill and experience in financial operations and procedures, formulating and enforcing processes, and developing and implementing new tools and processes as the team evolves 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills 
• Exceptional written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, compelling, and error-free grant proposals, reports, and donor correspondence.
• Strong verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent AF confidently and professionally with funders, school leaders, and internal stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport and trust in-person with donors, foundation staff, and school-based partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships 
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a broader team in a fast- paced environment
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to prioritize effectively
•  Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage a high volume of grants, deadlines, and donor touchpoints simultaneously without things falling through the cracks.
• Strong personal time management skills, with the ability to independently prioritize competing deadlines and proactively plan ahead for recurring grant cycles.
• Consistent timeliness and reliability in meeting internal and external deadlines, including grant submissions, reports, and donor communications.
• Belief in the Achievement First mission and educational model 
• Maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and “roll-up-my-sleeves” attitude 
• Strong ethics and ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality 
• Confident in interacting with and influencing individuals at all levels within the organization 

Travel Expectations 

This is a hybrid role. The expectation is that the person in the role would be able to come into the Network Support office (NYC, CT, or RI) at least 3 days a week.  There may be additional travel to regions outside of your own on an as needed basis. 

Compensation

Achievement First sets salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role.  The salary for this position is $85,295.  In order to uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay.  Additionally, Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave.

Achievement First is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Spanish language proficiency is a plus. You can learn more about diversity at Achievement First here: http://achievementfirst.org/about-us/diversity/