Development Coordinator (Foundations)

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is an independent national nonprofit that uses science to protect our health, safety, and environment. We are scientists, engineers, economists, activists and everyday people who develop and advocate for innovative, practical solutions to some of our planet’s most pressing problems—from combating global warming and developing sustainable ways to feed, power, and transport ourselves, to fighting misinformation, advancing racial equity, and reducing the threat of nuclear war.

The Foundations Coordinator (FC) partners with the Director of Foundations to ensure that functions central to identifying, securing, and maintaining foundation support across the team are carried out in an effective and timely manner. The FC manages the team’s prospecting initiative, maintaining the prospect spreadsheet, conducting research to identify new foundation prospects, and monitoring team moves from cultivation to solicitation; prepares background research for foundation visits; supports quality and accuracy of deliverables by proofreading narratives and developing high-quality supporting materials for proposal and report submissions; supports grant management processes; maintains tracking systems for team deadlines and performance metrics; oversees subscriptions, memberships, and other team resources; serves as a resource on database best practices and troubleshoots database-related issues, developing informative materials and trainings as needed; and undertakes projects to help increase efficiency and effectiveness of team operations.  

The FC is part of an 11-person support team for the development department which works together to refine and improve department processes and troubleshoot inefficiencies. Each member of this team is trained to become a Raiser’s Edge Power User and works collaboratively with the Development Operations Manager and database administrative team to maintain data hygiene, conduct special projects, optimize existing systems, and aid in the development of new functionality as needed.

Manages fund prospecting effort. Conducts preliminary and follow up research, assigns prospect research responsibilities to officers, establishes deadlines, monitors flow of prospect movements, maintains collaborative spreadsheet, and ensures Raiser’s Edge (RE) integration and program updates when appropriate.

Partners with Major Gifts (MG) researcher to identify research synergies and best capitalize on potential prospects for UCS, sharing tools, refining internal systems, and developing best practices. Manages Foundation Directory Online, Inside Philanthropy, and other subscriptions, and as appropriate identifies other research tools and resources to maximize prospect research opportunities.

Provides concise and timely background research to prepare executive team, program directors, and other staff for foundation contact and to inform foundation ask and cultivation strategies.

Coordinates administrative systems of the foundations team, creating, managing, and distributing all foundations reports to appropriate staff in a timely manner. Partnering with the database administrative team, Director of Foundation Relations, and Chief Development Officer, assists in the evolution and refinement of systems to support the team.

Proofreads and assists with the preparation of foundation proposals and reports. Prepares and ensures accuracy of supporting documents and financial information. Formats and compiles documents to ensure polished presentation. As needed, serves as back up to the Development Associate – MG in preparing documents for proposals to major donors.

In coordination with foundation officers, drafts foundation correspondence, and in coordination with Grants Administrator, ensures timely response to grant agreements, contracts, and payments. This includes drafting personalized thank you letters and acknowledgements. Manages the team’s Annual Report mailing.

Supports Grants Manager with various grant administration and monitoring processes.

Serves as rapporteur for monthly Foundation/Program meetings as well as Funder Briefing and Strategy Meetings. Serves as co-rapporteur for quarterly Major Gifts/Foundation meetings and annual workplan reviews.

Maintains the quality of foundation records in Raiser’s Edge. Monitors data to ensure consistency and accuracy. Serves as the Foundations Team’s Power User for Raiser’s Edge; develops knowledge of query and export functions to clarify data points. Manages and streamlines Raiser’s Edge processes as needed.

Maintains foundation records in Microsoft 365. Troubleshoots usage problems and develops processes and guidelines.

Establishes and monitors electronic record-keeping protocols. Maintains and safeguards confidential data.

Coordinates agendas, scheduling, and logistics for Foundation Team meetings and workshops, meetings with program directors, MG-Foundations (FDN) and foundation site visits. Assists the Director of Foundation Relations in developing content for agendas for team, MG-FDN, and prospect meetings.

Develops and maintains familiarity with UCS areas of work.

Performs other related functions as directed, including support of year-end gift processing and acknowledgement and Annual Report mailings for the department.

Position requires strong organizational, communication, writing, and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to coordinate effectively across many areas of the organization. Proofreading experience and knowledge of databases, spreadsheets, search engines, and data management are required. Candidate must have excellent attention to detail and be able to manage multiple tasks in a deadline-driven environment. Ability to work independently as well as part of a team is important. Bachelor’s degree preferred. Position requires three to five years of comparable and relevant experience. At UCS, comparable training and/or experience can be substituted for degrees when appropriate.

UCS is an equal opportunity employer continually seeking to diversify its staff. In particular, we’re dedicated to broadening opportunities for individuals from demographic groups that are historically underrepresented in the sciences and in environmental advocacy. We’re also committed to building an inclusive workplace culture where talented people of widely diverse backgrounds can thrive. We've adopted this commitment because we believe the inclusion of culturally diverse perspectives will improve our work and produce better societal and environmental outcomes for all, including historically disenfranchised communities. We are actively seeking people who bring diverse backgrounds and perspectives to join us in this work.

Compensation, Hours and Location: This is a full-time position based in UCS’s Cambridge office. For those who meet all position requirements, the salary is around $47,900. UCS offers excellent benefits and a rewarding work environment. Information about the organization is available at http://www.ucsusa.org. A listing of all open jobs is available at https://www.ucsusa.org/about/jobs-ucs.

Deadline: October 15th or until filled