Donor Operations Officer at Ubongo

Job Position:

• We are looking for a Donor Operations Officer.  Working at Ubongo won’t be easy, but it will challenge and excite you with lots of responsibilities and fun and give you the opportunity to impact the lives of millions of kids every day. 
• We seek a dynamic, creative, and flexible Donor Operations Officer to expand and improve our fundraising and business departments. You’ll work closely with our Director of Development and Development Manager to support our fundraising efforts with foundations, grantmakers, and individuals worldwide who may be interested in funding and giving to our work. The Donor Operations Officer will support the development and fundraising team in implementing strategies to secure funding and manage donor relationships. This role involves administrative and operational tasks to ensure efficient fundraising activities and to help our small but mighty development team to thrive.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Key Responsibilities:

Fundraising Operations and Admin

• Assist in developing and  maintaining accurate donor databases (CRM), ensuring all records are up-to-date and comprehensive.
• Generate reports and analyze data to track fundraising progress, donor trends, and campaign effectiveness.
• Aid in the organization and execution of fundraising events, including logistical coordination, guest management, and follow-up activities.
• Conduct research on potential donors, grant opportunities, and fundraising strategies.
• Assist in donor stewardship efforts by acknowledging gifts, communicating impact, and ensuring donor recognition.
• Help streamline fundraising processes and systems to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Provide administrative support to the development team, including scheduling meetings, managing calendars, and handling correspondence.
• Coordinate with finance and accounting departments to ensure accurate recording and reporting of donations and funds received.

Corporate Giving Support:

• Research and Outreach: Conduct research on potential corporate donors, their giving patterns, and areas of interest. Assist in creating targeted outreach strategies to engage corporations aligned with the organization's mission and values.
• Proposal Development: Collaborate with the development team to prepare compelling grant proposals tailored to corporate giving guidelines. This includes outlining the organization's impact, aligning projects with corporate objectives, and presenting a clear case for support.
• Relationship Management: Support in maintaining relationships with corporate partners by ensuring timely communication, acknowledging contributions, and providing necessary follow-ups or reporting on the impact of their donations or sponsorships.
• Event Coordination: Assist in organizing events or activities specifically aimed at engaging corporate partners. This could involve sponsorship opportunities, corporate volunteer days, or tailored recognition events.

High-Net-Worth Donors / Major Donors Support:

• Research and Profiling: Conduct thorough research on high-net-worth individuals or major donors to understand their philanthropic interests, history of giving, and potential connections to the organization's mission. Create donor profiles to guide personalized engagement strategies.
• Stewardship and Cultivation: Support in developing personalized stewardship plans for major donors, including tailored communications, impact reports, and opportunities for engagement that align with their interests. Assist in creating experiences or events that provide exclusive access or recognition for major donors.
• Donor Recognition: Aid in designing and implementing recognition programs that acknowledge major donors' contributions appropriately. 
• Gift Administration: Assist in managing major donor contributions, ensuring accurate and timely acknowledgment, processing, and reporting of their gifts. Collaborate with the finance team to ensure adherence to any specific requirements or preferences from major donors.
• Facilitating Personalized Engagement: Help coordinate one-on-one meetings, phone calls, or site visits for senior staff or board members to engage with major donors personally. Ensure logistics and follow-ups are managed effectively.

Fundraising Communications and Campaigns:

• Collaborate with team members to prepare donor communications and fundraising marketing materials.
• Support creating and distributing fundraising campaigns across various platforms, including social media, email, and direct mail.
• Updating and managing our CRM database for prospective donors, applications, and past (already pursued) prospects

REQUIREMENT: KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE and QUALIFICATIONS ESSENTIALS:

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with an acute attention to detail
• Proficiency in using donor databases, CRM software, and Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to multitask and prioritize assignments in a fast-paced environment
• A proactive and team-oriented attitude with a willingness to learn and contribute
• A basic understanding of fundraising principles and practices 
• Experience in outreach, business development and/or network-building roles
• Ability to synthesize research and information to aid decision making
• Proven experience in fundraising, business development, marketing, corporate communications, or project management
• Must be able to provide at least 3 professional references.
• Must love kids!
• You can work independently and think on your feet
• Be willing to wear many hats!

PREFERRED:

• Deep understanding of Africa’s education and development landscape
• Bachelor's degree preferably in Research, Marketing, Communications, Nonprofit Management, Business, or a related field is a plus
• 1-3 years experience fundraising or development for a non-profit company or social enterprise
• Passionate about education, storytelling, and being a changemaker.
• Loves building relationships and talking to new people!
• Great storytelling skills that come through in public speaking and writing. We tell powerful stories, and you need to be able to represent our brand well publically