Updated February 21, 2019: Applications now being accepted through March 4, 2019
OVERVIEW
The Minneapolis Parks Foundation is seeking a Fundraising Communications Assistant. This full-time, hourly position will assist with a variety of duties, providing support to our Development Team, the Director of Communications & Strategic Partnerships, the Executive Director & Board of Directors, and rest of the Parks Foundation staff. This position requires an energetic professional who doesn’t mind wearing multiple hats; is experienced in handling a wide range of communication, development, administrative, and executive-support-related tasks; and is able to work independently. The Assistant needs to be well organized and flexible and needs to enjoy the administrative challenges of supporting a range of diverse responsibilities.
The Minneapolis Parks Foundation transforms human lives through parks and public spaces by aligning philanthropic investment and community vision. Founded in 2003, the Foundation is an independent, donor-supported nonprofit organization that believes parks have the power to connect us, heal us, and make us whole. We help envision and fund transformative parks and public spaces by working closely with our public partners and in collaboration with the community. Through implementation expertise and philanthropic investment, we accelerate visionary park and public-realm initiatives, including RiverFirst, Water Works, and the Great Northern Greenway River Link. We also support innovative Minneapolis parks projects through grants and champion world-class design through our Next Generation of Parks™ Event Series. The Foundation is the primary philanthropic partner to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, which stewards the city’s 6,700 acres of parkland and water. The Foundation employs seven staff members and several contractors, has an annual budget of $1.2-million, and is in the midst of the $17.9-million RiverFirst Capital Campaign.
JOB DESCRIPTION
| Title | Fundraising Communications Assistant |
| Reports To | Supervisor: Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships Secondary Report: Chief Development Officer |
| Supervises | No staff members |
| FTE | 1.00 (40 hours per week) |
| Status | Exempt (Salaried) Non-exempt (Hourly) |
| Schedule | Mostly weekday daytime Occasional evenings and weekends (for meetings and events) |
| Date | 1/24/2019 |
Job Summary
The Fundraising Communications Assistant works with all Minneapolis Parks Foundation staff members in a variety of duties. This position requires an energetic professional who is able to work independently and is experienced in handling a wide range of communication, development, administrative, and executive support related tasks. The Assistant needs to be well organized and flexible and needs to enjoy the administrative challenges of supporting a range of diverse responsibilities.
The Assistant will work directly in support of the Development Department with fundraising activities including developing and managing donor-focused content for website, updating campaign materials, implementing social-media strategy, supporting donor mailings, maintaining donor and media database, assisting with event development, and other tasks as needed.
This position will report to the Director of Communications & Strategic Partnerships supporting communications, data management, and other tasks.
The Assistant will support the Executive Director schedule with donors, preparing and presentation materials, and coordinating other tasks and projects. The Assistant will also support the Executive Director’s communications with Board of Directors and its committees, including meeting scheduling and logistics.
The position will assist the Business & Administration Manager with a variety of administrative tasks, such as supporting office technology, administrative data entry, and other such tasks.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Provide communications support to the Development Department (40%)
- Assist the Chief Development Officer and Annual Fund & Events Manager with development and special event activities.
- Provide strategic donor-centered communication support, including updating capital campaign materials as well as preparing and updating presentations.
- Provide administrative support to development team, including entering data in Salesforce, preparing mailings, filing, organizing, and communicating professionally with donors at all levels.
- Assist with events, including helping in the creation of marketing materials and supporting logistics for all events.
Assist Director of Communications & Strategic Partnerships (30%)
- Assist with managing the Parks Foundation’s website.
- Help implement multi-platform social media strategy that drives engagement on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the Parks Foundation’s blog.
- Manage digital material on online platforms, including Vimeo, YouTube, and Slideshare.
- Assist with curating the Parks Foundation’s visual collateral, including photos, videos, maps, visual ID and logos, and digital media.
- Maintain communications and partnerships database in Salesforce.
- Attend meetings and events concerning communications and partnerships as needed.
- Assist the Director of Communications & Strategic Partnerships in other projects and tasks.
Assist Executive Director and Board of Directors (20%)
- Assist Executive Director with scheduling, document preparation, meeting logistics, and other matters.
- Assist the Business & Administration Manager to coordinate meetings of the Board of Directors and its committees (regular and ad hoc), including scheduling, communications, agendas, document preparation, and meeting logistics.
- Maintain minutes for meetings of the Board of Directors.
- Assist the Executive Director in other projects and tasks.
Assist the Business & Administration Manager (10%)
- Assist the Business & Administration Manager with administrative and operational activities, both on-going and project-based.
- Perform light bookkeeping related to fundraising and donor relations.
Qualifications, Experience, Education, and Skills
- At least 3-5 years of experience working in a professional setting with an emphasis on impeccable client service.
- Experience supporting communications and marketing efforts. Experience in handling social media and communicating with a variety of audiences.
- Graphic design or photography/videography skills are preferred but not required.
- Experience handling administrative and operational responsibilities, preferably at a nonprofit organization, particularly providing support for an Executive Director, department head, Board of Directors, or committee.
- Experience working with a variety of staff, consultants, board members, partners, donors, volunteers, and others in a dynamic work environment.
- Experience prioritizing a variety of tasks and taking direction from multiple coworkers.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Strong writing and editing skills.
- Demonstrated professionalism, trustworthiness, enthusiasm, curiosity, and an interest in parks.
- Experience using Salesforce, WordPress, social media platforms (especially Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and Microsoft Office (especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Required education: undergraduate degree, Associate’s degree, or professional certificate. Preferred area of study: communications, journalism, marketing, administration, or other field related to the responsibilities of this position.
- An understanding and appreciation of the diverse communities that use and support Minneapolis parks.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements
The person in this position must be able to:
- Effectively communicate with others.
- Work at a desk for extended periods of time.
- Operate a personal computer (including a keyboard, mouse, monitor) and other office equipment (such as a telephone, printer, copier, scanner).
- Move throughout the office to conduct various tasks. Bend to file or retrieve documents.
- On occasion, lift and move items up to 30 pounds unassisted.
- Travel within the Twin Cites metro area for meetings and events.
- Occasionally work weekends and evenings as needed.
Pay and Benefits
- Hourly rate between $17.00 and $17.80.
- Health and dental insurance (Foundation pays 75%, employee pays 25% pre-tax).
- Vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
- Retirement benefit.
TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION
Send a resume and cover letter (as PDF files) to mkarl@mplsparksfoundation.org. The position will remain open until filled, but applications received by March 4, 2019, will be given strong consideration.
As an equal opportunity employer, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation is strongly committed to growing an organization that reflects the racial and cultural diversity of Minneapolis. The Foundation is committed to the principle that all persons shall receive equal employment opportunities in accordance with their individual job-related qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or presentation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic status, marital status, familial status, veteran status, status in regard to public assistance, or any other characteristic protected by law.
No phone calls and no employment-agency submissions, please.
All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.