The development specialist plays a vital role in supporting the fundraising and donor engagement efforts of the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) and its related organization, the International Institute for Ethical Research (IFER). Reporting to the vice president of advancement and working closely with operations team members, this position helps optimize development operations, maintain data integrity, and ensure efficient processes that contribute to achieving fundraising goals. The specialist also serves as a frontline representative of NAVS, engaging directly with donors and external constituents. This is an ideal opportunity for an individual who is not only detail-oriented and process-driven but also aspires to grow into a development and fundraising role. The development specialist is a hybrid position with in-office work required 3 days per week at NAVS’/IFER’s Chicago headquarters.
Key Responsibilities: Gift & Data Processing
- Process and record donations, gift reversals, and other transactions in the organization’s CRM in a timely, accurate, and thorough manner
- Generate reports of gifts received and pending
- Maintain donor database integrity, including updating contact information and coding records appropriately
- Create segmented mailing and email lists for appeals, newsletters, and events
- Ensure compliance with donor confidentiality and data privacy standards
- Reconcile gift data with the finance department monthly and as needed
- Maintain documentation and files related to all contributions
Donor Engagement & Stewardship
- Manage the timely receipting and personalized acknowledgment of gifts and related donor correspondence
- Directly address donor inquiries via phone and email, documenting all interactions in the CRM
- Prepare and distribute donor stewardship materials such as welcome kits and appreciation gifts
- Provide backend support as needed for major gifts, grants, and planned giving program communications, cultivation efforts, and stewardship
Research & Reporting
- Create and run customized data queries and reports to track campaigns, donor activity, and overall performance metrics
- Support pipeline development by conducting research and making recommendations on prospective individual and institutional funders using DonorSearch, Foundation Directory Online, and other search tools
- Help prepare data for board meetings, annual reports, and charity watchdog profile updates
Fundraising & Event Support
- Provide essential support for the direct mail program’s operations and vendor relations, including data and mail file requests, proofing of campaign materials, and payment processing
- Manage the coordination and fulfillment of in-house fundraising appeals and special mailings
- Manage data related to events, including invitation mailing, registration tracking, raffle/auction items, text-to-give efforts, etc.
- Actively support special event preparations and onsite logistics
- Coordinate event materials such as name tags, signage, and collateral
- Support event follow-up and donor stewardship efforts
Operational Support
- Assist in developing and maintaining development operations policies, procedures, and best practices
- Proactively identify and address inefficiencies and redundancies to continually enhance development operations functions
- Serve as a backup for remote deposit processing and ancillary accounts receivable functions
- Represent NAVS at conferences, donor events, and other functions
- Support the development needs of NAVS’ affiliate organization, the International Foundation for Ethical Research
Additional Duties as Assigned
- Perform other responsibilities as assigned in support of the development team and organization’s goals and strategic priorities
- Provide general administrative support to the development department
- Participate in staff meetings, trainings, and team planning sessions
- Attend industry conferences or other professional development events as assigned
Candidate Qualifications:
- 2-3 years of experience in a professional office environment, preferably in the nonprofit sector
- Experience with donor data management platforms (e.g., Virtuous, Salesforce, Blackbaud or similar CRMs) is a plus; the capacity to learn new systems is essential
- A basic understanding of nonprofit development and fundraising principles is a plus; a demonstrated interest in proactively seeking out learning opportunities and ongoing professional development is essential
- Experience with mail merges and bulk mailing logistics
- Familiarity with donor cultivation and stewardship best practices
- Experience supporting fundraising events and campaigns
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Teams, Word, and Excel
- Exceptional attention to detail, with a focus on accurate and consistent data entry
- Exceptional time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain positive donor relationships
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
- High level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential donor information
- Reliable and dependable, with a strong sense of personal accountability
- Adaptable and flexible in response to shifting priorities and deadlines
- Able to work independently with minimal supervision and collaboratively as part of a team
Application Instructions:
To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter by August 8, 2025.
If you are passionate about making a difference through business development in the nonprofit sector, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity!
NAVS is an EEO employer
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $52,531.00 - $58,061.00 per year
Benefits:
- 403(b)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
- Weekends as needed
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chicago, IL 60654
