Assistant Director of Development en The Summit Center

Join Our Team and Make a Difference Every Day

Position: Assistant Director of Development 

Pay: $55,000 - $75,000 annually

Location: Amherst, NY

The Summit Center is Western New York’s leading provider of evidence-based services for children and adults with autism and other developmental, social, and behavioral challenges. Our team is dedicated to helping every individual we serve achieve their highest level of independence. 

Why Work With Us?

• 42 days of paid time off 
• 14–16 paid holidays annually
• Potential for annual raises, incentive payments, and profit sharing
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance/Medical opt-out payment (up to $1,000/year)

• 401K with up to 4% employer match

• Life and long-term disability insurance

Your Impact as the Assistant Director of Development 

1. Contract and Procurement Management:

• Secure necessary approvals and signatures for contracts related to fundraising platforms and event management tools.
• Submit purchase orders (POs) for fundraising-related software and services, ensuring proper documentation and compliance with internal procurement processes.
• Upload signed agreements to SharePoint and Monday.com, ensuring finance has the necessary documentation.

2. Annual Fund Strategy:

• Develop and execute annual fundraising plans in alignment with The Summit Center’s budget and strategic goals, including appeals, giving days, and recurring giving programs.
• Coordinate appeals, including the design, copy, mailing/email lists, and ask arrays.
• Research and incorporate best practices to increase response rates, improve donor retention, and other metrics.
• One-on-one solicitation of larger or special one-time gifts from existing donors and prospects (e.g. matching gift challenges, gifts to Summit programs or capital projects).

3. Data Management and Reporting:

• CRM Oversight: Ensure constituent records are accurate and current in Bloomerang and Monday.com.
• Performance Reporting: Generate detailed reports on donor engagement, giving history, and campaign outcomes.
• Strategic Campaign Support: Determine donor segmentation strategy for appeals and campaigns and prepare corresponding lists/reports.
• Provide insights to the Assistant Marketing and Communications Director and the Director of Marketing, Communications, and Development on fundraising progress and areas of opportunity.
• Data-Driven Insights: Track and analyze donor metrics, campaign performance, and spends – such as giving trends, retention rates, and engagement levels – and collaborate with team members to enhance and optimize future campaigns.

4. Donor Stewardship and Recognition:

• Ensure the execution of tailored recognition strategies for major donors, corporate sponsors, and key stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the Director of Marketing, Communications, and Development to ensure stewardship efforts align with overall donor engagement goals.
• Develop and oversee donor stewardship initiatives, ensuring timely execution, including facilitating key touchpoints, preparing donor reports, impact updates, and engagement materials.
• Independently pull and analyze reports from Bloomerang, Monday.com, Givebutter, and other fundraising platforms to assess donor and sponsorship engagement trends, retention rates, and giving patterns. Use insights from these reports to inform donor cultivation strategies, fundraising initiatives, and sponsorship opportunities.
• Maintain a high level of proficiency in these platforms to oversee development operations, support strategic decision-making, and guide staff in their effective use.
• Manage naming rights opportunities and donor agreements.
• Develop and execute an annual donor and sponsorship stewardship plan.

5. Process for Donor and Sponsor Engagement:

• Pre-Engagement and Prospecting
  • Develop a donor outreach plan.
  • Maintain a log of weekly outreach efforts documenting who was contacted, method of communication, responses received, and any follow-up actions required.
  • Review past donor history and event attendance to identify high-potential prospects.
  • Conduct prospect research and organize names into priority tiers (low, mid, high engagement).
  • Develop outreach scripts and personalized emails for each group.
• Initial Engagement
  • Schedule touchpoints (emails, calls, meetings) based on engagement level.
  • Invite prospects to tour The Summit Center or attend a signature event.
• Solicitation and Conversion
  • Tailor asks to reflect the donor’s or sponsor’s interests.
  • Present sponsorship packets or personalized giving opportunities.
• Stewardship and Reporting
  • Send thank-you communications immediately after each gift.
  • Schedule follow-ups to share how their gift made an impact.
  • Develop multi-year giving programs or higher sponsorship tiers for existing partners.
• Renewal and Growth
  • Use data analysis to determine renewal likelihood.
  • Create targeted renewal campaigns for each donor level.
  • Develop multi-year giving programs or higher sponsorship tiers for existing partners.

6. Event Planning and Execution:

• Provide oversight in planning the Party for Summit and Autism Walk as well as donor appreciation events.
• Track and analyze communication performance to optimize future efforts.
• Track event-related expenses and revenue line items.

7. Code of Ethics

• Adheres to The Summit Center Core Agency Values of Adaptability, Accountability, Collaboration, Integrity, Optimism, and Respect.
• Adheres to The Academy policies, and Summit Center employment policies as outlined in the Employee Handbook including, but not limited to dress code, attendance and punctuality, and Paid Time Off.
  
  

8. Perform any other duties as requested by your supervisor.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s Degree, or equivalent

• 5 years experience in public relations and communications

OTHER SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Must have strong organizational skills and ability to effectively interact with members of Summit staff, partners, donors, media, business, and government leaders.
• Strong technology skills with an understanding of website content and management as well as Microsoft Word
• Must be able to manage several projects simultaneously
• Must be able to handle confidential information
• Must demonstrate good judgment.

At The Summit Center, you’ll be part of a compassionate, highly trained team committed to empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Let your next job be the one that truly makes a difference.