Development Assistant

JOB TITLE: Development Assistant

REPORTS TO: Chief Executive Officer

PRIMARY LOCATION: Boston, MA

ASSIGNMENT LENGTH: full-time and 6 months temp to perm

FLSA STATUS: NONEXEMPT

SALARY: $24 - $25/hr

ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

Founded in 1967, the Museum of African American History is New England’s largest museum dedicated to preserving, conserving, and interpreting the contributions of African Americans. The Museum has two locations—one in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood and one on Nantucket—and is home to two Black Heritage Trails® that tell the stories of organized Black communities from the Colonial Period through the 19th century.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Development Assistant provides administrative and operational support for the Museum of African American History’s fundraising, membership, and donor engagement activities in Boston and Nantucket. Working closely with Museum leadership and staff, the Development Assistant helps ensure that gifts and memberships are processed accurately, donor and member records are maintained, acknowledgments and other correspondence are completed in a timely manner, and development activities, mailings, and events are well coordinated.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Process charitable contributions and pledges, including gifts received by check, credit card, online platforms, and other methods.
• Enter and maintain accurate donor, gift, pledge, membership, and prospect information in the Museum’s donor database/CRM.
• Process new memberships and renewals and ensure membership records are accurate and up to date.
• Prepare and coordinate donor acknowledgment letters, tax receipts, pledge reminders, membership correspondence, and other routine development communications.
• Coordinate membership and development mailings, including preparing mailing lists, letters, labels, and other materials.
• Assist with maintaining donor and member files and ensuring development records are complete, accurate, and confidential.
• Support donor and prospect research as requested by the Director of Development.
• Assist with the preparation of donor and membership lists, reports, mailing lists, and other fundraising materials.
• Maintain calendars and tracking systems for donor communications, stewardship activities, membership renewals, and other development deadlines.
• Provide administrative support for individual, foundation, corporate, and government fundraising activities.
• Assist with donor and member stewardship activities, including preparing materials, coordinating mailings, and tracking follow-up.
• Support the planning and execution of Museum cultivation, membership, and fundraising events, including invitations, RSVP tracking, guest lists, event materials, and post-event follow-up.
• Assist with development-related meetings by coordinating logistics and preparing materials as needed.
• Help maintain development supplies, files, templates, and other departmental resources.
• Work collaboratively with Museum staff to ensure accurate and timely sharing of information related to donors, members, and fundraising activities.
• Perform other development and administrative duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred; relevant administrative, customer service, nonprofit, or related professional experience may be considered in place of a degree.
• Previous administrative, nonprofit, development, membership, customer service, or related experience preferred.
• Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, prioritize responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel; familiarity with email marketing and other digital platforms is helpful.
• Experience with Blackbaud, Salesforce, or another donor database/CRM is preferred but not required.
• Ability to learn new technology and database systems.
• Ability to communicate professionally and courteously with donors, members, volunteers, colleagues, and members of the public.
• Demonstrated discretion and ability to maintain confidential donor and financial information.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Interest in fundraising, membership, museums, African American history, or nonprofit work is strongly encouraged.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion:

MAAH is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, MAAH is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other category protected by local, state, or federal laws. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive staff team.