SMART Reading, the state’s largest volunteer-based nonprofit literacy organization, is looking for an energetic, creative, and experienced fundraising professional to join our development team based in Portland.

When you join SMART Reading, you join a team that shares your commitment to making this important work happen. Your position on the Statewide Development Team will focus on the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors. The primary responsibilities of this position will be annual individual giving and mid-level donors.

The ideal candidate will have a zest for meeting with people, a passion for creatively matching donor interests with organization needs, and energy and drive to meet fundraising goals. You will be attending events, asking for gifts, prospecting for new donors, and grant writing. 

If that’s you, here’s what we can offer:

• An important mission and purpose that affects the lives of kids throughout Oregon. SMART Reading engages volunteers to strengthen literacy skills and encourage a love of reading with newborns through 13-year-old students by reading one-on-one with students and restoring used children's books that will be given to kids.
• A team of equally committed, passionate, and dedicated individuals.
• Maximum time “in the field” – to engage people in our work.
• An opportunity to put your creativity and ideas to good use (We’ve got great systems but we’re always interested in improvement).
• A supportive and caring team.
• An organizational culture that values team, plays to the strengths of its members, works to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion, be an anti-racist force in the community, and is tirelessly devoted to serving “our kids” well.
• A great compensation & benefits package!

Position Summary: This position is a member of a multi-person team responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors to SMART Reading. The primary responsibilities of this position are:

1. Effectively identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospects within the identified portfolio focus area: annual individual giving & mid-level donors.

2. Manage and implement campaigns focused on the identified portfolio: currently includes direct mail, monthly giving, peer-to-peer fundraising, and affinity giving campaigns (example: Lawyers for Literacy).

3. Create and distribute stewardship materials for communicating with current and new funders, including regular written updates and invitations to SMART Reading events.

4. Create and manage events, both cultivation and solicitation, as applies to the identified portfolio.

5. Maintain and ensure up-to-date record keeping in Raiser’s Edge, logging contact reports with donors, and regularly update proposal entry and donor pipeline. 

Here are the “must have” requirements of our ideal candidate:

• Personal character which guides the ethical practice of development work
• Exceptional interpersonal and written communication skills
• High degree of personal accountability
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion 
• Ability to work independently and with a team
• Strong project/campaign management skills 
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Office and Google products experience with Raiser’s Edge a plus
• Two years of development and fundraising or related experience, preferably with the portfolio focus identified for this position (we will consider folks with less than two years of experience, and the compensation would reflect the experience level)

Bonus skills (preferred but not required):

• Bachelor’s degree or relevant experience 
• 3 years of nonprofit development experience
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge NXT
• Demonstrated success in annual and mid-level fundraising and managing a large portfolio of individual donors

Application Process: Please submit a resume and cover letter that tells us the following:

1. Specifically, state how you meet our description of an ideal candidate based on the requirements outlined above;

2. Your experience and commitment to equity; 

3. List the bonus skills you do or do not have outlined above; and 

4. Your ability to work from the metro Portland office at least twice a week.

This position will remain open until filled. We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled but will place priority on applications received by the end of the day, May 3, 2024. This position requires two in-office days each week but the hired candidate has the option of a hybrid schedule (working remotely on the remaining days) if preferred. 

Selected applicants will be invited to move forward to both virtual and in-person interviews. For our finalist, we will ask for 3 professional references, preferably from previous employers, and begin the background check after notifying the applicant of our intent to make a job offer. In addition, we will want to verify employment history. 

Important Note: People of color, people living with disabilities, veterans, and individuals from marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

The position is currently vacant and we would like to have the selected candidate begin as soon as possible.

Compensation and Benefits: 

• Salary: $58,000 to $64,000 annually, depending on experience
• Café Benefit: $100 monthly (additional $1,200 annually)
• Cell Phone Reimbursement: $50 monthly (additional $600 annually)
• 401k Retirement: Employer match of up to 3% of your salary
• Paid Time Off/Vacation: PTO is accumulated biweekly totaling four weeks annually
• Office Closures: Two paid weeks off - one in July and the second in December for employee rest and rejuvenation time 
• Employer-paid Health Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D and LTD premiums are 100% paid by SMART
• Paid Holidays: Nine paid holidays that can be used on scheduled holidays or as floating days used according to personal beliefs and obligations
• Paid Supplemental Medical Leave: Cumulated biweekly totaling two weeks annually and carried over to earn up to eight weeks

A full benefit package outline will be provided if selected to interview.

SMART’s Commitment to Equity: As an early literacy program focused on helping children succeed with reading and learning, SMART can’t ignore that deep racial, cultural, social, and economic inequities in our country and state make it harder for some children to succeed compared to others. SMART’s vision is an Oregon in which every child can read and is empowered to succeed, and we are making equity a top priority. As part of this, we particularly seek staff members, volunteers, and board members whose personal or professional background gives them a unique perspective to further SMART’s work in serving children of color and children from other marginalized groups.

To learn more about SMART Reading, please visit www.smartreading.org