Development and Communications Associate

FLSA Status: Full-Time, At- Will, Exempt

Location: Hybrid / San Jose, CA

Pay Range: $69,000 - $74,000

Reports to: Senior Director of Growth & Strategic Communications

Organization Overview

The Latino Education Advancement Foundation (LEAF) is committed to promoting equal opportunities for Latinx students to excel in higher education and realize their career aspirations for social and economic advancement. As a 501(c)(3) organization, we offer a range of programs and education initiatives, including comprehensive support services for postsecondary enrollment and persistence, career pathways preparation, and educational equity advocacy.

Since 2019, we have supported over 1,000 LEAF Scholars and their families throughout their college journey. In 2024 alone, we served more than 500 LEAF Scholars and over 90 LEAF Mentors, along with more than 200 families. A remarkable 85% of our students persist in college, considering that fewer than 20% of low-income Latinx students nationally persist in earning a college degree within six years. Our comprehensive support system includes scholarships, workshops, peer mentorship, parent engagement, and college partnerships, which all work together to increase the enrollment and retention rates of Latinx students. With our unwavering commitment, we aspire to empower and uplift our community's next generation of Latinx leaders.

Position Overview

The Development and Communications Associate will strengthen LEAF’s fundraising capacity through donor communications, gift processing, stewardship, and events, while also managing external communications and brand visibility to increase awareness and support.

This position is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive communication plans that enhance the organization's visibility, engage diverse audiences, and drive support for our mission and initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Development Operations and Donor Stewardship

● Manage timely processing of all donations (online, check, in-kind) in collaboration with Finance/Operations.

● Ensure accurate entry of gifts into the donor database; reconcile regularly with Finance.

● Draft, personalize, and send donor acknowledgment letters within 48–72 hours of receipt.

● Maintain donor records and giving history to support cultivation and stewardship.

● Produce monthly fundraising and communications dashboard reports for leadership and the Board.

Fundraising Campaigns and Events

● Collaborate with leadership to design and implement annual fundraising campaigns (EOY appeal, spring/fall campaigns, Giving Tuesday, etc.).

● Draft donor-centered appeals, stewardship emails, impact reports, and case statements.

● Develop tailored materials for major donor cultivation (one-pagers, program briefs).

● Support planning and promotion of donor engagement events, site tours, and cultivation activities.

● Ensure donor recognition is timely and visible (annual report, newsletters, website, social media).

Marketing and Communications

● Project manage and draft LEAF’s Annual Impact Report (content, donor lists, impact highlights).

● Integrate storytelling into all fundraising and stewardship efforts (highlighting students, parents, mentors).

● Align website, newsletters, and social media content with fundraising campaigns.

● Maintain consistency of brand and messaging across donor-facing and community-facing materials.

● Create basic collateral and graphics (using tools like Canva) and coordinate with consultants/designers as needed for larger projects.

● Manage LEAF’s website and social media presence to ensure content is current, accurate, and engaging. ● Other duties as required and assigned by the manager

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the incumbent in this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills.

Qualifications

● Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or related field, or equivalent experience.

● 2–3 years of experience in fundraising, development communications, donor relations, or nonprofit communications.

● Experience with gift processing and donor acknowledgment systems.

● Familiarity with donor databases/CRM systems. Network for Good a plus.

● Experience supporting fundraising campaigns and/or events.

● Strong project management skills; able to manage timelines across campaigns, calendars, and events.

● Excellent writing skills with ability to craft clear, persuasive, donor-centered content.

● Proficiency in social media management and content creation; experience with Canva or similar tools.

● Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across staff, Board, and external partners.

● Familiarity with nonprofit fundraising best practices.

● Bilingual English/Spanish required.

● Strong ethical values and a passion for LEAF’s mission.

Compensation and Benefits

LEAF offers a generous pay and benefits package which includes:

● $69,000 - $74,000 annual base salary, based on experience and qualifications

● 50% employer paid medical and dental/vision coverage options

● 401(k) retirement plan with a LEAF match: 100% of contributions on the first 3% deferred, then 50% of contributions from 3% to 5%

● Paid Time Off: 14 paid holidays, 120 hours accrued vacation- increases with length of service, 80 hours paid sick leave, Winter break between Christmas and New Year.

● Parking and mileage reimbursement and Cell phone stipend

● Employer-sponsored professional development opportunities

● Optional disability, life insurance coverage options, as well as Flexible Spending Accounts, employee-paid

Work Environment

● LEAF offices are located at 1550 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126. This position is required to work on-site 2-3 days per week and travel to multiple school sites within the Bay Area.

● Regular evening and occasional weekend events may be required, with the ability to flex working hours accordingly.

● Local travel may be required for this job; reliable transportation is solely the responsibility of the employee.

How to apply

Interested candidates submit a cover letter, resume and portfolio showcasing relevant communication materials or sample work at https://www.leafca.org/careers or careers@leafca.org. Application screening and initial phone interviews will be completed on a rolling basis. Resumes without cover letters will not be considered.

LEAF is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry (including caste), gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, reproductive health status, family caregiver status, political or religious affiliations, or any other characteristic protected by law.