Coordinator, Donor Relations

ABOUT:  
At Shedd Aquarium, our mission is to spark compassion, curiosity, and conservation for the aquatic animal world.  And, just as the aquatic world encompasses a vast spectrum of diversity, Shedd Aquarium is committed to celebrating the individual differences that make us spectacular. We comprehensively practice values of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion through Shedd culture, workforce, workplace, vendor selection, programs, and experiences. It will take all of us working together to build a world thriving with aquatic life sustained by people who love, understand, and protect it.  

As Shedd approaches its 100th birthday, the organization has launched its Centennial Commitment. This ambitious plan prepares the Aquarium for its next 100 years by accelerating access and connection to nature for all and amplifying ways to care for and conserve to ensure an equitable, sustainable, and thriving future for people and aquatic life. This bold vision is energizing the entire Shedd community and is a transformational investment in Chicago communities and aquatic ecosystems around the world. 

SUMMARY:   
Shedd Aquarium is seeking a full-time Development Coordinator to build upon Shedd’s culture of gratitude by creating new and improving upon existing processes that comprise the Aquarium’s donor relations program. The Coordinator is primarily responsible for key functions including gift processing and acknowledgment systems, data integrity, and reporting. This role will work collaboratively across the Development team and interdepartmentally to ensure that Shedd supporters at all levels are stewarded effectively and with the overarching goal of deepening their relationship to the Aquarium. A successful candidate will have a genuine interest in the inner workings of a fundraising team and will be a strong communicator who thrives on process development and implementation. 

This role sits on the Philanthropic Engagement team and reports to the Director, Donor Relations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Demonstrate affinity for Shedd’s mission and values 
• Responsible for daily gift processing in Tessitura, ensuring the accuracy of gift coding and clarity across Development and Accounting departments; Liaise with Central Station staff as needed to ensure clarity and understanding of gift processing standards 
• Coordinates across the Development team to ensure gifts align with donor intent and gift officer strategy 
• Own the printed and emailed gift acknowledgment process; work collaboratively with other team members to ensure timely, accurate, and appropriate acknowledgments are issued for gifts received 
• Communicate with supporters to get updated payment instructions and/or gift clarification as needed  
• Provide pledge billing and contribution invoices to teams as needed 
• Conduct audits of gift processing and acknowledgment systems to ensure the highest quality standards  
• Assist the Director of Donor Relations with the articulation of and updates to gift processing and general data integrity and operations procedures, identifying opportunities for improvement 
• Provide support to Director, Donor Relations for reporting and data visualization projects related to Development initiatives and strategies 
• Partner with other departments to uncover ways to more fully utilize the Tessitura database to meet and exceed Aquarium goals and objectives 
• Track and evaluate progress toward Trustee financial contribution engagement requirements 
• Maintains data integrity process in Tessitura for donor listings and provides quality control for donor rolls 
• Maintain a high level of customer service to both internal and external audiences  
• Other duties as assigned 

QUALIFICATIONS:   

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. 

EDUCATION:  

• Bachelor’s degree or comparable work experience 

EXPERIENCE:  

• Minimum 2-3 years of experience in a development setting, preferably within an aquarium, zoo, or museum 
• Experience with fundraising, ticketing, and/or CRM software 
• Experience working in team-based environments 
• Excellent organizational and time management skills 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills 

COMPUTER SKILLS AND ABILITIES: 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite 
• Experience with Tessitura software preferred 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. 

• Lift up to 15 pounds  
• Sit 
• Stand 
• Stoop 
• Walk 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. 
This person may be exposed to: 

• Moderate Noise 

 

We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ community, veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply. Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team.

If you need a reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know. In your application, please feel free to select which pronouns you use (For example – she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs).