Development Associate

We’re seeking a Development Associate with a heavy focus on donor stewardship. You’ll build warm, consistent touch points that deepen relationships from first gift to lifelong advocacy—using Bloomerang CRM (experience required) and marketing tools to segment audiences, automate journeys, and measure results. This role is perfect for a detail-oriented, experienced, donor-first professional who loves clean data, great copy, and celebrating impact.

Key Responsibilities:

Donor Journey & Stewardship

• Own the end-to-end donor journey
• Create and maintain stewardship calendars, impact emails, handwritten notes, call lists, and milestone touch points (first gift, anniversaries, birthdays when appropriate).
• Draft donor-centered copy (thank-you's, impact updates, receipts) that reflects STS’s voice.
• Partner with programs to source stories, photos, and quick stats for donor communications.

CRM & Automation

• Manage donor data in Bloomerang: gift entry/acknowledgments, segmentation, lists, pledge/recurring management, and data hygiene.
• Build automations (highly valued): welcome series, post-event journeys, recurring donor upgrades, reactivation flows, and stewardship task queues.
• Produce dashboards and reports (retention, upgrade rates, recurring growth, campaign performance).

Campaign & Event Support

• Support direct response and event stewardship (5k/Festival, Golf Tournament, annual Gala): guest lists, sponsor fulfillment tracking, thank-you schedules, recap metrics.
• Coordinate print/mail/email production with vendors and internal teams.
• Occasional evening/weekend event support.

Required Qualifications:

• 3+ year experience in nonprofit donor relations/stewardship (internships count if substantive).
• Bloomerang CRM—proficient and hands-on (required).
• Track record creating donor touch points and managing/optimizing donor journeys.
• Excellent writing and proofreading; donor-centric, warm, empathetic voice.
• Strong organization, accuracy, and follow-through; comfort juggling deadlines.
• Must reside in San Diego County and have reliable transportation.
• Ability to work evenings/weekends as needed for events.

Highly Valued/Preferred:

• Donor journey automation experience (e.g., Bloomerang workflows, Mailchimp/Constant Contact flows).
• Basic list/segmentation skills (UTMs, A/B tests, source codes).
• Light design comfort (Canva) and project tools (Asana/Trello).
• Familiarity with fundraising platforms (e.g., Classy, Classy Live, Stripe).
• Military-adjacent community experience is a plus.
• Experience with sponsorship fulfillment and vendor coordination.
• Comfortable around dogs and public settings; aligns with our mission and values.
• Strong organization, accuracy, and follow-through; able to juggle priorities and deadlines.
• Professional written and verbal communication; warm, donor-centered tone.
• Tech savvy: Google Workspace/Microsoft Office, event tools (Bloomerang and Classy), design basics (Canva), project tools (Asana/Trello), and donor CRM (e.g. Bloomerang).
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation for local errands and events.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• Regular interaction with service dogs in training and therapy dogs.
• Event days may require standing for extended periods and lifting up to 30 lbs, support needed occasional evenings/weekends.

Compensation/Benefits:

• Hourly/Salary: $26-$35, commensurate with experience.
• PTO, holidays, and medical/dental benefits per plan terms; mileage reimbursement for approved travel; professional development opportunities.

To Apply: Please email your resume and a brief cover letter to [email protected]

with subject line: Development Associate – Donor Stewardship.