Development Associate

Location: Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Mission

To empower and enable all young people, especially those who need us most to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible adults.

Established in 1952, the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach which also serves Saddleback Valley 501(C)3 is a purpose-driven non-profit and a chartered member of the Boys & Girls Club of America, a nationwide organization composed of autonomous, community-based organizations that work at the local level to help young people of all backgrounds develop the qualities they need to become responsible adults and leaders.

Position Description

Job Title: Development Associate

Classification: Non-Exempt

Schedule: 30 hours per week, increasing to 40 hours per week during event season. This position is classified as non-exempt and is eligible for overtime in accordance with applicable wage and hour laws.

Reports to: Chief Advancement Officer (CAO)

Contact: Faye Cartmale, Chief Human Resources Officer

Location: Laguna Beach (Canyon Branch)

Primary Function

The Event & Fundraising Coordinator supports the mission of The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach by planning, organizing, and executing fundraising events and donor engagement activities. This role blends event logistics, donor stewardship, and administrative support to help grow the organization’s fundraising capacity. The Coordinator works closely with the Chief Advancement Officer, Executive Director, Chief Finance Officer, volunteers, and community partners.

Key Responsibilities

Event Planning & Execution

• Plan, coordinate, and execute fundraising events, including galas, community events, donor receptions, auctions, and virtual events.
• Manage event timelines, budgets, vendor relationships, and logistics.
• Coordinate event marketing materials, invitations, social media promotion, and registration processes.
• Recruit, train, and supervise event volunteers.
• Ensure events comply with California nonprofit regulations and local permitting requirements.

Fundraising & Donor Support

• Assist the CAO in developing and implementing fundraising campaigns, including annual appeals, peer to peer fundraising, and online giving initiatives.
• Oversee the maintenance of accurate donor records in the CRM/database.
• Oversee and support donor stewardship activities such as thank you letters, donor recognition, and follow up communications.
• Design and implement direct mail programs.
• Assist the CAO in prospect research to identify potential donors, sponsors, and partners.
• Help secure in kind donations, auction items and sponsorships for events.
• Assist CAO in supporting various fundraising initiatives assigned by the Executive Leadership and Board, such as endowments, major gifts, and planned giving.
• Implement and manage annual internal fundraising campaigns such as Campaign to Gain, ensuring all staff and board member participation.

Board Development

• Assist the CAO in the continuing development of the Board.
• Assist the CAO in the preparation of quarterly Board meetings.

Communications & Outreach

• Collaborate with the communications team to create event related content for newsletters, social media, and the website.
• Represent the organization at community events, networking opportunities, and partner meetings.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with donors, sponsors, volunteers, and community stakeholders.
• Increase visibility of Club development activities and maintain good public relations.

Administrative & Operational Support

• Track event metrics, fundraising progress, and donor engagement data.
• Prepare post event reports and recommendations for improvement.
• Assist with grant support tasks such as gathering data, drafting summaries, or preparing attachments.
• Support general development department tasks as needed.

Qualifications

Required

• Experience in event planning, fundraising, nonprofit development, or related fields.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and work independently.
• Comfort with donor databases/CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Greater Giving, DonorPerfect).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends for events.

Preferred

• Event experience.
• Corporate outreach experience.
• Experience working in a California nonprofit environment.
• Knowledge of fundraising and donor stewardship.
• Graphic design or social media experience.

Work Environment

• Primarily onsite based on organizational needs, with remote work permitted at the discretion of the CAO.
• Requires ability to lift up to 25 lbs for event setup.
• Some local travel for events, outreach, and meetings.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the Club has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.