Development and Outreach Specialist

PDF of Job Announcement

Northwest Access Fund is pleased to announce an opportunity for a Development and Outreach Specialist to join our development team and connect with stakeholders and community members across our tristate geography.

We encourage individuals with disabilities and people from BIPOC communities to apply.

About Northwest Access Fund

Northwest Access Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) established by and for people with disabilities. Our mission is to offer people with disabilities in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho customized loans, financial coaching, and other resources to promote access to assistive technology, independence, financial resilience, and life opportunities. We envision a world where all people with disabilities have access to the resources they need to fully participate and thrive in our communities.

Our core operating values are:

Impact: We are focused and driven to deliver effective services.
Respect: We respond with compassion, creativity, and kindness to reduce barriers while upholding the dignity of those we serve.
Community-driven: We are led by people with disabilities for people with disabilities, and design solutions for diverse communities, perspectives, experiences, and circumstances.
Person-centered: We recognize that everyone has unique circumstances and collaborate with individuals, families, and other organizations to support access to community resources.

Position Responsibilities

This is a new position within Northwest Access Fund and can be offered as full-time or three-quarter time. We are a growing organization with ambitious goals. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of the Chief Operating Officer, supporting both fundraising and outreach activities. They will be responsible for growing referral pipelines for our lending and coaching services, managing communications to amplify the impact of our work, conducting reliable and detailed research, performing data entry and analysis, and supporting preparing proposals for funding.

Development (50%): Support with the preparation of funding proposals and manage communications that amplify the impact of our work.

Conduct online research on potential funding opportunities and funders for the work of the organization. The person in this position will be provided with guidance and instructions on how to search for these opportunities and what information is important to gather from these searches
Assist in populating its database(s) with information on these funders and funding opportunities
Provide reports and updates on progress in the research and offer suggestions of other avenues to approach for gathering appropriate information and seek out additional opportunities
Support in creating a pipeline of potential funders with data and information appropriate to the type of funding being sought and the potential match with the needs of the organization
Enter information as collected into the organization’s funding database and work to ensure accurate and complete data entry
Develop, with the CEO and COO, boiler plate language on the organization and maintain a databank of frequently requested documents for proposals
Provide writing and editing of funding proposals as appropriate
Record donations and send tax receipts when individual donations are made
Project manage the creation of our Annual Report
Support the organization with other external relationship management, including social media content and success stories to be used in development activities and to develop a continuous calendar of content highlighting the organization’s work
Other duties as may be assigned

Outreach (40%): Increase awareness and use of Northwest Access Fund’s services, particularly among those who have been historically underserved by our existing systems.

Develop in-depth knowledge of NWAF’s portfolio to develop partnerships accordingly
Map referral pipelines and assess programmatic reach to identify areas for improvement
Coordinate loan generation activities and develop customized targeted strategies
Update our website as needed, collaborating with staff to keep resources current
Manage a monthly newsletter for distribution via our listserv
Schedule meetings and present information to potential partners and clients, virtually and in person
Maintain partnerships with vendors for our Assistive Technology Loan Program, ensuring they are supported to effectively refer clients to us
Maintain up-to-date qualitative and quantitative records of outreach activities

Program and Administrative Support (10%): This position works across the organization, including assisting with programmatic work and administrative needs.

Understand client needs and offer solutions and support, including answering potential client questions and follow-up call questions
Collate data regarding out programs and services for use in presentations and applications
Collaborate internally to grow the organization

Education and Experience

We anticipate the ideal candidate will have:

At least two years’ experience in community outreach, nonprofit communications, and/or grant seeking
Demonstrated knowledge and experience with working with disability communities and BIPOC communities
A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Core Competencies

We anticipate that to be successful in this role, the ideal candidate will need:

Outstanding interpersonal and relationship-building skills and a non-judgmental, positive, problem-solving attitude
Strong research and organization skills
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
Ability to effectively collaborate with diverse constituent populations, including older adults and people with disabilities, BIPOC communities, and LGBTQ+ communities
Ability to learn quickly, work independently, and handle multiple tasks efficiently with high attention to detail
An ownership mentality with a willingness to take on whatever is needed to achieve objectives
Ability to work as part of a team
Interest in learning and professional growth
Strong computer proficiency, including with Microsoft Office, Dropbox, and CRM databases
Ability to learn new data systems

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

All staff work remotely from home, with in-person meetings and outreach activities as public health allows
Valid driver’s license preferred, and reliable transportation required
Primarily works in standard office conditions and climate
Primarily works at a desk and computer, likely for extended periods of time
Up to 15% travel expected

Compensation

The Development and Outreach Specialist role is a Grade 2. Our Grade 2 range has a minimum salary of $60,000, a mid-point salary of $69,000 and a maximum salary of $78,000. Based on experience candidates can expect an offer between the minimum and mid-point of the grade. To maintain internal equity and ensure that employees have room to grow within their grade, we will not offer higher than the mid-point of the salary grade. We review all ranges on an annual basis and when grades are adjusted (due to cost of living, inflation, and/or role re-benchmarking), so are salaries. We also offer merit increases up to the maximum salary for each grade as a part of our annual review process. If you are interested in learning more about our compensation philosophy and process, we are happy to discuss it during the interview process.
Option of employer-paid health, dental, and vision benefits for the employee, 50% coverage for dependents, Flexible Spending Accounts, and enrollment in SIMPLE IRA (matches up to 3% of salary).
PTO: 11 holidays and 15 sick days and starting level of 18 vacation days annually.

Start Date

Target start date is October 2024, with flexibility available.

Questions

Please email Ellie Vainker at [email protected] with any questions.

Application Procedure

To apply, please email a cover letter (detailing relevant experience and motivation for applying) and resume to Ellie Vainker at [email protected].