CareLink is seeking a thoughtful, detail-oriented Development Officer to help grow and strengthen philanthropic support for older adults and their families across central Arkansas.
The Development Officer will play a key role in supporting CareLink’s fundraising efforts through donor communications, direct response campaigns, grant writing and administration, database management, stewardship, reporting, and relationship-building.
The ideal candidate is a strong writer, a careful proofreader, and a strategic thinker who enjoys turning data, program needs, and community impact into compelling opportunities for support. They should be comfortable working independently, managing multiple projects and deadlines, and helping donors, funders, and community partners understand the impact of their investment in CareLink’s mission.
CareLink Mission:
To connect older people and their families with resources to meet the opportunities and challenges of aging.
Minimum Qualifications
- High school education or equivalent
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Marketing, Fundraising, Business Administration or related field preferred
- Minimum 2 year of experience in PR, Marketing, Fundraising, Sales or related field
- Or, any combination of experience, education and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the functions of the job
- Word processing, spreadsheet, database experience
- Experience with data analysis, including evaluating campaign performance and reporting on key metrics
- Proficiency in CRM database management, including Raiser’s Edge or comparable platform
- Experience with direct response fundraising, including mail and/or digital campaigns
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- Knowledge of business English, spelling, and punctuation
- Knowledge of database management and various applications for spreadsheet and database programs
- Knowledge of grant-writing methods and techniques
- Knowledge of basic fundraising tools and best practices
- Basic graphic design and layout skills
- Strong writing and proofreading skills
- Ability to operate standard office equipment
- Ability to organize information and materials
- Ability to work independently on multiple complex tasks and produce results on a timely basis
Duties and Responsibilities
Direct Response Fundraising and Campaign Strategy
- Manages direct response fundraising campaigns across mail and digital channels, including acquisition and renewal efforts.
- Develops and maintains prospect and donor mailing lists, including list segmentation, acquisition, and ongoing hygiene.
- Interprets data to inform segmentation strategies, solicitation timing, and messaging approaches and to improve targeting and response rates.
- Evaluates campaign performance against KPIs and overall ROI.
- Uses performance data and analysis to adjust strategy, messaging, and segmentation for future campaigns.
- Determines content and messaging for direct mail and digital solicitation pieces in collaboration with the VP of Development and Giving Officer.
- Designs and executes A/B and variant testing to optimize campaign performance.
- Manages vendor relationships for printing, mailing, and digital deployment, including timelines, expectations, and quality review.
Grant Writing and Administration
- Generates revenues for CareLink programs through timely submission of well-researched, well written and well-documented grant applications.
- Maintains primary responsibility as grant administrator including managing submission schedules, reporting deadlines, tracking and other follow up.
- Writes high-quality proposals, narratives, letters of intent and applications with well-crafted supporting documents consistent with corresponding grant policies and procedures and the requirements/guidelines of funding agencies.
- Conducts research to identify new corporate, foundation and private funders as prospects for both general operating and program support revenue streams.
- Serves as liaison to foundations/grantors and appropriate personnel including program and finance staff.
- Remains up-to-date on CareLink’s current, urgent and future programmatic needs as well as local and statewide opportunities for CareLink to be matched with aligning grants and funders.
Donor Database Management, Reporting, and Gift Processing
- Manages agency donor database, entering thorough and accurate information and updating as needed.
- Manages all online donations and processing.
- Pulls, compiles, and analyzes data from the donor database and other sources to support fundraising and communications decision-making.
- Produces reports on fundraising performance, donor trends, campaign results, and other key metrics.
- Responsible for gift acknowledgement process, including drafting letters, updating templates regularly, mailing acknowledgements in a timely manner, and personalizing when appropriate.
- Manages pledge calendar by maintaining open pledge record and sending regular pledge reminders.
Donor Relations, Stewardship, and Portfolio Management
- Advances the philanthropic profile of CareLink by building relationships with advisors, donors, prospects, and volunteers to deepen their loyalty and encourage higher levels of support and involvement.
- Manages a portfolio of low- to mid-level donors, maintaining regular communication, making solicitations and tracking engagement.
- Manges monthly giving program.
- Coordinates and ensures timely fulfillment of corporate and event sponsor benefits.
- Researches and pursues new individual and corporate funding, developing, and sustaining long term support of CareLink.
- Remains up to date on industry standards and innovative strategies for fundraising, grants and relationship-building.
- Leads stewardship of newly acquired donors, executing a welcome and onboarding communication series to build early retention.
- Implements retention strategies for lapsed and at-risk donors within the assigned portfolio.
- Conducts phone calls, writes thank you cards, and maintains regular stewardship touchpoints for assigned donors.
- Drafts correspondence and stewardship materials including welcome packets, donor touchpoints, emails, and other engagement pieces.
- Works with VP of Development and Giving Officer to identify and execute creative touchpoints and appreciation activities for donors.
- Assists with volunteer stewardship as needed.
Communications and Storytelling Support
- Compiles donor information and works with Communications Officer on content for agency newsletter and other projects as necessary including mailing list, donor highlights, sponsor recognition, etc.
- Assists with storytelling efforts to highlight the impact of our services made possible by donor contributions.
- Provides Communications Officer with materials for communications related to development activities.
Additional Information
Location: North Little Rock, AR
Hours: Full-Time 37.5 hours per week
Salary Range: $47,872-$54,584
CareLink does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
