Development Coordinator
Development Coordinator – Job Description
Overview of Watson Institute
Watson Institute is a place where next generation entrepreneurs and leaders can find their community, discover their calling, and accelerate their careers. We provide the tools, network, mindset, and courage for the next generation to solve the toughest challenges facing the world, launch successful careers, and lead impactful lives.
Watson Institute has locations in Boulder, Colorado, at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, and at Universidad Francisco Marroquín (UFM) in Guatemala City, Guatemala. We are now building partnerships with innovative institutions of higher education in the US and globally.
Watson Institute’s 260 Scholars and Alumni from 60 countries have raised over $100 million, created over 800 part or full-time jobs, and impacted 150,000 people around the world through initiatives they help lead. Watson alumni have been selected to Y Combinator, the Echoing Green Fellowship and four have been named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 lists. Alums continue their education at Harvard University, New York University, and Princeton University, among others. Read more about Watson Institute's scaling strategy in this Stanford Social Innovation Review article: The Intel Inside Higher Education.
Development Coordinator Mission Statement
The Development Coordinator is responsible for executing Watson Institute’s revenue development (#RevDev) function including compelling writing of grant proposals and funder communication, project management of fundraising related projects, prospecting and research into new partners, and marketing in order to ensure that Watson Institute hits the fundraising goals required to expand its impact.
Detailed Position Breakdown
· Compelling and Persuasive Writing: Grant Proposals, Reports, and Partner Communication (40%)
o Compelling, persuasive, excellent, and effective writing for new and existing partners. Writing projects will include grant and partnership proposals, impact reports, and external email communication to partners. All writing should include impeccable grammar, formatting, and style and be tailored to the priorities, perspective, and requirements of each specific partner in order to create the most compelling and impactful communication possible.
- Draft and copy edit a large volume of content for internal and external communications with a keen eye for detail, grammar, formatting, and persuasive written communication.
o Work collaboratively with programs team and directly with Watson Institute scholars and alumni to integrate compelling stories, photos, and impact data into fundraising related writing projects.
o Develop graphics and pictures to integrate into proposals, reports, and email communication to create engaging and effective writing projects.
- Seek out and write compelling impact stories to be shared with funders and partners.
- Support with internal communications by drafting key written communication and preparing talking points.
· Revenue Development Strategy, Project Management, and Admin (20%)
- Relationship Strategy: Help design and execute relationship strategy (e.g. an effective outreach plan or a compelling ask) for specific partners. Your relationship strategy should ensure we are consistently exceeding the expectations of each partner and creating ‘wow’ experiences for partners that meaningfully and clearly demonstrate their impact on the Watson Institute scholars, alumni, and mission.
- Project Management: Create and execute all project plans, requirements, deadlines, and schedules for proposals, reports, and partner communications to keep each partner informed and connected to Watson Institute’s progress and mission. Ensure each project is completed on time, with excellence, and exceeds the expectations of the partner and stakeholders. The project management function will include the following:
- Liaise with members of the Watson Institute team across each location to gather information and help generate content that is specific to their position.
- Track proposals, reports, and funding decisions, and ensuring that all necessary documents are stored appropriately and follow-up is completed.
o Admin: Oversee the administrative process associated with the #RevDev function including:
§ Streamline systems and processes to make grant reporting and information sourcing more efficient.
- Manage donation and donor acknowledgement processes
- Process Watson Institute’s mail including donation and non-fundraising related items
- Salesforce: Refine, build, and support systems for maintaining partner and prospect information in Salesforce.
· Prospecting and Research (20%)
- Lead a highly efficient and effective prospecting strategy to create a pipeline of qualified prospects including foundations, corporate partners, and high net worth individuals. Determine if each lead is a qualified prospect and record all relevant and detailed information in Salesforce.
- Manage outreach to new prospects, including working with CEO to move forward prospects and design networking or connection strategies.
- Help prepare the leadership team for prospect and partner meetings
- Executing Watson Institute’s conference research process for the leadership team including researching attendees, drafting presentations, preparing talking points, and submitting biographies, summaries, and other materials.
- Develop award applications and other opportunities for special recognition.
· Marketing (20%)
o Collateral: Develop well-formatted collateral material (both digital and printed) such as impact reports, scholar and alumni profiles, 1 pagers and infographics. The collateral materials will be used by the RevDev team for fundraising and the SuperSearch team for admissions.
o Newsletters: Develop and design compelling content for Watson Institute’s newsletters which are sent bi-monthly. Manage the newsletter lists, platform, and processes.
o Social Media: Craft engaging and professionally formatted social media posts for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter that engage key stakeholders including prospective students and partners.
o Website: Edit and update small changes to Watson Institute’s website and work with the web designer and CEO to lead larger website design updates and the creation of new pages.
- Manage the Watson Institute Voice, which is the document where all messaging and branding is kept. Implement regular change cycles to the organization wide messaging and branding. Use the Watson Institute Voice to ensure that all internal and external communication is on brand.
· New responsibilities may develop as the Development Coordinator position evolves.
Cultural Fit
In order to thrive as the Development Coordinator at Watson Institute, a candidate must:
● Be excited by the opportunity to set the foundation onto which Watson Institute will grow it’s fundraising capacity to scale impact globally in the decades ahead.
● Have a perfectionist nature, but not lose momentum because of it.
● Be undaunted by switching between projects and disciplines on any given day.
● Be equally able to work alongside a partner or team as you are able to take full ownership of a project from start to finish.
● Believe that when work is done with excellence, the magic is in the details.
● Excel in our full court press mentality. The Watson Institute culture is one where we show daily hustle and grit and support one another’s roles despite it not being in our own arena.
● Form small, nimble, and insanely efficient teams where our team structure, communication, and drive to achieve increasing levels of efficiency leads to the best possible experience for both the organization and the scholars.
● Share our belief in the power of banter. While small things like starting team meetings with banter and never taking ourselves too seriously may sound indeed small, it is these very small things that keep us happy and rolling right through the good times and the bad.
● A natural inclination to go the extra mile (or 37 miles - we’ll tell you more about this in-person!) to create meaningful experiences and exceed partner’s expectations.
● Believe in direct, honest, and frequent communication. Always following-up and following through on commitments related to the role.
● Be located in (or near)/ or willing to relocate to Boulder, Colorado
Candidate Profile
Top candidates should demonstrate:
● Experience and Ambition: 1-4 years of experience in a communication, sales, fundraising, or external relations position with a strong track record of results and impact.
● An exceptional eye for detail. You enjoy spending time with words, style, and formatting in order to make the most compelling product possible.
● Eager to join a team with high standards for quality and excellence.
● Your ambition is to build and run an exceptional fundraising function for a highly impactful organization.
● Detail Orientated: You are meticulous and have excellent organizational skills. You are especially attuned to spotting mistakes or inconsistencies in writing and external communications. You take pride in completing your work accurately and on schedule. You have a knack for project management and a love for work plans and checklists. You cringe at missed steps and you are the first to identify a typo or formatting error.
● Intentional: Your working style is about creating order and planning ahead. You think systematically and excel at establishing elegant processes.
● Results-Driven: You bring an eagerness to grow and to roll up your sleeves and contribute. You have a go-getter attitude and a drive to solve all sorts of problems, no matter the size or shape. When something is your responsibility, you find a way to see it through to the end.
● High Integrity: You will be asked to make sensitive and critical judgment calls, and as such, you are known for your integrity and you take that reputation seriously. You always choose to make the right decision versus the easy decision. You know what information is sensitive, and you will protect it accordingly. You are comfortable escalating issues and holding your ground when you think it’s the right thing to do for the organization and mission.
● Systems-minded: Demonstrated experience in building and implementing systems. You are comfortable designing, testing, improving, and smoothly running systems and processes. This could be any system that involved inputs from or served multiple people and required consistent and accurate functioning.
Benefits
● Competitive compensation according to experience
● Annual Happiness Fund that increases with time and seniority
● 3 weeks mandatory vacation time per year, plus unlimited paid vacation
● Monthly health insurance stipend
The Vitals
● The Development Coordinator is a full-time position and reports to the COO.
● The position is virtual during COVID and based in Boulder / Denver.
To Apply
[Include link to Workable] and answer to the following two questions:
Question 1: Tell us about the most significant fundraising, sales, or external relations experience you have had. What were your key achievements, challenges, and learning?
Question 2: Share with us in 1-2 paragraphs why you are interested in joining the Watson team.