Associate Advancement

Overview of the Job:

The Louisiana SPCA is seeking a detail-oriented mission-driven Advancement Associate to join our team. This position plays a vital role in supporting fundraising operations through gift entry donor acknowledgments prospect research and donor stewardship. The Advancement Associate serves as a key administrative and customer service point of contact for donors ensuring every interaction reflects the organizations commitment to compassion accuracy and gratitude.

This role is ideal for a collaborative professional who takes pride in organization accuracy and continuous improvement. The Advancement Associate will also contribute to special fundraising projects such as Carnival Giving Tuesday and the End-of-Year campaign helping to execute high-quality donor experiences and events.

Key Responsibilities:

Gift Entry & Acknowledgment

Accurately record all gifts pledges and tribute donations in the donor database (currently Raisers Edge) ensuring proper coding and documentation.

Generate daily deposit reports and coordinate with Finance for reconciliation and backup documentation.

Produce timely personalized acknowledgment letters tribute notifications and in-kind tax receipts maintaining up-to-date templates and processes.

Support recurring giving management and 1

Donor Stewardship

Execute stewardship touchpoints such as thank-you cards texts donor welcome packages and special recognition for recurring and milestone donors.

Partner with the Gift Officer to assist with mid-level donor (4Paws) renewals and follow-up communications.

Maintain accurate documentation of all donor interactions and updates in Raisers Edge.

Prospect Research

Conduct basic prospect research using online tools and resources to identify potential donors lapsed supporters and community partners.

Update constituent records with relevant contact information interests and giving potential to support cultivation strategies.

Prepare research summaries for events and donor meetings as needed.

Donor Assistance & Customer Service

Provide prompt professional support to donors via phone email and text assisting with inquiries tribute notifications and recurring gift updates.

Monitor donation inboxes and ensure timely response or follow-up with the appropriate team member.

Represent the Advancement Department with warmth professionalism and a donor-centered mindset.

Special Projects & Events

Creating and updating SOPs for Advancement functions.

Support for major fundraising events and campaigns.

Assist with our annual auction including donor outreach tracking and fulfillment in partnership with the team.

Collaborate cross-departmentally on campaign materials donor communications and event data management.

Assist with mailings stewardship projects and administrative tasks that advance departmental goals.

Create and update documentation of gift entry and acknowledgment processes.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.

Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.

Experience handling sensitive donor information with discretion and accuracy.

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks meet deadlines and work effectively in a collaborative environment.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel Word Outlook) and database systems; experience with Raisers Edge or other CRM platforms preferred.

Customer service mindset with a solutions-oriented approach and ability to adapt to changing priorities.

Qualifications

Must uphold the Louisiana SPCAs core values: compassionate towards people and pets; adaptable; creative problem solver; emotionally intelligent; diverse-equitable-inclusive; and humbly confident.

Detail oriented self-motivated and able to work under deadlines with a focus on maintaining accurate donor data.

Excellent organizational skills to plan prepare and execute donor correspondence acknowledgments and stewardship communications.

Strong analytical skills for tracking and recording constituent details.

Demonstrated ability to maintain filing and retrieval systems.

Must be able to pass a criminal background check and pre-employment substance screening.

Must have (or be able to obtain) a valid State of Louisiana drivers license.

Excellent organizational and collaborative skills with ability to multitask and remain detail oriented.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel Word PowerPoint) and other data management tools.

Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to analyze and evaluate outcomes.

Exceptional client service and problem-solving mindset.

Ability to meet deadlines juggle competing priorities and maintain a positive engaging atmosphere.

Able to quickly and calmly adjust to changing priorities with a customer-oriented mindset.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

Must be able to lift at least 50 pounds; push and pull heavy objects; bend twist and reach.

Must be able to perform strenuous physical activities including frequent walking standing bending and stooping.

Should not be allergic to animals or nuts; must be able to work around all animals and nut products.

Must be able to work with industrial-strength cleaners and disinfectants.

Works in an area with a high noise level.

Potentially subject to animal bites and scratches.

Must attend all required training and animal handling classes.

Occasional evening or weekend work required for fundraising events and donor engagements.

Education & Experience

High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelors degree preferred.

Minimum one year of experience in data entry nonprofit administration or donor relations.

Prior experience with fundraising or donor databases strongly preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Range: $16$18/hour commensurate with experience.

Full-time hourly non-exempt position.

Benefits include health dental and vision insurance; life insurance; short- and long-term disability; 401(k) with match; paid time off and holidays; and eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Knowing your work helps save the lives of animals and supports the people who love them.