Development Specialist

Title: Development Specialist

Reports To: Development Director

Status: Full-Time | Hourly

FLSA: Non-Exempt

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Development Specialist, reporting to the Development Director, will provide essential capacity across KDO’s development efforts, including fundraising operations, donor relationship management, communications, stewardship, grants, events, and community engagement. Working closely with the Development Director, this role will help ensure that KDO’s relationship-building efforts are proactive, consistent, personalized, and sustainable over time.

The Development Specialist will play an important role in cultivating and retaining individual donors while also strengthening KDO’s relationships with foundations, corporate partners, government entities, artists, and community stakeholders. This role requires consistent communication, timely follow-up, thoughtful engagement, strategic coordination, and accurate data management. The Development Specialist will bring care and attention to both the relational and operational sides of this work, helping ensure that every detail, follow-up, and opportunity is handled thoughtfully and consistently.

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Donor Stewardship & Relationship Management

• Support the cultivation, stewardship, and retention of KDO’s individual donors through timely, thoughtful, and personalized communication.
• Coordinate donor acknowledgments, impact updates, invitations, and other stewardship touchpoints.
• Maintain accurate records of donor interactions, preferences, commitments, and follow-up opportunities.
• Track and coordinate next steps following donor meetings, conversations, events, and other points of engagement.
• Support recurring giving and other strategies that encourage sustained donor support.

Development Operations & CRM Management

• Maintain accurate, timely, and organized donor and prospect information in KDO’s CRM system.
• Support gift entry, acknowledgments, reporting, data management, and reconciliation.
• Develop and maintain systems, calendars, tracking tools, and workflows that support consistent fundraising and stewardship activity.
• Monitor deadlines, deliverables, and follow-up activities to ensure timely completion and clear communication.

Development Communications

• Draft and coordinate donor communications, including personalized correspondence, newsletters, campaign updates, impact stories, and stewardship materials.
• Partner with KDO’s Programming Team to gather stories, program updates, photos, and other content that help communicate KDO’s impact.
• Ensure communications are aligned with KDO’s voice and values.
• Support the Development Director in preparing donor meeting materials, briefing documents, talking points, impact reports, and other resources.

Grants & Institutional Support

• Support the preparation, submission, tracking, and reporting of foundation and other institutional grants.
• Maintain grant calendars and proactively track deadlines, reporting requirements, and stewardship opportunities.
• Coordinate ongoing communication and stewardship with foundation funders and other institutional partners.
• Support collecting program information, outcomes, budgets, stories, and other materials needed for proposals and reports.

Events, Engagement & Team Support

• Support the planning, coordination, and follow-up for fundraising, donor cultivation, and community engagement events.
• Collaborate across the KDO team to coordinate relationship-building activities, meet deadlines, and ensure development efforts reflect KDO’s programs and impact.
• Anticipate needs, take initiative, strengthen processes, and contribute to a positive, collaborative, and mission-centered team culture.
• Handle confidential donor and organizational information with discretion and professionalism.

Attributes

• Mission-driven: You car