John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

Development and Communications Assistant

Position Description

Created in 1925 by Senator Simon and Olga Guggenheim in memory of their son John Simon Guggenheim, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation offers Fellowships to exceptional artists, writers, scholars, and scientists in pursuit of scholarship in any field of knowledge and creation in any art form under the freest possible conditions. Fellowships are awarded through an annual competition open to citizens and permanent residents of the United States and Canada. Since its establishment, the Foundation has granted nearly $400 million in Fellowships to over 18,000 artists, scientists, and scholars, among whom are more than 125 Nobel laureates, members of all the national academies, winners of the Pulitzer Prize, Fields Medal, Turing Award, Bancroft Prize, National Book Award, and other internationally recognized honors.

The Foundation is seeking a full-time Development and Communications Assistant to support the Foundation’s fundraising and communications activities. You will report directly to the Chief Advancement Officer and also work collaboratively with the other members of the Advancement team, providing administrative support and program support.

Ideal candidates will be detail-oriented, computer literate, and have experience in donor database management (preferably Raiser’s Edge), social media and website management, and general office administration, as well as an interest in the Foundation’s mission.

You will be expected to work a partially hybrid schedule Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with occasional extra hours. You will be paid between $60,000 and $65,000 annually, commensurate with skills and experience. The Foundation also offers a comprehensive benefits package.

This position is non-exempt.

Responsibilities and Duties

Your role includes but is not limited to the following responsibilities:

· Provide administrative support to the Chief Advancement Officer and the Advancement team, including scheduling, recordkeeping, mailing, and filing of digital and hard copy records.

· Assist with gift processing and preparing gift acknowledgments for the President’s signature.

· Provide general assistance with the Raiser’s Edge database, including updating address information and entering gift data. Develop proficiency with running basic reports and queries.

· Support the Foundation’s annual announcement of its new Fellows, including research and proofreading.

· Support donor stewardship activities.

· Assist with preparation and execution of special events, including managing RSVP’s, preparing guest lists and nametags, and handling check-in.

· Assist with content updates on the Foundation’s website.

· Assist with research and writing for strategic communications efforts, including the Foundation’s social media accounts and newsletter.

· Participate in developing and executing plans for the Foundation’s upcoming Centennial in 2025.

Necessary Skills and Qualifications

· Excellent oral and written communication skills

· Experience with updating and maintaining a donor management database

· Highly organized with a strong attention to detail

· Demonstrates discretion and good judgment, and the ability to maintain the confidentiality of privileged information

· Good research and proofreading skills

· Excellent time-management skills with ability to prioritize

· Knowledge of Microsoft Office (O365), including Word, Excel, and Powerpoint

· Self-motivated and resourceful with the ability to work independently and in a team environment

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

· 1 – 2 years of fundraising experience

· An undergraduate degree

· Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge and Raiser’s Edge NXT, or comparable system

· Knowledge of Google Suite, Canva, MailChimp, social media publishing

· Intellectual curiosity and interest in the Foundation’s mission

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

At the Guggenheim Foundation we believe in free inquiry, intellectual autonomy, and the work of individuals. Since 1925, the Foundation’s singular mission has been to support artists, writers, scholars, and scientists at the highest level of achievement. Guggenheim Fellowships help these exceptional individuals do the work they were meant to do, under the freest possible conditions.

The Foundation centers the talents and instincts of the Fellows, whose passions often have broad and immediate impact. For example, Zora Neale Hurston wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God in 1936 with the support of a Guggenheim Fellowship and dedicated it to the Foundation’s first president, Henry Allen Moe. Photographer Robert Frank’s seminal book, The Americans, was the product of a cross-country tour supported by two Guggenheim Fellowships. The accomplishments of other early Fellows like Jacob Lawrence, Rachel Carson, James Baldwin, Martha Graham, and Linus Pauling also demonstrate the strength of the Foundation’s core values and the power and impact of its approach.

If you feel you meet the requirements and your values align with the Foundation's, please apply by sending a resume to search@gf.org with the subject line: Development and Communications Assistant.

Applications will be accepted from March 25 through April 12, 2024.

Candidates who advance to second and third round interviews will be compensated for their time with a small stipend.

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

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Development and Communications Assistant