Development Associate

Organization: Junior Achievement of Northern California

Location: Hybrid – Walnut Creek/Fremont

Reports To: VP of Development

Salary Range: $22-25hr DOE

About JA NorCal

At Junior Achievement of Northern California, our purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. We are actively building the future of Northern California’s workforce through experiential learning, AI skilling, and financial literacy.

Our culture is deeply collaborative, ambitious, and action-oriented. We move thoughtfully and efficiently, balancing big-picture vision with practical execution. We believe our greatest impact happens through strong community relationships and a shared commitment to serving students and partners.

Position Overview

Are you organized, dependable, and someone who takes pride in getting the details right? Do you enjoy a mix of administrative support, donor communications, database management, and in-person event coordination? Are you a collaborative teammate who brings a positive attitude, takes initiative, and enjoys helping others succeed?

Do you want to work in a flexible environment with colleagues who are driven to close the opportunity gap for youth through economic empowerment?

Reporting to the VP of Development, the Development Associate plays an integral role in the day-to-day operations of the development department, supporting donor stewardship, fundraising operations, development communications, data management, prospect research, corporate partnerships, and fundraising events. This position works collaboratively across departments and with donors, sponsors, volunteers, vendors, and community partners to ensure accurate gift processing, timely stewardship, effective communications, and successful execution of development initiatives.

The successful candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines independently. The position requires strong written and verbal communication skills, sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

1. Administrative & Development Operations

• Manage day-to-day development operations, including gift processing, data management, reporting, communications, and administrative support.
• Maintain accurate donor, prospect, sponsor, contact, and gift records in Salesforce, including cash, in-kind, matching-gift, sponsorship, and other contributions; ensure timely acknowledgment, documentation, and donor recognition.

2. Donor Stewardship & Fundraising Support

• Support donor stewardship and fundraising activities by preparing donor communications, gift acknowledgments, stewardship materials, appeals, sponsorship correspondence, and other donor-facing communications.
• Assist with fundraising campaigns, corporate giving programs, employee matching gifts, sponsorship initiatives, and other revenue-generating activities.

3. Event & Auction Support

• Provide administrative and logistical support for fundraising and donor engagement events, including registration, attendee communications, sponsor benefits fulfillment, and event preparation.
• Support auctions, raffles, and other fundraising activities by soliciting and organizing donated items, preparing promotional and supporting materials, coordinating payment and fulfillment, and assisting with donor recognition.

Desired Qualifications & Attributes

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
• Experience with Salesforce or another CRM, including report generation
• Knowledge of or desire to learn development operations, including best practices and fundraising strategies
• Excellent verbal and communication skills
• Ability to independently draft professional correspondence
• Ability to organize and prioritize work
• Extremely detail-oriented
• Flexible

Opportunity for Growth

• While this is a part-time position, there is opportunity to grow within this role, particularly in the areas of development and fundraising. By demonstrating initiative, hard work, and problem-solving skills, you can support and potentially lead various fundraising activities. Key areas for growth include:
  • Donor Relationships: Develop and maintain strong relationships with donors, enhancing your networking and interpersonal skills.
  • Event Support: Play a vital role in planning and executing fundraising events, which can enhance your project management and organizational abilities.
  • Grant Writing and Research: Gain expertise in writing compelling grant proposals and conducting thorough research to identify new funding opportunities.
  • Data Analysis: Analyze fundraising data to inform strategies and measure success, strengthening your analytical and technical skills.
• Through your contributions and achievements in these areas, this part-time role has the potential to evolve into a full-time position or other promotional opportunities within the organization. We are committed to supporting your professional development and providing a clear pathway for career advancement.

Compensation and Benefits

• This is a part-time position. Salary range $22.00-$25.00hr
• Sick time available as per California EDD

Diversity Statement

Junior Achievement respects diversity and accordingly are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service or veteran status, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition as defined by applicable state or local law, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. The management team is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs, and general treatment during employment, layoff, and termination.

Hybrid Work Environment

Our Guiding Philosophy: As a community-forward organization, Junior Achievement of Northern California’s (JA NorCal) mission is delivered through authentic in-person connection—with our students, school partners, donors, board members, and each other. We are committed to a balanced work model that supports work-life balance while maintaining our strong culture of collaboration, operational excellence, and mission delivery.When we gather in the office, it is not merely to track attendance or check a box, but to build high-performing teams, foster trust, and create the social fabric and team dynamic that amplify our productivity and mission impact. True collaboration creates a multiplier effect for productivity and business opportunities that cannot be achieved when working exclusively behind a screen.

This role is expected to be in the office every Tuesday, plus the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. Additionally, there are other in-person events throughout the year, and attendance will be coordinated between the individual and their manager. Regardless of whether an employee is in-office or remote, mission delivery, donor engagement, volunteer management, and operational oversight supersede remote flexibility. Where obligations conflict, the order of priority is: (1) mission and community events, (2) required in-office anchor days, (3) approved WFA or remote flexibility.

Application Instructions

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to Eliana Thomas ethomas@janorcal.org with “Dev Associate” in the subject line.