Advancement Assistant

Yellowstone Schools

 

Reports to: Director of Development

 

Qualifications: High school diploma (Bachelor's degree preferred)
Experience in communications and marketing, nonprofit, development, or schools a plus.

 

Job Category: Non-Exempt

 

Travel: Regular, local travel required

 

Position Type: Professional

 

Calendar: 12-month

 

Organizational Overview

Founded in 2001 and rooted in the Christian faith, Yellowstone Schools* collectively educates 600 children in Pre-K through 9th grade and will grow a grade each year to serve 12th grade by 2026. Yellowstone partners with students and families—regardless of financial means—to provide a life-changing education, develop a strong moral foundation, and prepare scholars for life beyond high school. The K12 campus is located in the Third Ward, one of Houston's oldest historically Black neighborhoods.

Most students served live in communities without access to strong educational opportunities. With an average class size of 16 to 18, our students experience a rich academic and co-curricular model while receiving bus transportation, two meals a day, and access to a comprehensive student support program.

*Yellowstone Schools consists of a cooperative of two school systems: a lower school (a private Christian school serving PreK-5th grade) and an upper school (a tuition-free, public charter school growing to serve 6th-12th grade). The lower school and upper school are distinct legal and financial entities with separate governing boards. The name Yellowstone Schools reflects each school system’s shared mission, vision, values, culture, and leadership. Each school complies with all applicable federal and state laws.

 

Position Overview:

Yellowstone Schools is seeking an enthusiastic and detail-oriented advancement assistant to join our team. This position can be full-time OR part-time, entry-level position is a key support role in our advancement department, responsible for coordinating various activities, managing schedules, and assisting team members with their projects. The ideal candidate will have a high degree of professionalism and a commitment to our mission.

 

Responsibilities:

1. Administrative Support
   • Provide schedule management for team by maintaining the advancement team's calendars, including appointments, meetings, and events.
   • Coordinate internal and external meetings, ensuring all parties are well-prepared.
   • Monitors and manages the advancement email, answering questions as appropriate, forwarding to pertinent team member(s), and/or reporting to the team when appropriate.
   • Organize advancement closet and track inventory
2. Event Planning
   • Assists Director of Development or other advancement team members with event logistics, such as booking and confirming vendors, preparing for planning meetings, and providing event-day support
3. Fundraising Support
   • Update and maintain donor and supporter databases.
   • Ensure accurate and up-to-date records for effective communication and reporting, including list clean-up, de-duping records, and managing returned mail. 
   • Point of contact for all in-kind donors, including those who come from outside advancement
   • Coordinate delivery of items to school, distribution of items to appropriate team/teacher, completion of in-kind donation form by donor and log pertinent data.
4. Volunteer Support
   • In coordination with the volunteer manager, serve as the point of contact for volunteer projects as necessary
   • Ensure volunteers have the necessary resources and support to carry out their tasks effectively.
5. Project Assistance
   • Assist team members in various projects, including fundraising campaigns, printed and digital communications, and event planning.
   • Provide administrative support, such as data entry, document preparation, and follow-up.
6. Tour Coordination:
   • Schedule and organize tours for prospective donors, supporters, and community members.
   • Prepare materials and information packets for tours.
   • Oversee pre- and post-tour communications and logistics.
   • Accompany visitors on tours, providing an informative and engaging experience.

 

Competencies & Attributes:

• Self-motivated,  self-directed, and a quick learner
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic setting
• Excellent attention to detail
• Meets internal and external deadlines
• Excellent communicator; excels in delivering ideas, concepts, and information verbally, in writing, and graphically
• Highly competent with Google G-Suite, Microsoft Office Suite, email and social media platforms, and project management software like Monday.com
• Practices sound judgment and demonstrates cultural competency  in communicating with diverse audiences
• Exhibits emotional intelligence, with the interpersonal skills to develop and sustain impactful relationships with an array of diverse constituencies
• Collaborates with advancement team members to meet shared objectives
• Ability to work some nights and weekends

 

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

The work environment can be very active and deal with a wide variety of challenges, deadlines, and a varied and diverse array of contacts. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The employee will primarily work in a traditional climate-controlled office environment. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Occasionally, the employee may work intermittently in outside weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold; specifically for events. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

 

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Yellowstone Schools offers a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, a SIMPLE IRA program with employer matching, supplemental life and short-term disability insurance, and paid sick leave. 

 

 

Yellowstone Schools’ lower school is a non-denominational Christian school and all employees must be professing Christians. Yellowstone does not refuse to hire and does not release any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of the individual’s race, color, sex, or national or ethnic origin.  Nor does Yellowstone Schools limit, segregate, or classify its employees or applicants for employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect the status as an employee because of the individual’s race, color, sex, and/or national/ethnic origin.