Public Lab Research note


Job posting: Public Lab Development Associate

by Shannon | October 03, 2019 14:32 03 Oct 14:32 | #21065 | #21065

Start Date: December 2019-January 2020

Location: Remote, but with the opportunity to work from our offices in New Orleans, Brooklyn, or Providence

Terms: Full time

About Public Lab

The Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science (Public Lab) is a community -- supported by a 501(c)(3) non-profit -- which develops and applies open source tools to environmental exploration and investigation. By democratizing inexpensive and accessible Do-It-Yourself techniques, Public Lab creates a collaborative network of practitioners who actively reimagine the human relationship with the environment.

About This Role

The Development Associate is responsible for maintaining and administering the daily activities of Public Lab fundraising and for delivering on Public Lab's fundraising goals. This position manages current Public Lab grants, writes fundraising material (including grants, reports, and individual asks), and researches prospective funding streams. The Development Associate is responsible for coordinating and managing development efforts, and growing Public Lab's earned revenue through DIY science kit sales and education programming and growing and maintaining the individual donor base.

This position reports to the Executive Director, playing an important role in growing Public Lab's capacity by supporting the establishment of funded high-level partnerships with organizations. This job requires occasional work outside regular business hours and travel.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Grants:
    • Writing, reporting, and management of private, corporate and government funding.
    • Drafting narratives for grant proposals and reports, ensuring reports are clearly written and address donor agreements and guidelines.
    • Coordinating gathering information and data from program staff to complete reports and proposals.
    • Managing grant reporting deadlines and donor records, and coordinating with teammates on managing grant requirements, deliverables, and budgets.
  • Individual giving:
    • Creating communication for individual donors and funders that highlight the compelling story of Public Lab work.
    • Managing individual donor relations through tracking donations, writing appeals and acknowledgment letters and ensuring donor fulfillment is complete.
  • Communication:
    • Proactively maintain open lines of communication with funders, relaying program outcomes and press coverage, and crafting messaging to resonate with funder priorities.
    • Reporting on program impacts to funders by developing compelling, factual, quality, timely, relevant (to funder guidelines) and comprehensive grant proposals (narrative, budget, and supplementary materials), grant evaluations, and grant reports, with few or minimal edits needed from the Executive Director or program staff.
  • Partnership Development:
    • Cultivate and steward relationships with high-level partner organizations (government agencies, universities, community organizations) in pursuit of mutually-beneficial funding opportunities by developing positive rapport, maintaining clear communication, and defining clear responsibilities and timelines.
    • Provide assistance and resources to Public Lab community members when they seek fundraising and partnership development support.
  • Organizational Growth Leadership:
    • Hold a key role in achieving established yearly financial goals.
    • Create and implement a fundraising strategy that supports growth and the strategic direction of the organization.
    • Identify and research funding opportunities and prioritize building new funding streams for Public Lab from private foundations, government agencies, multilateral organizations, corporate giving programs, and individuals.
  • You will maintain and adhere to nonprofit policies and procedures, Public Lab values and the Code of Conduct.

Experience and Training:

Approximately 5 years of demonstrated job experience in a related field is required. Experience in organizations that rely on multiple funding sources (grants, memberships, earned revenue) for different organizational programs is strongly preferred. Experience working at nonprofit organizations with budgets around $1 million+.

This position might be for you if you are:

  • An exceptional written and oral communicator: You have excellent interpersonal skills - you're a collaborator and a problem-solver who is often praised for your organization and attention to detail. You can translate complex work and the mission of Public Lab to different audiences.
  • Team-oriented: You work collaboratively, both in-person and with remote colleagues, to envision and promote positive change, and to be supportive of others; you bring integrity to all situations.
  • Organized, thorough, and self-sufficient: you communicate consistently with your team, stay on top of your to-do list, and you don't miss deadlines.
  • An excellent problem solver: You're excited to take on diverse development challenges, identify where organizational operations could be improved, and propose solutions
  • Tech-savvy: You are excited by technology and to learn new programs with support from colleagues. You are interested in or have used technology in the context of advocacy, grants tracking and reporting. You have experience using a variety of collaborative software such as Slack, Google Docs, Dropbox, CRM databases, nonprofit financial management systems.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation is between $50,000-$65,000, based on experience and qualifications. Public Lab offers a benefits package that includes:

  • Three weeks starting vacation time, with a bonus week off during the winter holidays
  • 11 personal days
  • 12 federal holidays observed
  • 75% coverage of health/dental/vision benefits
  • 401(k) account
  • A six-week sabbatical after five years of employment.

To Apply

Please send a single document containing a cover letter and resume to jobs@publiclab.org with the subject line Development Associate by October 27, 2019. No phone calls, please. If you are asked for an interview, a writing sample will be required.

Public Lab is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse, multicultural work environment. We encourage people with different ability sets, people of color, and people of diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities to apply.


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