Advancement Specialist

About the role

The Advancement Specialist provides excellent customer service to external and internal audiences and delivers executive assistant support to the Senior Vice President of Advancement to ensure efficient operation of the Advancement Division. The role also supports communications tasks, event planning, and facilitation of special projects. The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) is one of the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations established by the McKnight Foundation in 1986 to assist Minnesota's rural regions. As the region's MIF and the only community foundation in the area, NMF has served the nonprofit community in northwest Minnesota for over 30 years, providing grants and loans to organizations and small businesses within its 12‑county region and two tribal nations. The position is based in the main office in Bemidji, MN, offers a flexible‑hybrid work arrangement, and involves local, regional, state‑wide, and potential national travel.

Responsibilities

• Provide quality communication and collaboration in all interactions; seek and provide prompt resolutions and answers to all inquiries.
• Work with the SVP of Advancement, Senior Executive Assistant, Philanthropy Associates, and all staff to ensure efficient office operations.
• Greet visitors and notify appropriate staff.
• Process incoming and outgoing mail.
• Process incoming deposits.
• Answer phones, manage NMF phone lines and calling systems.
• Address various building‑related needs.
• Interact with building vendors.
• Provide executive assistant support to the SVP of Advancement: assist with scheduling meetings and managing the SVP's calendar; screen internal requests for the SVP's attention.
• Compile, prepare materials, and take notes from division and departmental meetings; track progress of commitments and ongoing projects to maintain momentum and meet timelines.
• Assist and support implementation of ongoing divisional initiatives and projects across departmental areas.
• Work alongside NMF's Philanthropy Officers, Philanthropy Associates, and Communications Director to ensure efficient operation of the Advancement Division and completion of necessary projects.
• Support Advancement in executing day‑to‑day communications activities: update the NMF website; manage and add new funds in NMF's online giving platform; create online event registration forms; create e‑blast news files through NMF's e‑communications channels; send press releases to appropriate media; design social media posts from template files; perform other assigned tasks.
• Work within NMF's various software systems; in Raiser's Edge database: enter and maintain constituent data; pull mailing and contact lists for mailings and e‑blasts; maintain data integrity; pull data to execute mailings using merge functions.
• Seek out training in various software programs to maintain and grow expertise.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Nurture a culture of collaboration and bring curiosity and enthusiasm to work.
• Set an example through courteousness, prompt resolutions, and answers to inquiries and requests from external and internal customers.
• Excel at fielding multiple requests at once with efficiency, prioritization, clear communication, and accuracy.
• Seek to work with other staff in a team‑first approach.
• Maintain very high attention to detail to ensure all information entered and released from the Foundation is accurate and free of errors.
• Prepare entries and documents that are accurate and free of errors.
• Demonstrate strong aptitude for technology and adeptness at using various software to complete duties.
• Actively seek opportunities to grow skills and strengthen work across the region.

Qualifications

• Required: Associate Degree (A.A.) from a two‑year college or technical school or higher educational achievement, or two years of relevant work experience.
• Required: Proficiency with Excel, CRM/data systems, and/or cloud‑based computer systems including Microsoft Office Suite.
• Required: Strong organizational, communication, and relationship‑building skills.
• Required: Proficiency in technology and the use of a variety of software programs.
• Preferred: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a