What Is a Development Assistant and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

A development assistant handles the administrative and public relations aspects of fundraising for an organization. As a development assistant, your duties include working on donor relations, managing a database of fundraising efforts, and creating reports on individual and institutional donors. In this career, you may also direct public relations strategies to attract support for your organization. Qualifications for a development assistant job include a bachelor’s degree in communications or public relations and experience with fundraising efforts. You usually apply your skills for educational organizations, nonprofit groups, or other institutions that rely on donors for funding.

The primary qualifications for getting a job as a development assistant depend on the type of development you with which you work. Some companies only require a high school diploma and the ability to follow directions. Others may require an associate degree, a bachelor's degree, or several years of relevant industry experience. Demonstrated experience with related skills is particularly helpful for starting your career as a development assistant. Consider pursuing internships or other opportunities that give you the chance to show your abilities. Regardless of industry, time-management skills and the ability to work as part of a team are essential to your success as a development assistant.

Job Summary

Our organization is looking for a Development Assistant to oversee the administrative and public relations aspects of fundraising for our team. In this role, it's your responsibility to manage a database documenting fundraising efforts, create reports on various donors, and work to improve donor relations. Our ideal candidate has experience attracting support for an organization and improving fundraising efforts. While we prefer candidates with a degree, we are willing to onboard the right person as long as they have the relevant skills and the ability to work as part of a team.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Improve donor relations by fulfilling essential administrative and PR duties
• Produce reports on individual and institutional donors
• Perform data entry and help track donations in a database
• Complete calendaring tasks
• Perform research to discover market trends and procurement opportunities

Requirements and Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED certificate
• Associate or bachelor's degree in communications or public relations (highly preferred)
• Experience in fundraising and securing donors for an organization or nonprofit group
• Teamwork, time-management, and organizational skills
• Computer proficiency, including knowledge of Outlook and database software
• Strong interpersonal communication skills