Featured Nonprofit Job: Director Of Philanthropy

Strong fundraising programs don't just appear out of nowhere; they come from the hard work of an organization's employees. That's why Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC), Inc., is looking to hire a Director of Philanthropy.

The chosen candidate for this position will help the Chicago-based organization build its philanthropy program over a five-year period. The position requires a multi-talented individual who can develop fundraising infrastructure and initiate fundraising programs at the same time.

Major responsibilities include:

• Build and personally manage an individual major gifts program working closely with the EVP/COO;
• By the end of year 1, launch a program that develops funding relationships with a growing number of foundations and corporations with potential to become major supporters over time;
• Take the strategic leadership role for the annual awards luncheon;
• With outside counsel, design and implement a formal annual giving program intended to raise funds, raise visibility, supplement prospect research, test messaging and tactical assumptions, and provide opportunities for smaller donors to show interest and support; and,
• Hire and supervise a Philanthropy Assistant for the day to day operations of these programs.

Qualified applicants will have a Master's Degree (or Bachelor's Degree and CFRE) and seven to ten years of experience in resource development and/or fundraising. You can learn more about what it takes to be a Director of Philanthropy by visiting the NPT Jobs Career Center.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Special Event Manager

Junior Achievement in Tempe, Az., is looking to hire a Special Event Manager. Interested? Read on for more details on this new featured nonprofit job.

The chosen candidate for this position will raise funds and support the efforts of the overall development team to solicit and steward financial contributors through various fundraising channels as it pertains to special events. This position will ensure that Junior Achievement of Arizona is expanding its base of support and has the financial resources to fulfill its mission by organizing and executing special events and by soliciting event sponsors, clients, and participants.

Other responsibilities include:

• Build and manage committee of community volunteers with efforts focused on raising funds to support company programs.
• Research and identify potential new funding partners in support of Junior Achievement fundraising events.
• Successfully achieve funding goals from donor accounts: must identify prospects, cultivate relationships, and provide service and recognition to donors.
• Develops printed material and all necessary programs to promote the events.
• Manages the tracking of revenues, invoicing, and expense and budget adjustments.
• Implement training programs and training evaluations.  Coordinate the placement and scheduling of trained and returning volunteers.

Successful applicants will have at least three years of experience in sales and/or fundraising event planning. Excellent oral and written communications skills are also a must. You can read more about this job by visiting the NPT Jobs Career Center.

Should You Fake It Until You Make It?

Originally Posted on the NPT Jobs Career Center


You’ve probably heard the expression “fake it until you make it” at least once in relation to job interviews. The idea is that you need to adjust your personality in order to be attractive to potential employers. Is this the right approach or should you just be yourself?

The majority of the time the answer is to be yourself. It’s pretty hard to be a completely different person for half of the day unless you are a professional actor, so it’s better to show the hiring manager your true personality. There’s no sense faking a persona just to fit into an environment that doesn’t suit your style. This will only end up making you miserable and you’ll be looking for a new job before you know it.

So yes, it’s best to be yourself during an interview but there are some exceptions. You have to remember that you are in a professional environment which means you shouldn’t talk exactly how you would with your best friends. That means cutting out the slang and coming into the office looking like you just rolled out of bed. If any of these things describe your true personality then you probably should tone those behaviors down if you want to make a good impression.

Here are some behavioral dos and don’ts for your next nonprofit job interview:

DO:

• Come to the interview dressed professionally.
• Act professionally, exhibiting good manners (saying “thank you,” making eye contact).
• Conceal any tattoos or piercings you have. For men, make sure you are cleanly shaved.
• Turn your cell phone off.

DON’T:

• Wear t-shirts or sneakers.
• Act like you are above the interviewer.
• Pretend you know more than you do.
• Lie on your resume or cover letter.

Wanted: Participants For The 2014 Best Nonprofits To Work For Report

Do you think your nonprofit is the best for which to work? Now is your chance to prove it by nominating your organization for The NonProfit Times' 2014 Best Nonprofits To Work For Report.

NPT, along with the Best Companies Group, releases a report of the 50 best nonprofits to work for in the United States every year. Last year's study was highlighted by the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), a Jacksonville, Fl.-based organization that helps veterans who were injured in combat. This was the third year in a row that WWP won the top honors; will it win again in 2014, or will a new organization take the crown?

Other top organizations included the American Heart Association, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Alzheimer's Association.

Now is your chance to see if WWP will reign again, or if another nonprofit will dethrone it. Simply go to the Best Companies Group website and register to participate. There is no cost to complete the survey online, so all we require is your time. All applications must be submitted by October 11.

Once registered, participants will receive the following information in their e-mail:

• The Employer Benefits & Policies Questionnaire; 
• The Employee Engagement & Satisfaction Survey; 
• Survey distribution instructions; and, 
• Other supporting materials and instructions. 

As an added benefit to completing the survey, all participants will have the opportunity to purchase the Employee Feedback Report, which details the results of their specific survey. These would normally cost thousands of dollars if initiated independently.

Register today to make sure your nonprofit is represented in the 2014 study!

4 Necessary Traits For A Small Nonprofit

The idea of working for a small organization can be appealing for some job seekers. Smaller workplaces theoretically lead to a tighter-knit group of employees, which is great for morale, but that doesn't automatically mean it's the best type of work environment for you.

Working for a small nonprofit is a big change, especially if you have only worked for larger organizations in the past. Whereas large workplaces can sometimes allow you to slip into the background, your work will be front and center in a small organization.

You should make sure that you have the following four traits before applying to a small nonprofit:

• Self-Starter: Since small agencies have less employees by definition, you will need to be comfortable working on your own and thinking creatively to solve problems.
• Collaborator: While you will sometimes have to work on your own on projects, a small nonprofit will only have success if everyone communicates and gets along. When you are working with such a small group, one negative attitude can bring the whole team down.
• Can-Do Attitude: You should be comfortable attending to all types of tasks, both big and small. In addition, you should be willing to help your colleagues with tasks if they need assistance.
• Passion: Small organizations need employees who aren't just satisfied with working 9-5. You should be ready to commit extra hours if that's what is needed to fulfill the mission.

Interviewing The Hiring Manager

Who's really in charge during a job interview? The obvious answer would be the hiring manager and, for the most part, that is correct. There is some room for questioning of your own, however.

Your primary goal during an interview should be to make sure the you impress the interviewer with your skills and knowledge, but you should also take the time to evaluate the organization. It's one of the best ways to determine whether the work environment is right for you.

Consider the following four questions the next time you have an interview:

• How stable is the organization?: Review the employer's Form 990s and/or annual reports to get a sense of whether the organization is on the right track. You'll want to reconsider the job if you find that there are considerable financial difficulties.
• Is the hiring manager prepared?: Were you made to wait way past the scheduled start time of the interview? Do you get the sense that the hiring manager didn't even read your resume? If you get the sense this person is totally unprepared for the interview, you should try to imagine what it would be like working for the organization.
• Are my questions being answered?: Pay close attention to the hiring manager's answers to your questions. Are you getting honest, well-thought out responses, or just generic corporate-speak? Are you getting a sense that this individual has a true passion for the organization?
• Is this the right work environment for me?: Take a look around the office and observe employees' interactions with each other. Do people seem friendly or distant? Do you think you would enjoy working there or would it be a daily struggle to even come to the office each day?

4 Common Job Interview Questions And How To Answer Them

No two job interviews are exactly the same but there are some similarities. This is especially true when it comes to the questions an employer will ask you.

Along with questions tailored specifically for the job, hiring managers will often ask a series of questions to get a sense of your personality. These questions are designed to be deceptively simple, and can often trip up job seekers as a result, causing them to give an answer that makes them look bad.

This is obviously something you will want to avoid so you should make it a point to thoroughly prepare your answers to these questions. Below are four of the most common "personality questions" you will be asked by employers and how you should go about answering them:

• "Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?" This is not an invitation to give the interviewer your life story. You should prepare a two- or three-minute summary of your work history and your future goals to answer this question.
• "Why do you want to leave your current job?" This is arguably one of the hardest questions to answer. If you say you are looking for a new opportunity, the hiring manager might take that to meant that you get bored easily and if you say you just want a bigger paycheck, it will give the impression that you are all about money. The best way to approach this question is to be as specific as possible: The goals of the company changed and they didn't align with your beliefs, you felt that your current job wasn't giving you a good opportunity to grow as a professional and that you think this job would better suit those needs, etc.
• "What are your biggest strengths? Weaknesses?" For your strengths, say something that aligns with the responsibilities of the position. For weaknesses, avoid contrite phrases ("I'm too much of a perfectionist) in favor of something more realistic and mention what steps you are taking to improve in that area.
• "What are your salary expectations?" It's best to avoid discussing salary and benefits until the end of the hiring process but if it is bought up earlier, give a salary range rather than a specific number. Your lowest number should represent what will allow you to live your lifestyle comfortably.

4 Things That Will Hurt Your Job Search

When naming obstacles in the job search, job seekers usually cite the lagging economy as a reason for their troubles. While the unemployment rate currently sits at a hardly ideal 7.6 percent, it is not the only thing that can slow down your search for work.

It's hard enough dealing with the tough job market without doing things (sometimes unknowingly) that end up sabotaging your chances of landing a job. Below are four of the most common job search mistakes; make sure to eliminate all of these practices from your process:

• Neglecting to proofread your documents: A careless typo or grammatical mistake in your résumé or cover letter can be enough to disqualify you from a job, especially when there is a lot of competition.
• Getting discouraged: It's easy to get down when you are rejected by potential employers, but don't spend your time wallowing in your misery. Try joining networking groups or other similar activities to stay engaged.
• Using one strategy: The best way to approach the job hunt is from multiple angles. Instead of solely relying on online job boards, try calling or e-mailing nonprofits that are not actively hiring to see if they have any need for your skills.
• Forgetting to network: These days, it's all about who you know. You will have a much better chance of landing a job if you already have a contact at the organization. Make use of LinkedIn and go to career fairs to build up your list of contacts.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Membership Associate

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is looking to hire a Membership Associate. Interested? Read on for more details.

The chosen candidate will provide project management and implementation of member programs for the membership department, volunteer leaders and other general AIChE programs as needed. Other key responsibilities include:

• Implement ongoing communication audit of membership benefits;
• Collaborate with membership director and marketing department on communications of benefits to enhance membership growth;
• Supplement AIChE’s social media and web presence by writing and producing blogs posts, social media communications and videos to convey membership value;
• Monitor and disseminate various membership reports from the database;
• Update volunteer, committee and membership program information in database;
• Coordinate the matching of volunteer opportunities with people interested in volunteering  for the Institute;
• Provide project management support for existing programs; on-board new membership programs; and,
• Coordinate membership awards and recognition programs.

The ideal applicant will have a Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, or communications, in addition to a minimum of 5-years experience in a membership association. You can find out more information about this nonprofit job by visiting the NPT Jobs Career Center.

4 Steps To Advance Your Career

Career turnover is a frequent occurrence these days. As the nation's economy improves and nonprofits are hiring again, professionals who were forced to stay put are now looking for new gigs. With more people changing careers though, how can you distinguish yourself from the past?

William F. Bartolini, associate vice president for development at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., spoke during the recent Blackbaud Conference for Nonprofits in National Harbor, Md., about the challenges of distinguishing yourself even as you transition between multiple career paths. He offered four steps that will ensure you will looks unique to employers:

• Find Your Passion: Sit down and figure out what your best attributes are. Test your list with a trusted friend along with a trusted co-worker.
• Create A List: Use the list to describe your accomplishments, challenges you’ve faced and experiences you want to have.
• Elevator Speech: Prepare a short speech that encapsulates your experiences and advantages. These types of speeches should last 30 seconds. Make them brief.
• Where Will You Go?: Outline what the ins and outs to your work are. Do you want to be involved in fundraising or do a little of everything? Do you want to work in a small shop or big shop? These are all questions you should be asking yourself.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Controller, CPA

When you hear the word "finance" the first thing that pops into your head is probably not animals. In the case of our newest featured nonprofit job, however, that is exactly the association you will make.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation in Norfolk, Va., is looking to hire a Controller. The chosen candidate will oversee the diverse financial operations of the organization and prepare annual operating budgets for the PETA Foundation and each supported organization.

Other responsibilities include:

• Oversee the Finance Department and its staff members;
• Prepare annual operating budgets for the PETA Foundation and each supported organization;
• Conduct a general-ledger review for the PETA Foundation and each supported organization on a monthly basis;
• Approve 401(k), bank reconciliation, payroll, annuity amortization, joint-cost, disbursements, and state filings;
• Prepare 1099-R entries for annuitants and state annuity filings annually;
• Prepare charitable annuity trust filings for applicable states;
• Review restricted-fund reports each quarter; and,
• Review personal-property tax returns for appropriate states.

The ideal applicant will have a Bachelor's Degree in accounting in addition to a Certified Public Accountant license. The individual should also have six years of experience in the industry and three or more years of senior-level management experience.

You can learn more about what it takes to be a Controller at the PETA Foundation by visiting the NPT Jobs Career Center.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Development Director -- TEP Charter School

The Equity Project (TEP) Charter School -- a 480-student middle school in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City -- is looking to hire a Development Director. Read on for more details.

The chosen candidate will have a key role at the school: Leading TEP’s ongoing $27 million capital campaign to raise funds for TEP’s permanent school facility. Other responsibilities include:

• Craft funding proposals for foundations and individuals;
• Develop new funder relationships while building and maintaining existing relationships;
• Update and refine Capital Campaign promotional materials and donation website; and,
• Design and implement all aspects of fundraising events.

The ideal applicant will have significant fundraising experience and contacts, in addition to great writing, editing, and communication skills. He/she will also be highly motivated by TEP's mission: To provide quality education for low-income families, and maintaining high standards for teachers.

You can learn more about this job by visiting the NPT Jobs Career Center.

Top 10 Employee Benefits Offered By Nonprofits

Employee benefits should be on the top of your "must-have" list when looking for a nonprofit job. While salary gets all the attention, having good benefits can make all the difference when it comes to having a job that fulfills your needs.

The NonProfit Times is in the midst of collecting data for its annual Salary and Benefits Survey and while a lot of that information has to do with employee salaries, benefits are also a part of the picture. As a job seeker, you should be seeking out jobs that offer perks that will give you flexibility when it comes to things like sick days, vacations, and bereavement time.

NPT's 2012 Salary and Benefits Report listed the top 10 employee benefits offered by nonprofits. You should be sure that the organization you want to join has at least some of these, if not most of them, before deciding to accept their job offer:

• Paid Company Holiday - 84.87 percent of employers
• Medical Insurance - 81.72 percent
• Paid Vacation -70.41 percent
• Paid Sick Leave - 65.19 percent
• Paid Bereavement Time - 64.39 percent
• Dental Insurance - 64.18 percent
• Retirement Plan - 64.07 percent
• Basic Life Insurance - 55.04 percent
• Flextime - 49.46 percent
• Employee Travel-Accident Insurance - 42.07 percent

8 Things To Include In A Job Description

This article originally appeared in one of our Weekly eNewsletters. Sign up for free today to get more articles like this.

How do you get someone to apply for a job at your organization? The obvious answer is to write a job description to post on your website or on a job board, but not any old description will do the trick.

James Weinberg and Cassie Scarano, co-founders of Commongood Careers, wrote in “Nonprofit Management 101” that, to attract great talent, you need a job description that will leave the candidate no choice but to apply. They explained that a job description is a marketing tool at the end of the day: It must engage potential candidates by communicating the opportunities available through the position, in addition to outlining the requirements.

Weinberg and Scarano listed eight things that must be included in a job description if it is to have its desired effect:

• Title: Keep it short, concise, descriptive of the position, and widely recognizable.
• Organizational Overview: Introduce your organization through a succinct and enthusiastic paragraph that outlines your mission and programs, success to date, growth plans, future opportunities, and culture.
• Position Overview: Use one well-written paragraph to describe the overall function of the position and highlight the opportunities for impact and leadership.
• Responsibilities: Use five to seven bullets to provide detail about the responsibilities of the position. Use engaging and active language and avoid jargon.
• Qualifications: This section should outline the experience and competencies required for success in the position and your organization without being overly prescriptive.
• Compensation Range: Disclosing specific compensation is not required and in fact, is not recommended, as it limits the candidates you will see.
• Application Instructions: Be very specific about how you want candidates to apply for the position.
• Equal Opportunity Statement: It is good practice to have an equal opportunity employer policy and to include that in your job description.

4 Ways To Recover From An Interview Mistake

Preparing for a job interview is the best way to avoid making mistakes but it's not a fool-proof method. Even if you practice for hours on end, you can still end up putting your foot in your mouth.

Interview mistakes are embarrassing and can also be costly if you don't recover from them. Since there is no way to turn back time, your only option is to go into damage control mode. Consider the following the tips when you are attempting to recover from a big mistake during your job interview:

• Apologize: To quote Elton John, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say but, if you are going to have a shot at the job, you're going to need to say it anyway. Hiring managers can be very forgiving so long as you come across as genuine when you ask for forgiveness.
• Don't be too hard on yourself: You need to move on from your mistake once you apologize. Don't spend the rest of the interview beating yourself up, as this will only distract you and make it clear to the interviewer that he does not have your undivided attention.
• Think fast: Are you sensing you are going to be late to the interview? Get ahead of the situation and phone the office to tell them you are running late and when they should expect you to arrive. Whatever the situation, remaining calm in the face of potential disaster is the best way to handle mistakes.
• It's never too late: Sometimes you don't realize you've made an error until you have left the interview. You might think it's too late to correct your mistakes, but this couldn't be further from the truth. When you send your follow-up e-mail later in the day, make a note of your mistake and correct it.

How To Network Without Being Annoying

This article was originally posted on the NPT Jobs Career Center

When it comes to the job search, it’s not so much what you know that is important but who you know. That doesn’t mean your career skills aren’t important — far from it — but it is true that it is much harder to get a job without a good group of networking contacts. Getting these contacts is the easy part; it’s a little harder to find a way to stay in touch with them without getting on their nerves.

Using online tools like Facebook or LinkedIn, job seekers are able to better keep in touch with the contacts they have developed over time. I can be argued that it’s too easy though, when you consider that these people do have lives and don’t necessarily want to be contacted every single day. So how do you find a balance between staying in touch and being a pest? It’s a hard act to pull off but, by following the following four tips, you can rest assured knowing that you are not alienating your best job resources:

• Determine which social media site your contacts are most comfortable receiving messages and use that to your advantage. Occasionally commenting on their statuses or sending a quick message is a good way to remind them you still exist without rubbing them the wrong way.
• Don’t feel pressured to spend hours with your contacts. An occasional coffee meeting or a quick lunch is a good way to keep you fresh in their minds should a good job opportunity come up for you.
• Do you have a connection who could potentially help but you don’t get along? Don’t try to force a connection with this kind of person as not only will it not help you, it will probably make you more annoying to them. Stick to networking with people with whom you have a great relationship.
• Nobody likes a one-sided relationship except for the person who is benefiting from it. Make sure that you are doing things for your contacts and avoid talking only about yourself when you chat. Ask how they are doing or what they are doing with their lives.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Major Gifts Officer, Islamic Relief USA

Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) is looking to hire a Major Gifts Officer. Interested in this type of nonprofit job? Read on for more details.

The chosen candidate for this position will be responsible for identifying new donors and cultivating and developing relationships with current and prospective individual major donors in order to build donor support of the organization’s mission and to build the group’s impact on the community.

Other essential responsibilities include:

• Manages relationships with a portfolio of major donors.
• Implements fundraising strategies from individuals through major gift campaigns, personal cultivation/solicitation, planned giving vehicles and special events designed for individual donors.
• Develops and manages the major gifts annual operational and revenue plans in conjunction with IRUSA’s annual budget.
• Coordinates and liaises with other Fund Development team members and executive management regarding relationship building and donor cultivation events.
• Contacts and meets with prospective donors through personal visits.
• Writes and/or edits proposals, reports, acknowledgements, briefings, and letters to donors and prospects, pledge reminder letters and other documents.
• Maintains and provides accurate records of all donor-related activities.

Qualified applicants will have a Bachelor's Degree, a minimum of five years of fundraising experience, and a history of success cultivating major donors. A CFRE is preferred but not required. You can find out more about this job by visiting the NPT Jobs Career Center.

Featured Nonprofit Job: Chief Technology Officer

The modern nonprofit can't survive in today's society without an expert understanding of technology. That's why the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in Washington, D.C., is looking to hire a Chief Technology Officer.

The chosen candidate for this position will be in charge of planning and implementing enterprise information systems to support both distributed and centralized business operations. The individual will also be responsible for overseeing enterprise-wide IT operations and will report directly to the CEO.

Other important responsibilities include:

• Communicates the benefits of information technology to the organization.
• Develops and implements long-range plans for information technology at ULI.
• Collaborates closely with other ULI executives to create an overall cohesive approach to information technology within the organization.
• Creates strategic working relationships outside of ULI both within the information technology industry and in the real estate field.
• Responsible for strategic systems planning and design. This includes system architecture, evaluating new systems, determining standardized programming languages, setting documentation standards and assuring functionality and quality of systems.
• Oversees IT projects including procurement, hardware and software maintenance, network operations, installation, database administration, and website development and maintenance.
• Ensures optimal customer service by overseeing staff’s responsive technical assistance and support to users.
• Responsible for generating annual IT budget in consultation with CFO.

Interested in learning more? Head to the NPT Jobs Career Center for requirements and application instructions.

The First Day Employee Checklist

The first day at a new job is a little bit like the first day of school. Feelings of loneliness, confusion, and an overwhelming sense of anxiety are common for new hires on Day 1 and, unfortunately, sometimes busy supervisors can contribute to these feelings.

Nonprofit managers must do everything in their power to be available when a new employee starts work. While all first day hires need help acclimating to their new environment, it is even more imperative to be present when the worker is new to the job market or is working in the nonprofit sector for the first time.

In "The Big Book of HR," authors Barbara Mitchell and Cornelia Gamlem created a checklist that managers should follow on Day 1 of any new employee. The checklist offers some items that might seem like no-brainers, yet it's exactly these items that are critical to ensuring that Day 1 is successful for all parties.

• Does security know the new hire is coming?
• Does the employee know where and when to report on Day 1?
• Is the work area ready: computer and phone – hooked up and ready to go? Are there supplies, welcoming items?
• Does staff know when the new hire is arriving?
• Is there a plan for the first day and beyond?
• Does the manager’s schedule include time for the new hire?
• Does the new hire have a copy of his/her job description?
• Does the new hire have a copy of the organization’s strategic plan and mission statement?
• Does the new hire know what to do in case of emergency?