Senior Coordinator

Overview

Join one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks!

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level.

We bring together leading experts in government and academia from all over the world, rooted in open-minded inquiry and representing diverse points of view, who provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations, and analysis. Research topics cover a full range of public policy issues in economics, foreign policy, development, governance and metropolitan policy.

With fair and transparent business practices, clear communication, mutual respect, and a collaborative atmosphere that offers both professional and personal development opportunities, Brookings offers an inclusive and welcoming workplace that values the efforts of all contributors.

The Office of Development manages fundraising across the institution. Focused on a constituency based fundraising model, our team works directly with the research programs and executive office to set an overarching fundraising strategy that supports the important work of our scholars.

In Brookings Development, we aim to: 

• Build and nurture relationships with donors and prospects to raise critical financial resources in support of the institution’s fiscal health and to advance the mission of Brookings.  
• Safeguard Brookings’s institutional values of Quality, Independence, and Impact. 
• Amplify the impact of our scholars’ research and steward our donors’ generosity with compelling and innovative programming for our donor groups. 
• Support our Board of Trustees in carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities to protect and sustain the institution. 
• Partner closely with our colleagues across Brookings by providing best in class fundraising and fundraising operations to benefit all research programs. 
• In everything we do, strive for excellence, act with integrity, communicate with honesty, show respect and collegiality, be proactive, collaborative, creative, and solutions oriented. 

Position Location: This position is hybrid. Hybrid positions combine regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC office with the option of at least two days of remote work each week.

Responsibilities

Ready to contribute to Brookings Success?

The Senior Coordinator, Individual Giving provides essential operational, administrative, and writing support to the Individual Giving team. Reporting to the Managing Director of Individual Giving, this role is responsible for managing key systems and processes that support donor engagement, including database maintenance, board briefing development, project coordination, and logistical execution of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities. The Senior Coordinator will prepare board briefings and fundraising materials, ensuring accuracy and timeliness, and serve as the key manager for Raiser’s Edge NXT database entry for gift officers across the team. This position resolvealso work with scholars across five programs to develop compelling program and project summaries to advance fundraising goals. Must be able to synthesize feedback from internal stakeholders and revise content to align with project priorities. Success in this role requires strong project management, attention to detail, proactive problem-solving, excellent writing skills, and the ability to anticipate and respond to team needs in a fast-paced environment. Must be able to manage multiple projects at a time with varying priorities.

Fundraising and stewardship administrative support (60%)

• Partner across the Individual Giving team to track cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies in Raiser Edge NXT for all individual donor activities.
• Maintain the database with up-to-date solicitation and cultivation information.
• Ensure that all NXT records are up to date with recent meeting activity, meeting read-outs, and immediate next steps.
• Lead the proposal review process for the Individual Giving team.
• Prepare draft gift agreements for donors.
• Help develop giving reports to be shared with the Development Team and Executive Office.
• Provide logistical and technical support for meetings and conference calls, send calendar appointments, track anticipated attendance, and prepare attendance reports as needed.
• Develop meeting agendas for standing Individual Giving team meetings and circulate meeting notes as appropriate.
• Ensure agendas and materials are timely distributed in advance of each meeting.
• Conduct mail merges, material compilation, and various other office support projects as needed.
• Respond to development specific to questions from donors.
• Take meeting notes and ensure follow-up for donor meetings as necessary.
• Handle sensitive information and confidential projects.
• Through general reading and research, keep up to date with Brookings’ research programs and donor interests.
• Assist with Board of Trustee business meetings as needed.
• Assists with special projects and other duties as needed.

Development writing and project coordination (40%)

• Serve as project manager for Individual Giving team
• Support briefing process for Executive Team meetings with the Board of Trustees and other priority prospects as needed.
• Draft compelling proposals and program and project summaries that inspire support for priority work.
• Conduct ad-hoc research assignments regarding individual donors.
• Format and prepare reports for management and Board review.
• Ensures notification of donors about Brookings events and activities.
• Research, write and edit proposals and other written fundraising materials as necessary.
• Serve as Individual Giving team lead on assigned communication initiatives, in partnership with the Development Communications team.
• Coordinate with scholars and other operations staff across programs.

Qualifications

Ready to make an impact? In this role, you will support Brookings values of collegiality, respect, inclusion, diversity and community, and bring the following qualifications:

Education/Experience Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.  Minimum five years of professional relevant administrative experience required (preferably in a Development Office and/or nonprofit organization).  Experience working with high-net worth or high-profile individuals is highly preferred. Must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.

Knowledge/Skill Requirements

Excellent interpersonal, organizational, technical, and communication skills required.  Excellent grammar, spelling, proofreading, writing, and editing skills, and ability to research information and compile for briefings.  Must have acute attention to detail, and be discreet, dependable, and work quickly.  Must have the proven ability to exercise excellent judgment and initiative while maintaining confidentiality.  Professional demeanor and high level of comfort working with high-profile individuals.  Ability to interact politely with the public, as well as internal constituents, and have an excellent phone and email skills.  Must be able to function independently and in close cooperation with others.  Must be able to coordinate a variety of tasks simultaneously and consistently follow up on details.  Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite, especially Excel, donor software such as Raisers Edge (or other CRM), and the capacity to learn other types of software including Publisher, and Adobe Pro. 

Additional Information 

What can we offer you? Brookings provides a generous benefit package that is comprehensive and includes both traditional benefits and unique offerings. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision benefits, generous time off, and workplace flexibility. For more information, please visit Brookings Benefits. 

Brookings requires that all applicants submit a cover letter and resume. Please attach your cover letter and resume as one document when you apply. Please note: if you have applied to more than one Brookings job opening you should add a position-specific cover letter as a separate attachment. 

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for employment at Brookings. 

Brookings welcomes and celebrates diversity in all its forms, including diversity of experience, thought, and personal background.  We welcome applications that reflect a variety of backgrounds based on ideology, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, first generation college goers, and other factors protected by law. Brookings is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace. All selection decisions are based upon merit, skills, abilities and experience.