Development Associate (7546U) - College of Engineering

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice.

Departmental Overview

The College of Engineering at UC Berkeley is recognized for its educational and research excellence, consistently ranking among the top three Engineering colleges in the United States. With more than 247 regular faculty members, 2,421 graduate students and 4,320 undergraduate students located in seven academic departments, Engineering is the second largest college on the Berkeley Campus.

The College Relations Department supports the College's core projects and programs through marketing, communications, and private fundraising efforts designed to reach over 60,000 alumni, friends, students, foundations, and corporate partners. During the Light the Way campaign the College of Engineering received $900 million in private gifts and is consistently among the top fundraising units within the university.

The Development Associate supports the College's high-impact fundraising program and contributes to the team's high-level fundraising priorities. The position reports to the Director of Donor Relations and Campaign Operations (DRCO). Responsibilities include assisting in developing materials for the College's leadership and major benefactors, organizing related programs and projects, communicating donor impact and fund utilization on a regular schedule.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: July 2, 2026 - Open Until Filled

Responsibilities

Donor Relations and Major and Leadership Annual Gifts Support:

As a key member of the DRCO team, assist in the development of high-level proposals, presentations, site visits, board meetings, and other special events to meet key fundraising objectives.
Develop and design materials in collaboration with fundraisers and stewardship colleagues, including proposals, agendas, briefings, background information, slide deck presentations, and tailored correspondence for major donors and prospects.
Support stewardship efforts through coordinating thank you notes, donor follow-ups, event invitations, and assisting in tailored, in-house donor mailings.
Assist in preparation for donor meetings, including preparing briefing materials and ensuring all logistics are in place.
Provide support for the Executive Director of Development in their portfolio management and associated communications as requested.
Devise and recommend a new program of activities to serve a targeted donor population.

Project Management & Administrative Operations:

Partners with DRCO team to implement and administer fundraising projects, programs, and events in support of the College's Development Program, often with college and campus partners.
Provide project management assistance for development campaigns, including coordinating timelines, tracking deliverables, and ensuring deadlines are met.
Participate in short- and long-range planning, coordinating fundraising processes and tracking for the team.
Organize and maintain digital filing systems; ensuring transparency and access to key documents for the frontline fundraising team.
Complete expense reports, reimbursements, subscriptions, and vendor payments in a timely and accurate manner.
Assess office procedures and practices, recommend enhancements for efficiency and effectiveness, and manage implementation.

Research; Data Analysis:

Work with the Development team to identify needs for complex data, refine and articulate those needs, and work with Prospect Management and in-house data team to design and deliver effective reports.
Provide reports on fundraising goals (tracking gifts to solicit and close, year-to-date totals, etc) as requested; provides analysis of data.
Ensure that recorded donor data and designations are accurate and complete.
Conduct or obtain research on individuals and companies to support proposal development or meeting briefings.
Research and analyze metrics to illustrate fundraising-program trends, impact of activities, and results.
Assist in tracking and managing donor data in the CRM system, ensuring accurate and timely data entry.

Event Planning; Execution:

Assist with special events, including luncheons, dinners, small receptions, and high-level board meetings, in collaboration with the Donor Relations and Campaign Operations teams.
Provide on-site event support as needed, ensuring smooth execution of events involving major donors.
Attend major events to assist in their execution, involving direct interaction with alumni, volunteers, and donors.

Office Planning; Team Coordination:

In consultation with the Director of Donor Relations and Campaign Operations, manages office wide projects and keeps initiatives on track.
Works with Development team leaders to develop agenda for weekly meetings with Development Team including the Executive Director of Development, Director of DRCO, and individual meetings with Development Team members. Attend selected meetings and assist with follow-up.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
Working knowledge of fundraising, donor relations, and public relations concepts, principles, procedures, and techniques.
Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills, including political acumen, to build and maintain effective working relationships at all organizational levels and with outside constituencies.
Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills, including skill in creative and effective decision-making and problem identification/avoidance/resolution.
Ability to handle sensitive information with precision and in a confidential manner.
Highly detail oriented with a critical degree of accuracy.
Outstanding customer service ethic for working with campus donors.
Working knowledge of computer and database systems, to facilitate research, extract meaningful data for program analysis, and prepare documents and presentation materials.
Thorough project-management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of the campus, including its vision, mission, goals, objectives, achievements, programs, faculty activities, and infrastructure.
In-Design and Adobe suite experience highly preferred.
Thorough knowledge of Canva, Asana or similar project management software, and GoogleWorkspace.

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