Development Operations Manager

Who we are

The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, envisions a society that respects the dignity of every person and safeguards justice for everyone. Vera is committed to securing equal justice, ending mass incarceration, and strengthening families and communities. 

• We study problems that impede human dignity and justice. 
• We pilot solutions that are at once transformative and achievable. 
• We engage diverse communities in informed debate. 
• And we harness the power of evidence to drive effective policy and practice. 

We work with others who share our vision to tackle the most pressing injustices of our day—from mass incarceration, racial disparities, and the loss of public trust in law enforcement to the unmet needs of people who are vulnerable, marginalized, and harmed by crime and violence. Vera has offices in New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. Vera is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We hire employees that reflect our values: respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, and race equity. If you want to learn more about life at Vera click here.

What you'll do

The Development Operations Manager will work closely with the Chief Development Officer to ensure all of the essential logistical elements of the Development department run smoothly. Fundraising mailings and tracking of gifts from donors, and interactions with them, are especially important areas of focus. The Development Operations Manager will supervise the Development Coordinator, who will help handle the administrative work of a growing department.

The Development Operations Manager responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

1. Working with the Development Coordinator (and in collaboration with the full Development team) to ensure that all logistical elements of the Development department are completed effectively, accurately, and on-time.  This includes:

• making certain that all gift and donor data is accurate,
• creating draft fundraising letters and a year-end fundraising schedule,
• shepherding letters through the approvals process,
• and overseeing the mailing of letters.

2. Maintaining our donor tracking spreadsheets and pulling event invite lists, working in support of and in close collaboration with the Development team.

3. Supporting the Chief Development Officer, President, senior staff, and Board of Trustees in all development initiatives and other activities, as assigned, including by creating fundraising decks and other collateral materials

4.Working closely with the Finance department to track and maintain the department's budget.

5. Other duties as assigned

What qualifications you need

• 3+ years of fundraising experience required
• 5+ years of experience in a development operations role preferred
• Prior experience with fundraising databases
• Proficient with Microsoft Office
• Wave, Salsa, Relationship Science, GrantHub, and Wealth-X -- or similar software products.
• Prior supervisory experience
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Ability to remain flexible while working in a fast-paced and complex organization
• Able to anticipate and identify various problems that arise, and apply creative solutions
• Extremely detail-orientated
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Ability to learn and master new software systems quickly
• Ability to build and maintain constructive working and communications relationships with a diverse team
• Ability to take initiative, use sound judgment, and ask questions as needed
• Commitment to the mission of Vera

The Nitty – Gritty

• This is a full-time position available immediately
• Salary is competitive plus excellent benefits

How to apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Online submission in PDF format (through Vera’s career page) is preferred.  No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.  

ATTN: Human Resources / Development Operations Manager
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.  All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status. 

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission. 

For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org