Executive Assistant & Development Associate

The Nature Museum is looking for a highly organized, proactive, and collaborative Executive Assistant & Development Associate to help support the Museum’s next phase of growth. The Executive Assistant & Development Associate is responsible for ensuring the implementation of fundraising support activities to meet the Museum’s annual and long-term philanthropic goals. The Executive Assistant & Development Associate will update and manage the Museum’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database, ensuring data integrity, and sending timely gift acknowledgements. The Executive Assistant & Development Associate will also help with donor stewardship and administrative functions. This position offers a fantastic opportunity to join an incredible, collaborative, and passionate team.

This position reports directly to the President and CEO of the Nature Museum. The Executive Assistant's related responsibilities include managing calendars, making travel arrangements, and preparing expense reports. To be successful in this role, you should be well-organized, have great time management skills, be able to act without guidance, and have a positive can-do attitude.

Ultimately, you will contribute to the efficiency of the Nature Museum in achieving our mission of creating positive connections between people and nature by providing support to the executive team and their work to drive impact and value across Chicago and beyond.

The Ideal Candidate is

• A detail-oriented self-starter with prior experience as an Executive Assistant to a CEO. Comfortable interacting with high-level executives externally
• Shows Initiative: Effectively responds to pressure and acts professionally. Uses resources well. Follows through on ideas, assignments, and open issues. Must possess a "can-do" and "will-do" attitude.
• Commitment to learning: Applies a growth mentality to their own development. Promotes a culture of learning by modeling inquisitiveness and an openness to viewing mistakes as an opportunity to learn and improve
• Integrity: Possesses impeccable integrity and personal and professional values that are consistent with the Museum’s high standards and mission.
• Adaptive and Resourceful: Demonstrates comfort with ambiguity and resourcefulness
• Independent Worker/Thinker: Must have the ability to work independently and in a team setting. Someone who exhibits sound judgment with the ability to prioritize and make decisions

Responsibilities

Development Responsibilities

• Assist in the production of reports and assist in donor stewardship
• Create donor materials, including the drafting of donor correspondence, donor communications,
• meeting memos, and background documents, as opportunities arise
• Coordinate major donor mailings and donor briefings/conference calls
• Gift Processing: processing of gifts/contributions is a primary responsibility of the Development Associate position, from overseeing cash receipts to interfacing with the finance department system to Raisers’ Edge NXT data entry function, to data quality control
• Assist with meeting preparation and handle meeting logistics, events, and coordination
• Assist with research support when needed
• Support with the development of fundraising events
• Other Development responsibilities as needed

Executive Assistant Responsibilities

• Schedule appointments, and maintain and update the President and CEO’s daily calendar
• Answer and respond to phone calls, communicate messages and information to the executive
• Maintain various records and documents
• Brief the President and CEO on meetings for the upcoming week
• Stakeholder management, including maintaining a database of key stakeholders
• Organize and prepare for meetings, including gathering documents and attending to the logistics of meetings
• Preparation of meeting logistics, such as coordination with the front desk and making restaurant reservations, preparing itineraries, and submitting expense reports
• Maintain confidentiality of highly sensitive information
• Manage complex office administrative work requiring the use of independent judgment and initiative
• Other administrative responsibilities as needed

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
• 3 years of related development experience;
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment;
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge or other fundraising databases;
• Proficiency with Windows environment and standard MS Office suite: Excel,
• PowerPoint, Word, etc.
• Experience with Google Office product suite is a plus
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in recording information
• Proactivity, self-direction, and strong problem-solving and decision-making
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrated passion for fundraising and three or more years of experience in fund development, administrative support, or a comparable field
• Familiarity with nonprofit fundraising best practices
• Excellent attention to detail and logistical planning skills
• An orientation toward delighting donors and funders
• Ability to anticipate internal needs and be proactive in fulfilling job duties
• Ability to prioritize and organize work assignments and make sound decisions
• Experience handling confidential information appropriately
• Commitment to advancing equity, inclusion, and diversity within the organization and in the environmental movement
• High degree of integrity, intellectual curiosity, and a positive attitude

Benefits

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental + Vision Plans
• Life + Disability Benefits
• EAP + Work/Life Program Services
• 401(k) Savings Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Sick Leave

SALARY: $55,000-$65,000 commensurate with experience; generous benefits

About Us

For 169 years, The Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (‘Nature Museum’) has been connecting Chicagoans to nature and science. As a leader in the field of scientific research, education, and community programming, the Nature Museum’s mission is to create a positive relationship between people and nature through collaboration, education, research, collections, exhibitions, and public forums to grow the region’s urban connection to the world of nature and science. The Nature Museum believes that nature and science should and can be accessible to everyone and seeks to be a spark that ignites and fosters a sense of wonder for nature, an understanding of science, and the protection of the natural world.

Founded in 1857, the Chicago Academy of Sciences is Chicago’s oldest museum and one of America’s oldest scientific institutions. Created by members seeking to understand the natural world through methodical exploration and study, the Chicago Academy of Sciences became the first private scientific museum founded in the city of Chicago. When the Academy opened its doors to the public in 1869, the institution’s focus expanded to that of a community museum to welcome and engage Chicago residents and visitors. The scientific collections that have been curated and preserved through the Chicago Academy of Sciences have been used to help define human understanding of nature, ecology, and the diversity of life in the United States. They are key resources in allowing the scientific community to interpret our present place in history as well as anticipate future conditions.

How to Apply:

Please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected] to apply.

In addition to your resume and cover letter, please include:

• A writing sample (email, donor communication, memo, meeting recap, proposal, etc.) that demonstrates your professional communication style
• A visual communication sample (Powerpoint presentation, one-pager, board materials, report, Canva design, etc.) that showcases your ability to present information in a clear, professional, and visually engaging manner. Please remove or redact any confidential or proprietary information before submitting.

The Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all areas of the organization. We strongly encourage applications from people of color and members of underrepresented groups.

Pay: $55,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Dependent health insurance coverage
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Executive Assistant: 2 years (Required)
• Fundraising and Development: 3 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Chicago, IL 60614 (Required)

Work Location: In person