Advancement Specialist

NorthwestMinnesotaFoundation,BemidjiMN

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) is one of the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations (MIFs) established by the McKnight Foundation in 1986toassistMinnesota’sruralregionsduringthefarmcrisisinthe1980s. Astheregion’sMIFandtheonlycommunityfoundationintheregion,NMF hasbeenservingthevastnonprofitcommunityinnorthwestMinnesotafor more than 30 years.

NMF provides grants and loans to organizations and small businesses that haveofficeslocatedwithinthe12-countyregionandthetwotribalnations. Since its founding, NMF has invested millions to help make the region a better place to live and work.

PositionDescription

The Advancement Specialistis accountable for providing excellent customer service to external and internal audiences, and for providing executive assistant support to the Senior Vice President of Advancement to ensure efficient operation of the Advancement Division. The Advancement Specialist also supports with Communications tasks, event planning, and facilitation of special projects.

Duties& Responsibilities

• You will provide quality communication and collaboration in all interactions, including external individuals and internal staff. You will seek and provide prompt resolutions and answers to all inquiries.
• You will work with the SVP of Advancement, Senior Executive Assistant, Philanthropy Associates, and all staff to ensure efficient office operations. Some duties will include but not be limited to greeting visitors and notifying appropriate staff, processing incoming and outgoing mail, processing incoming deposits, answering phones, managing NMF phone lines and calling systems, addressing various building-related needs, and interacting with building vendors.
• You will provide executive assistant support to the Senior Vice President of Advancement. Your support will include but not be limited to assisting with scheduling of meetings and managing the SVP’s calendar, screening internal requests for the SVP’s attention. You will compile, prepare materials, and take notes from division and departmental meetings, tracking the progress of commitments and ongoing projects to ensure they maintain momentum and meet expected timelines.
• You will assist and support implementation of ongoing divisional initiatives and projects across departmental areas. You will work alongside NMF’s Philanthropy Officers, Philanthropy Associates, and Communications Director to ensure efficient operation of the Advancement Division and completion of necessary projects.
• You will support Advancement in executing day to day Communications activities and tasks. Some duties will include but not be limited to updating the NMF website, managing and adding new funds in NMF’s online giving platform, creating online event registration forms, creating e-blast news files through NMF’s various e-communications channels, sending press releases to various media as appropriate, designing social media posts from template files, and other tasks as assigned.
• You will work within NMF’s various software systems. In the Raiser’s Edge database, your tasks will include but not be limited to entering and maintaining constituent data, pulling mailing and contact lists for mailings and e-blasts; maintaining data integrity; and pulling data from the system to execute mailings that utilize merge functions. You will seek out training in the various software programs to maintain and grow your expertise and knowledge in these systems.
• Youareresponsibleforallotherdutiesasassigned.

Whatsuccesslookslike:

• You nurture a culture of collaboration and bring curiosity and enthusiasm to your work.
• You set an example in the organization through your courteousness, prompt resolutions, and answers to inquiries and requests from external and internal customers.
• You will excel at fielding multiple requests at once with efficiency, prioritization, clear communication, and accuracy.
• Youseektoworkwithotherstaffinateam-firstapproach.Youareapersonwithaveryhighattention to detail and will ensure that all information entered and released from the Foundation is accurate and free of errors. You will prepare entries and documents that are accurate and free of errors.
• You are an individual with a strong aptitude for technology. You will be adept at using various software in completion of your duties.
• The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is committed to growing a fair and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. You actively seek opportunities to grow your skills and strengthen our work across the region.

Obligations

Ownership of:

• Internal scheduling, particularly for SVP of Advancement and the Advancement Division.

• Accurate and well-organized Advancement records and documentation.
• Timely coordination of contracts, invoices, and paperwork.

Willcollaboratein

• The operations of the NMF office building.
• Positivelydevelopingrelationshipwithfundadvisors,anddonors.
• The creation and publishing of approved Communications content.

Qualifications

Required:

• AssociateDegree(A.A.)fromtwo-yearcollegeortechnicalschoolorhighereducational achievement or two years of relevant work experience.
• Proficiency with Excel, CRM/data systems, and/orcloud-basedcomputersystemsincludingMicrosoftOfficeSuite.
• Strong organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiencyintechnology, the use of a variety of software programs

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and work experience
• Basicaccountingknowledge.
• Knowledgeofcomputerprocedures,operations,anddatabasesystems.
• Passion for NMF’s mission and enthusiasm for community-focused work.

JobInformation

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation follows an equal opportunity employment policy and employs personnel withoutregardtorace,creed,color,ethnicity,nationalorigin,religion,sex,sexualorientation,genderexpression, age, physical or mental ability, pregnancy, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status. This policy applies to hiring, wages, internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, and terminations.

• Thispositionoffersacompetitivehourlywage (a minimum of $50,255 to maximum of $72,590),whichwillbesetbasedonqualifications.
• The primary location for this position is the main office in Bemidji, MN. This position is eligible for a flexible-hybrid work arrangement with a to-be-determined number of days each week, as agreed upon with the position’s supervisor.

·Thispositionwillrequiresome travel locally, regionally, state-wide, and potentially nationally.

The deadline to apply is October 11, 2026