Development Services & Data Specialist, NIJC

About NIJC

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) advances human rights and due process for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers through direct legal services, impact litigation, advocacy, and public education . Headquartered in Chicago with offices in Washington, DC, Indiana, and San Diego, NIJC's team of 100 attorneys, paralegals, and professionals, along with 2,000 pro bono attorneys, is at the forefront of immigration reform.

Job Summary :

The Development Operations Specialist supports fundraising efforts through accurate gift processing, donor database management, and timely acknowledgments . This position manages the full gift processing lifecycle and contributes to reporting and data quality initiatives.

The Specialist will play a key role in the upcoming CRM migration from Little Green Light to EveryAction in 2026, assisting with data analysis, cleanup, and system configuration to ensure a smooth transition.

Additional responsibilities include donor support, event logistics , sponsorship coordination, and administrative support for external committees. This role reports to the Associate Director of Development and is part of a five-person team. It follows a hybrid work model, with a minimum of three in-office days per week and increased presence during peak donation periods.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Gift Processing & Donor Data Management

• Accurately deposit, process, and code over 9,000 gifts annually across all channels and payment types; manage and file gift backup; send mailed and emailed acknowledgments within one week of receipt; and process tribute notifications to ensure prompt, accurate communications.
• Prepare and share weekly donation reports with Finance and Accounting ensuring accurate coding and supporting weekly/monthly reconciliations to resolve discrepancies.
• Maintain accurate donor records and ensure data integrity.
• Generate reports and dashboards for internal use.
• Fundraising & Stewardship Support
• Respond to donor inquiries received through the general Development inbox with timely and comprehensive follow-up.
• Manage the recurring donor program, including resolving payment issues and ensuring distribution of annual tax letters.
• Serve as primary point of contact for individuals/organizations interested in fundraising for NIJC via third-party event s or peer-to-peer efforts.
• Event Support
• Provide logistical and administrative support for fundraising events.
• Manage event registration, sponsorship tracking, and day-of logistics .
• Reconcile gifts from third-party platforms.
• System Transition & Data Base Management
• Maintain and monitor database records to ensure information is accurate , complete, and current.
• Create and maintain data queries, exports, and standard reports to support the needs of the team, management, and board of directors.
• Document and maintain SOPs for gift processing, acknowledgement, and database management while supporting continuous improvement by identifying and implementing workflow efficiencies.
• Support data preparation for audits, annual reports, and external compliance needs.

Qualifications:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required .

1. Education & Experience

• Education & Experience: A bachelor's degree with at least two years of experience in development operations , o r an associate's degree with a minimum of four years of experience in these same fields will also be considered . Prior experience in donation processing required . Familiarity with philanthropy, immigration, legal aid, and/or civil and human rights issues is a plus.
• Experience in donation processing and CRM/database management is required .

1. CRM & Database Skills

• Proficiency in CRM platforms (Little Green Light, EveryAction , a plus )
• Strong understanding of data integrity, record structure, and reporting tools.
• Ability to manage donor segmentation, custom reports, and data cleanup.

1. Technical Proficiency

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (e.g., pivot tables, VLOOKUP, formulas).
• Experience with data quality assurance and systematic error identification.
• Communication & Organizational Skills
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Strong attention to detail , ability to prioritize multiple tasks, and collaborative mindset.
• Initiative-taker with the ability to work independently and in teams.

Physical Abilities Statement

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of thos e an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time .
• Ability to lift 20 pounds.
• The person in this position occasionally needs to move about the inside of the office to access filing cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Constantly operat es a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a copy machine.

It is the policy of NIJC not to discriminate against any applicant for employment, or any employee because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status.

By submitting your application, you acknowledge and consent to undergo a comprehensive background check as part of the employment process. This background check will be conducted in compliance with applicable state and federal laws.