Development Associate, Feminist Press, New York, NY

Development Associate

Posted on: February 1, 2013
Application deadline: March 27, 2013
Start date: September 2, 2013
Posted by: Feminist Press
Salary: $65,000/year

DESCRIPTION

This position is offered through the ACLS Public Fellows program, which will place 20 recent Ph.D.s from the humanities and humanistic social sciences in two-year staff positions at partnering organizations in government and the nonprofit sector. The program, made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, aims to expand the reach of doctoral education by demonstrating that the capacities developed in the advanced study of the humanities have wide application, both within and beyond the academy. Applicants must have received their degrees in the last three years and aspire to careers in administration, management, and public service by choice rather than circumstance. Applications are accepted only through the ACLS Online Fellowship Application system (ofa.acls.org) by March 27, 2013. Please do not contact any of the organizations directly. See www.acls.org/programs/publicfellows for more information on the program, positions, eligibility, and application.

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

The Feminist Press at the City University of New York is the longest-running feminist publisher in the world. As such, it has continued to grow and evolve in the current era as feminism and publishing both face new challenges. The Feminist Press has always been an activist press, closely linked to the women's movement and women's studies at its inception, committed to reprinting "lost" women's voices, and works that had long been out of print. In recent years, it has added to its mission by publishing original works by current feminist authors from around the world, and is establishing itself as a voice of modern feminist thought. As a nonprofit publisher, the Press focuses on community outreach as an integral aspect of its work. For more information, visit www.feministpress.org.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Feminist Press is seeking a Development Associate who will work with the Executive Director and the Development Manager to build a widening group of readers and supporters, especially among new generations of feminists. At a time of exciting – and challenging – changes in the industry, this position also offers the opportunity for the fellow to participate in the creative and strategic thinking that will help the Feminist Press adapt to new digital publishing technologies, and will provide skills that can be used across a broad range of industries and career paths. Because the Feminist Press is an independent publisher with a small staff, there is a great deal of shared decision-making, and the fellowship offers the opportunity to participate in areas outside the position description, such as publicity, marketing, and design.

At the end of two years the Development Associate should have a strong foundation in several areas: fundraising, grant writing, marketing outreach in general and social media outreach in particular, digital technologies, building communities of supporters, and knowledge of how to create a development campaign from start to finish. In addition, he or she will gain knowledge about sales, design, and publicity. The Development Associate will attend conferences, work directly with the Feminist Press board to encourage them to participate in campaigns, and will accompany the Executive Director and the Development Manager to select meetings with donors, learning the intricacies of direct fundraising.

Among the projects the Development Associate will work on are:

• In an effort to expand outreach to a younger demographic of supporters, the Press is in the process of creating the Feminist Press Young Patron's committee with an FP board member. The FPYP will explore new ideas for books as well as new fundraising strategies with a network of young feminists, activists, and professionals. The Development Associate will meet with committee members, reach out to other young patron organizations, and help coordinate strategic meetings. The Associate will also work with the committee to create cultivation and networking events in New York City, based on FP books and relevant social justice issues.
• Working with the Executive Director and the Development Manager, the Development Associate will create a strategic plan for a social media campaign to increase the FP's donor base and maintain ongoing communication with all donors.
• The Associate will help create a consortium of feminist media and advocacy organizations to strengthen the FP's relationships with other feminist organizations and to build partnerships for events and fundraising. A targeted plan will lead to a more effective distribution of funds for all involved by combining resources, development, and fundraising activities across a range of voices, issues, and groups.
• In conjunction with the Executive Director and Marketing Manager, the Associate will develop new avenues for marketing and distributing publications in digital formats.
• Working with the FP board to encourage their participation in various new projects such as the funding consortium and the FPYP.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Ph.D. in the humanities or a humanistic social sciences
• Experience and a demonstrated interest in fundraising and social organizing
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and to help marshal their skills toward a unified goal
• Experience with and comfort with working in a small, team-based organization
• Flexibility and willingness to pitch in on various projects outside the job description as needed in a small organization
• Ability to handle a variety of ongoing tasks at the same time

HOW TO APPLY

Information on the ACLS Public Fellows Program: www.acls.org/programs/publicfellows

All applications must be submitted through the ACLS Online Fellowship Application System: ofa.acls.org